The controversial “abortion boat” the Sea Charge is scheduled to stop off in Dublin and other ports around the country in the near future. The main purpose of the ship’s visit is to highlight the situation regarding abortion in Ireland.

“There will be an extensive programme of events on board,” says Professor Ivana Bacik, spokesperson for the Irish wing of Women On Waves Foundation, the organisation responsible for bringing the ship to Ireland. “There will also be information and training seminars – it will all be very open and people will be able to come and see it for themselves.”

While suggestions of tight security surrounding the event have been exaggerated – there have been inaccurate reports of personnel wearing bullet-proof vests, for example – professional security will be employed to counter the possibility of militant pro-life protest.

“We hope that it will be treated with dingity,“ says Bacik. “It is making the point about women taking the boat for so many years and we hope that they will respect that.”

Organisers are looking into administering an abortion pill that can be used up to seven weeks after a woman has become pregnant.

“If RU 486 is medically appropriate for individual women who require it, we may administer it,” confrims Ivana Bacik. “But that would be in international waters. There would be no question of us breaking Irish law.”

Organisers are still working on a date for the ship’s arrival.