PRO-CHOICE ACTIVISTS will take a train from Dublin to Belfast today and plan to bring back abortion pills banned by the Irish state.

One of the organisers, ROSA Ireland, said its aim is to highlight Ireland’s continued ban on abortion and to call for a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment.

Those taking part will leave Connolly Station in Dublin at 9.30am and will arrive back at 2.30pm, when supporters are expected to meet the train and hold a rally.

ROSA says the women will also take the pills “to demonstrate their safety”.

Sinead Kennedy from Action for Choice told TheJournal.ie that around twenty women will take part.

We’ve all ordered the pills online and we will collect them in Belfast and take them here in Dublin.

Today marks the second anniversary of the death of Savita Halappanavar who died at University Hospital Galway a week after she was told she was having a miscarriage.

She had asked for a termination of her pregnancy, but was told it could not be done because a foetal heartbeat was still present. Once the heartbeat stopped, the procedure was carried out. Savita later died of septicaemia.

Kennedy added, “We are doing this to highlight the hypocrisy that still surrounds abortion in Ireland.”

Caroline Simons from the Pro Life Campaign called the action a publicity stunt for the pro-choice cause.

The participants are from a range of Irish pro-choice groups including ROSA, Action for Choice, Real Productive Health, as well as a number of TDs and councillors from People Before Profit, the Socialist Party and Anti Austerity Alliance.