A Fine Gael TD said today that fornication is the "most likely cause" of unwanted pregnancies in Ireland.

Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin made the remarks during a debate on proposed abortion legislation in the Dáil.

"Abortion, as murder, therefore sin, which is the religious argument, is no more sinful, from a scriptural point of view, than all other sins we don't legislate against, like greed, hate and fornication, the latter, being fornication, I would say, is probably the single most likely cause of unwanted pregnancies in this country," she said.