The controversial Women On Waves floating abortion clinic is due to arrive in Cork today. The Aurora left Dublin yesterday and was expected to dock at Penrose Quay this afternoon, a spokesman for WOW said.
It will stay in Cork until Monday, then return to the Netherlands. Although no abortions would be carried out there would be a free contraceptive and morning-after pill service, the spokesman said.
"All activities on the ship will be completely legal, with women's health and well-being our priority," he said.
A spokeswoman for Cork Women's Right to Choose said her organisation was "very pleased" the ship was visiting the city.
"We want women in Cork and the Munster region to have the information and services they need," she said, "and the Women On Waves ship will make some of those services available. Women here should also have the right to choose near where they live and if they choose to have an abortion they should not have to travel to Britain to get it."
Mr John Smyth, a spokesman for the Pro-Life Campaign, said no protest was planned and Cork members "had no appetite for sensationalism". There were better ways of engaging in dialogue, he said.
The Tridentine bishop, Dr Michael Cox, who had planned to sail his "floating church" to meet the Aurora, said yesterday he would not know if he would travel to Cork until he had spoken to his doctor.
Since the ship's arrival in Ireland last week WOW says it has had over 300 inquiries from women.
