Primary and post-primary students should receive improved education in sexual health and relationships, including on the issue of consent, according to the report of the Citizens' Assembly which was presented to the Oireachtas.
The report also urges legislators to improve counselling, obstetric and gynaecological services to expectant mothers and to women who have abortions.
The 83-page report along with extensive appendices was compiled by the chair of the consultative body Ms Justice Mary Laffoy to, as she puts it, "ensure there is a clear, complete and accurate record" of the Assembly's work leading up to the voting supporting by large majorities 13 controversial recommendations to significantly liberalise the provision of abortion in the Republic.
The report, which has been seen by the 100 Assembly members who were selected by a polling company to be a representative sample of ordinary members of society, reiterates its recommendations in late April that abortion without restriction as to the reasons should be made available in the Republic.
The overwhelming majority was evenly divided between setting a cut-off date of 12 weeks' and 22 weeks' gestation.
The report explains that this, and similar recommendations, would require a constitutional referendum which the Assembly says should empower the legislature to regulate abortion and the rights of both the mother and the unborn.
However, today's report to the All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment contains five additional recommendations on which there was a consensus on the basis of anonymised forms returned by 74 of the members to the Chair. Between 15 and 20 members backed each of them.
The Assembly wants improvements to education in sexual health and relationships, including on the issue of consent, for primary and post-primary students.
There is also a call for improved access to family planning services for all women and to prenatal hospice care is also recommended as is the improvement of obstetrical care for poorer women and for those in poorly serviced regions and for better counselling and support facilities for women during pregnancy and if necessary, following a termination.
The 21-member Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment will now begin considering the report before advising the Oireachtas principally on whether a referendum should be held as the Assembly recommends.
