The 'abortion boat' is a converted Dutch fishing boat, organised by the Dutch-based Women on Waves Foundation. It is the brainchild of Dutch doctor Rebecca Gomperts, who is taking the boat, called Sea of Change, to Ireland this week. The vessel will drop anchor around 12 miles off the coast of Ireland, where it will be in international waters and will still be under Dutch law. If the trip is successful, she intends to sail it to other areas where abortion is hard to get: Malta, Portugal, South America and much of Africa.
Rebecca Gomperts says that the boat intends to offer women a choice by offer a range of family planning information - not just abortions.
Pro-life campaigners are furious about the boat and claim that its medical staff don't have the necessary legal permits to perform abortions on the boat.