‘Thousands of women are being betrayed by the over promotion of abortion as the only possible response to pregnancy’ in certain cases, remarked politician Carol Nolan.

Ireland (LifeSiteNews) — Ireland suffered an unprecedented loss of children to abortion in 2023, with a record-high estimated 10,000-plus babies killed in the country.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) released figures on Thursday showing that general practitioner doctors made 9,218 total claims for abortion reimbursements in the first 11 months of 2023, not including hospital abortions.

Pro-Life Campaign of Ireland noted on X that considering the limited number of abortions accounted for, “the abortion rate is likely much higher and undoubtedly exceeds 10,000.”

BREAKING: Over 10,000 Irish abortions in 2023.

Figures released to @CNolanOffaly today from the HSE showed that from January to November 2023, GPs made claims for reimbursements for a total of 9,218 abortions. This does not include abortions which were carried out in a hospital… pic.twitter.com/hnJts6rn9l

— Pro Life Campaign Ireland (@prolifecampaign) February 15, 2024

The number of abortions committed in Ireland has drastically increased since the lethal procedure was legalized there at the close of 2018 after a referendum in which 66% of the Irish people voted to repeal an amendment protecting the equal right to life of mother and unborn child.

Before abortion was legalized in Ireland in 2018, a reported 2,879 women traveled to Britain to abort their children, according to the National Catholic Register. In 2019, the number of Irish women who aborted their children shot up to 6,666, and in 2020, 6,577 abortions were performed despite COVID lockdowns.

In 2021, 6,700 abortions were carried out, and the numbers have since increased considerably. According to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, 2022 saw 8,500 abortions performed in Ireland, “almost a threefold increase” from 2018 numbers, NCR reported.

Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy remarked that the new estimate of 10,000-plus abortions in 2023 marks an “alarming trend” in Ireland. 

“Proactive steps which the government can take to reduce the abortion rate must be discussed openly in the national media,” Mulroy said in response to the release of the most recent abortion statistics.

Mulroy believes telemedicine has had a “major impact” on these numbers, making abortions easier to obtain.

“Despite this radical change in abortion policy, not a single vote has ever been cast for or against this radical departure from the original abortion law which the then Minister for Health Simon Harris assured the public would not be operated through telemedicine,” Mulroy said. 

“The government cannot continue to bury its head in the sand and refuse to listen to the voices of those who have well-grounded and practical suggestions on how to reduce the soaring abortion rate,” she added.

Carol Nolan, a member of Irish Parliament, told Pro-Life Campaign of Ireland that the abortion numbers in her country mark an “epidemic of loss.”

“Thousands of women are being betrayed by the over promotion of abortion as the only possible response to pregnancy in certain circumstances and the cruel under promotion of life affirming alternatives,” Nolan said.

“I will continue to shine a light on this issue so that women and families are fully supported with the kind of wraparound service provision that will meaningfully assist them in choosing a different path beyond that of abortion.”