The world's first floating abortion clinic which briefly travelled from the Netherlands to Ireland last year is to set sail again.
The Dutch government has granted a licence to begin dispensing abortion pills to women where terminating a pregnancy is banned.
The Amsterdam-based Women on Waves group took a converted fishing boat to Ireland last year and tried to offer offshore abortions under Dutch law to Irish women.
Their idea was that the vessel, which carried a fully equipped treatment room inside a shipping container, would drop anchor in international waters and therefore be subject to Dutch, not Irish, law.
But the activists led by a Dutch doctor, Dr Rebecca Gomperts, failed to get the necessary Dutch paperwork and were unable to perform any abortions.
The decision from the Dutch health ministry, made public yesterday, puts the activists back in business, although they will not be able to offer surgical abortions.
Dr Gomperts hailed the decision to let campaigners offer contraception, counselling and the RU486 abortion pill. She said the group would set sail within six months.
"At least we can now do something to help women. It is now feasible financially and legally," Dr Gomperts said. She was disappointed that the ministry had refused to license surgical abortions in the first three months of a pregnancy and said the group may yet appeal.
Dr Gomperts claims to have already received invitations to visit several countries where abortion is illegal, although she declined to name them.
She has made it clear the group will target all countries where abortion is illegal or frowned upon, including Poland, Malta and Ireland, as well as all of south America and much of Africa.
Dr Gomperts said the group had already raised the necessary funds for the next trip and only needed to hire a boat. The vessel, when fully fitted out, will be equipped with an array of security features, including guards.
According to WHO estimates, 100,000 women die as a result of botched backstreet abortions every year.