Nell McCafferty is considered an icon of Irish feminism. She is a founder member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement and in 1971 protested against the ban on contraceptive sales in the Republic of Ireland.

She has now described herself as a reluctant supporter of abortion, and says that we need a more honest discussion of the issue.

In a contribution to Una Mullally's book Repeal The Eighth, a collection of stories, essays, poems and art, she wrote about her ambivalence towards the referendum and how it is being debated.

Nell joined us on The Last Word and explained how a conversation she once had with her mother about her miscarriage caused her to change her attitude to our language about abortion: "I would no longer describe it as a bunch of cells."

Speaking at the Women in Media conference in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, she raised the following question: "Are you killing babies, or are you ending a potential life?"

"I said I was unable to answer the question or come to a conclusion, and then I realised I was unwilling to come to a conclusion."

Nell says the current discussion on abortion "isn't a discussion at all - those who call themselves pro-life, I call them pro-birth. Once the baby is born they lose all interest and you're on your own."

"In order to reduce the rate of abortion, shouldn't we be discussing the use of artificial contraception, which pro-lifers have not been asked about?"

"I'm looking at their posters saying 'love both' and I'm thinking, why are you wiping out men? Have they such a low opinion of men that they can't be considered? They're not out campaigning about homelessness or talking about artificial contraception."

She admits that she didn't know much about abortion before consulting Google. "They scrape away the contents of the womb and I thought, what is going on?"

Nell says she will still vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment, "but I do so with some difficulty. I believe abortion is necessary in many cases, but equally I believe the abortion rate can be brought down if we have free contraception."

If we decide not to revoke the Eighth Amendment, does she think we will see any change in terms of women choosing to travel or avail of abortion pills?

"I think it should change. We could, if we had a mind, build 100,000 houses in a year. Then we're in a position to welcome births."

"I don't hear people, especially the pro-lifers, talk about building social housing to facilitate a willing birth or pregnancy. We need more information."

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen