A review of abortion legislation will be brought to Cabinet in the coming weeks, according to the Minister for Health.
Under the Termination of Pregnancy Act, the minister must carry out a review of the service no later than three years after its commencement.
Stephen Donnelly said that more than 8,500 women availed of termination of pregnancy services last year in Ireland, according to the review.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Donnelly said that the vast majority of women have used the services in primary care, adding that there are around 420 GPS now providing the services.
He said that this is an increase of around 50% in the last recent years, but fewer than one in 10 GPs are currently providing abortion services.
He described the review as very good and very useful, and that the document was about improving access of services.
Mr Donnelly added that he was mindful to get the view of the Oireachtas Health Committee as well.
On claims made by Dr Deirdre Duffy in her contribution that the system was at risk of collapse, he said that she was "not correct at all".
"The review is going through the parts of the services that are working and the parts of the services where access for women is not where it needs to be as well as where supports for clinicians can get better and then we go systematically through it to improve the service," Mr Donnelly said.
