A CONSULTANT OBSTETRICIAN based in Kilkenny has said that there are no plans for the creation of an abortion clinic at St Luke’s Hospital, if the Eighth Amendment is repealed.

Professor Ray O’Sullivan was reacting to a photo posted on social media last weekend purporting to be a planned abortion clinic at the hospital near the centre of Kilkenny.

Speaking to Sue Nunn on KCLR96FM, Professor O’Sullivan described claims of an abortion clinic being placed in the clinic as “absolute nonsense of the highest order”.

He said that he had been pointed to the post on Facebook, and had noticed many of those in the comments section of the post believed it to be the case. “I found it absolutely incredulous,” he said.

O’Sullivan said that, in the event that the Eighth Amendment is repealed, “abortion clinics will not be springing up across the country”.

As explained here, there are a number of different factors that influence the type of abortion a woman can receive, and O’Sullivan said that in many cases an admission to a hospital ward would not be required.

He said: “Most women will be managed on an outpatient basis. The requirement for these wards doesn’t exist.

Over the next week or so, there’ll be so may mistruths, half truths, untruths, scaremongering by both sides of the debate. We’re going to hear all sorts of stories.

In a statement to TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson for the Ireland East Hospital Group said: “St Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny does not have any comment to make on any matter pertaining to the forthcoming referendum.”