The IFPA is unable to comment on the specifics of recent media reports concerning the case of a young woman who sought an abortion because of the confidentiality of our counselling service.
All clients attending for counselling services at the IFPA receive information on all of the options open to them and the IFPA makes every effort to support clients in the option they choose. Counselling is provided in a safe and supportive environment and the needs of the client are always at the centre of a counselling session.
The IFPA operates internal protocols that govern its pregnancy counselling service, including protocols concerning vulnerable clients.
The IFPA has worked with many women and girls in a crisis pregnancy situation whose freedom of travel is restricted. Asylum seeking women and girls who decide to access a safe abortion face multiple financial, legal and bureaucratic barriers, which can significantly delay their travel to access services. Some women for whom travel is impossible are forced to continue with an unwanted pregnancy. The IFPA has consistently raised concerns to the relevant national authorities and international human rights bodies regarding the unacceptable situation these women and girls face.
The IFPA continues to await guidance from the Department of Health that offer clear pathways for referral for women and girls seeking an abortion under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.
Contact: Denise Ryan, IFPA Communications Officer, 01 6074456 / 086 7952167
About the IFPA
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) is Ireland’s leading sexual health charity. The IFPA offers a comprehensive range of services which promote sexual health and support reproductive choice on a not-for-profit basis, including clinical and counselling services, sexual and reproductive health information and education and training.