The key to reducing the number of crisis pregnancies is free contraception and making the morning-after pill available without prescription, a Progressive Democrat TD said today.
Ms Fiona O'Malley supported a call by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) which called for easier access to contraception and better sex education in its annual report published today.
The report said contraception was the key to reducing crisis pregnancies noting that 18 to 25-year-olds were the cohort least likely to use it.
"The main reasons given for non-use in the last year, by younger people who did not want to become pregnant, was that sex was unplanned and or they were drinking alcohol or taking drugs," CPA chair Ms Braiden said.
CPA director, Ms Sharon Foley, said contraceptive services should be free of charge and consideration should be given to the deregulation of the morning-after pill which is currently only available on prescription.
"More effective contraceptive use, when accompanied by education and accessible contraceptive services will mean fewer crisis pregnancies and therefore fewer abortions," said Ms Foley.
Progressive Democrats TD Ms Fiona O'Malley backed the agency's call, saying "while the cost of condoms or other contraceptives is not the only factor at play here, it certainly is an issue, especially for younger people.
If making contraceptive services free of charge cuts the number of crisis pregnancies in this country, then the move should be seriously considered."
The Dun Laoghaire TD, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children also endorsed the CPA's assertion that the morning after-pill should be available without prescription.
The CPA report showed that 55 per cent of crisis pregnancies were among the 18-25 age group; 31 per cent were experienced by those age between 26-35, and 18 per cent were experienced by women age 36-45.
The agency said its extensive research showed that contrary to the popular view, 75 per cent of crisis pregnancies resulted in the mother giving birth and over half the women went on to raise the child with its father.
Some 15 per cent chose abortion - 80 per cent of whom were single, the figures show. Chair of the CPA, Ms Olive Braiden, noted that "while this figure shows a decrease of 151 on the previous year it is only by monitoring over a five-year period that we can begin to comment with any certainty on trends".
Irish abortion figures are compiled by the Department of Health in Britain and represent the number of women who give Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics.