Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan, responding to an RTÉ Investigates programme relating to abortion services last night, has said that the legislation agreed by the Oireachtas has to be fully implemented.

She said:

“This is about making sure what was proposed and agreed by the Oireachtas, following the referendum to repeal the eigth amendment, works for women. That must be our guiding principle. Services are still not available, five years later, to the standard that they should be.

“Cases like Alison and Ian Gibney’s should be covered under the legislation. They should not have had the experience they did.

“The Termination of Pregnancy Act was implemented with an in-built review to improve the operation of services.

“The review highlighted significant geographic barriers to services, the underdevelopment of regional services, and barriers such as the three-day wait. We want to see these addressed in a systematic way and we need to see a clear plan from the government on how they will progress those recommendations.

“The Oireachtas did not intend for the government to do a review and leave it on a shelf.

“The Minister for Health and the Taoiseach need to step up and implement the findings of the review.”