The UN has ruled Ireland's abortion laws subjected a woman to 'cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment'.
Experts connected to the United Nations Human Rights Committee have been examining the case of a woman who in 2011, was pregnant with a baby with congenital defects, meaning it wasn't going to survive outside the womb.
They say she was forced to choose between carrying the foetus to full term or going abroad for a termination at her own expense and separated from the support of her family and having to return while not fully recovered.
She went to the UK to end the pregnancy but couldn't afford to stay overnight, so returned 12 hours later.
The UK hospital did not provide any options regarding the foetus's remains and she had to leave them behind. The ashes were unexpectedly delivered to her three weeks later by courier.
The UN Committee says Ireland should prevent a similar violation from happening again. Leah Hoctor from the Centre for Human Rights said "the committee has directed the government to report back to it within 180 days to explain what steps and measures it has taken to comply with the ruling".
"If the committee is not satisfied with the steps taken, it will continue its scrutiny", she warned. Crucially it says Ireland is obliged to prevent this happening to other women.
The State has 180 days to address the findings of the United Nations report.
Amnesty International's Colm O'Gorman said it shows it's time for the government to act on abortion "it is long past time for the Irish government to put an end to the daily violations experienced by women and girls in Ireland".
