The Pro Life campaign has said Amnesty Ireland “has drifted very far from its founding principles and is now a de facto abortion lobby group.”

Amnesty delegates today staged a protest calling for repeal to the 8th amendment, carrying more than 80 suitcases to outside Government Buildings to symbolize the women whot ravel abraod for an abortino each week. Amnesty says 177,000 have travelled abroad to seek abortion since 1971 - although the actual figure could be far higher.

Pro Life campaign has accused amnesty of shutting out aspects of the debate on abortion – including allegations of “barbaric practices” linked to abortion in Britain and Canada.

“Amnesty has no credibility reprimanding others on abortion while it refuses to intervene and do something about these barbaric practices happening in the name of ‘choice’”, Sinead Slattery of the Pro Life Campaign said.

Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, Colm O’Gorman, said today: "Ireland can no longer ignore the suffering of its women and girls."

"Ireland must repeal the 8th amendment to its Constitution and legislate for safe and legal abortions in Ireland, at a minimum, on the grounds specified in international human rights law, namely in the cases of rape, incest, risk to the health of the woman or girl, or severe and fatal foetal impairment."

"This is a debate Ireland needs to have. The 177,000 women it has sent away deserve nothing less," he added.