Almost 1,000 women under 20 had abortions in Britain in 1998, according to a report on teenage parenting.
The report was presented to a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social, Community and Family affairs today. Fine Gael's family affairs spokeswoman Ms Frances Fitzgerald said a nationwide scheme offering support to teenage parents should be introduced in each county by 2002.
The number of female lone parents who were households heads has increased from 17.4 per cent in 1987 to 31.7 per cent in 1994 and according to Ms Fitzgerald the risk of poverty for these households is high and growing "despite out Celtic Tiger economy".
In 1998, 898 young women under 20 giving Irish addresses had an abortion in the UK, an increase of more than 60 per cent on 1981 figures.
Today's report issued 20 recommendations and the Minister for Health was urged to make a much greater effort to provide information and guidelines on the services available to young expectant mothers.
Ms Fitzgerald said there was a huge level of ignorance among young pregnant teenagers of the services available.