Almost 4,000 Irish women had abortions in the UK in 2012, new figures from the UK Department of Health have shown.

According to the figures, a total of 3,982 women who underwent terminations in the UK last year provided Irish addresses.

Responding to the figures, Niall Behan, the chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), said that it is ‘unacceptable' that women in Ireland ‘must rely on UK health services to provide access to safe and legal abortion'.

"The ban on abortion services in Ireland does not deter women from having abortions, it places the burden of accessing this necessary health service on women," he insisted.

He noted that over the last decade, the IFPA has received more than 40,000 calls to its national helpline and provided non-directive counseling to over 12,000 women on this issue.

Mr Behan said that women's reasons for opting for an abortion include a diagnosis of a serious foetal abnormality, pre-existing health concerns, financial problems and concerns about the wellbeing of other children.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, which has been passed in the Dail, he insisted that ‘no one can be under any illusion that enacting this Bill fulfills the State's responsibility to women'.

"The legislation permits abortion only when a woman's life is at risk. The constitutional ban prohibits abortion in all other circumstances, even where there is a serious threat to a woman's long-term health and wellbeing. It is clear that the Constitution must be amended," he insisted.

The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill was passed in the Dail late on Thursday night after marathon discussions this week. Some 127 TDs voted in favour of it, while 31 voted against. (See more here)