Almost 4k Irish residents had abortions in the UK last year

Data on abortions in the UK shows that Irish residents accounted for nearly 4,000 abortions in the country last year.

The Irish Times reports that almost 87% of those terminations carried out on Irish women were classed as surgical, and the remainder were medical.

Three-quarters of the Irish women who underwent the procedures in England or Wales described themselves as single, while 15% were married.

Orla O'Connor, Director of the National Women's Council, said there needs to be wider access to abortion for Irish women.

"We absolutely need to looks at what, first of all, are the supports that are needed right now in the immediate circumstances - in terms of women travelling," she said.

"We need to have a much more open conversation about abortion," she added.