‘Unwanted pregnancies caused by fornication’

A Government TD has blamed “fornication” as the single biggest cause of unwanted pregnancies and questioned what damage the sale of condoms has done to society.

Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin’s comments came as she and coalition colleagues voted down a private members bill to allow abortion in Ireland to save the life of the expectant mother.

The constituency colleague of Enda Kenny shocked observers as she claimed women did not own their own sexuality in the same manner that men did. She raised questions about whether the legalising of homosexuality had been damaging to society.