Abortion ship arrives

Women in Ireland are preparing to defy protests and board the world?s first floating abortion clinic after it arrived in Dublin last night.

The Sea of Change, a converted fishing boat, was greeted by demonstrators as it docked for a ten-day stay.

Organisers of the boat, Dutch-based feminist group Women on Waves (WOW), yesterday said it had already received dozens of calls from women asking about terminations, which are illegal in the Irish Republic.

One pregnancy advice clinic in Dublin said that one quarter of women had cancelled their appointments.

Last year, 6,288 Irish women travelled to Britain for private terminations, costing up to 1,000.

thescotsman.co.uk