Ten asylum-seekers have been given travel documents to travel to Britain for abortions in 2000 and 2001, the Department of Justice has confirmed.
The Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, told the Department that a woman in such circumstances could not be denied travel papers without interfering with the right to travel granted by the Constitution.
Just two women were given permission to travel to Britain and then to return to Ireland in this way in 2000. However, the number so far this year has risen to eight.
Under Section 9 (4) (a) of the Refugee Act, 1996, asylum-seekers are barred from leaving the State while their applications are being processed.
However, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, said the Government had obligations under the 1951 Geneva Convention.
These oblige it to give sympathetic consideration to requests from asylum applicants for a travel document to enable them to travel temporarily while pursuing their claims.
A person can be denied travel papers if there are good grounds for believing that the person intends to use the papers to illegally get past immigration controls in other countries.
However, the intention of travelling to Britain would not of itself "be sufficient reason" to refuse a request to travel, Mr O'Donoghue said in a written Dβil reply last week published in the political Internet newsletter, ipadigest.com
The number of asylum-seekers giving birth in Ireland is causing official concern, particularly because of the pressure it is placing on maternity hospitals in Dublin.
Under the Belfast Agreement, every person born on the island of Ireland is automatically a citizen.
Babies born to asylum-seekers are also entitled to this. Their parents are generally allowed to stay with them.
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