Mother and Baby Homes: State paid for 2,400 pregnant women to be repatriated from England

"The number of pregnant unmarried Irish women who came into contact with British welfare services — both voluntary and public — was so great that they were commonly known by the initials, PFIs — Pregnant from Ireland," the report states. Picture: Hany Marzouk

The Irish government paid for the repatriation of 2,434 pregnant women over a 23-year period, many against their will, after English Catholic charities complained about unwed Irish mothers in Britain.

The Commission of Investigation report into the Mother and Baby Homes found that many pregnant single women travelled to Britain as "an obvious destination" for anonymity and to have their babies in secret.