(Pics: Shane Felle Photography and Photocall Ireland)

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE marched in Dublin today calling for “real and realistic abortion access in Ireland”.

The protest was organised by the Abortion Rights Campaign and attended by a range of local groups, unions, migrant groups, and political representatives.

Gardaí estimated that 2,500 people turned out to the protest, which ran from the Garden of Remembrance to FilmBase in Temple Bar.

“It has always been clear to us that this Government drafted legislation that does not actually provide new care or legislate meaningfully for X,” ARC spokesperson Justine Murphy said , “and with each mistake, delay tactic and dismissive statement the people in Ireland are growing tired of waiting.”

What we want is simple: real and realistic abortion access in Ireland. And we will work and march until we have it.

Protesters had been asked to bring suitcases to “symbolise the thousands of women forced to leave Ireland for abortions each year”.

In a statement, the Pro-Life Campaign claimed that “the hurt and heartbreak of abortion for many women has to be challenged”.

In an opinion piece published on TheJournal.ie this morning, chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association Niall Behan said women who are pregnant and seeking asylum in Ireland find themselves “at the intersection of two state systems that deny them basic human dignity: the direct provision system and the law on abortion”.

Without specifically mentioning the recent controversial Miss Y case, where a young asylum seeker had a Caesarean section under the new law after seeking an abortion, Behan said the Irish Constitution needs to be changed to repeal two articles to clarify the situation for women and girls seeking abortions.

Read: IFPA says the State is to blame for cases like Miss Y >