The Dutch vessel the Aurora,dubbed the "abortion ship" has begun its controversial 10-day visit to Ireland with its crew claiming women seeking to terminate their pregnancies were having their human rights violated by Irish regulations.
A spokeswoman for the Women on Waves Foundation that organised the visit said no surgical or medical abortions
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Anti-abortion protesters.
Aurora,
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will be carried on the visit as the Dutch government has not licensed the ship for surgical procedures.
Dr Rebecca Gomperts of the Women on Waves Foundation said today 80 Irish women have contacted her organisation in the last four days seeking abortions or abortion advice.
But the anticipated anti-abortion protesters failed to materialise as the 100 ft converted fishing trawler equipped to carry out on-board abortions, docked in Dublin last night.
After its four-day voyage from the Netherlands round the coast of England it is expected to dispense contraceptives and family planning advice in Dublin and Cork.
A spkeswoman for Women on Waves said: "That is what we contribute, to steer discussion, to have all the events on board the workshop, to talk to parliamentarians - to support the Irish groups who have been fighting for this for years and years and years.
"We consider the lack of safe and accessible abortions as a violation of the human rights of women."
Earlier this week, Human Life International (Ireland) vowed to launch a rival boat offering an anti-abortionalternative.
The vessel will offer "advice and spiritual guidance" when it arrives and the group intends to have a prayer vigil both at the dock and around the country.
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Yesterday Mr John Smyth, spokesman for the Irish Pro-Life Campaign, described the arrival of the
Aurora
as a "publicity stunt", saying: "We feel that it is not going to help women in crisis pregnancies in any way.
"There is already a debate under way in Ireland on the issue - there has been for a number of years - and we see Women on Waves as a distraction from that. Any debate is helpful but raising hysteria is not."
He said his organisation had not planned direct protest tostir publicity but said he could not rule out individuals engaging in "militant action."
Additional reporting PA