Billboards displaying an image of a foetus at 11 weeks have been launched by the Iona Institute as part of its anti-abortion campaign.

They feature the words “one of us’’ and, according to the Institute, show how what is in the womb “is a fellow human being’’.

Speaking on the religious advocacy group’s behalf on Monday, Maria Steen warned against repealing the Eight Amendment to the Constitution, adding both mother and child had to be taken into account when abortion was debated.

“We have launched this campaign because those who want to repeal the pro-life amendment constantly ignore or downplay the fact that abortion always ends the life of the child in the womb,’’ she added.

“The pro-life amendment protects all human life, beginning at conception, and it recognises the baby in the womb is a member of the human family.’’

Ms Steen said this was something pro-choice campaigners had to either deny or pretend did not really matter.

She said it was extremely noticeable that neither the citizens’ assembly, nor the Oireachtas committee which considered the issue, showed images of the baby in the womb in its various stages of development.

“The unborn child was essentially invisible,’’ she said.

Ms Steen said it could not be denied the victim of abortion was a human being, irrespective of what law the Government opted for.

“The initial law, however permissive it may be, is only the starting point,’’ she added.

She said the billboard campaign made the unborn child properly visible in all its obvious humanity.

“It is undeniably ‘one of us’ and, when enough Irish people see this, we are confident they will vote to retain a provision that protects every human life, born and unborn, female and male,’’ Ms Steen added.