A Dáil debate on the proposed abortion referendum and its accompanying legislation has begun.
Opening the debate, the Minister for Health, Mícheal Martin, said that the Government's proposals on abortion are a fair and reasonable attempt to resolve the constitutional and legal difficulties which have surrounded the issue since in 1992 judgement in the X case.
He told deputies the proposals would provide a secure and effective constitutional basis for a legislative approach to the protection of human life in pregnancy.
He said that the proposals were also designed to ensure that women could continue to receive all medical treatment during pregnancy while ensuring maximum protection of the unborn. However, the Government did not believe that a risk of suicide was a valid basis on which to provide for medical intervention, he said.
Later on today, Fine Gael is expected to call on the Government to delay its proposed legislation. Fine Gael will move an amendment postponing the second stage of the bill for three months.
Gay Mitchell listed a number of the party's concerns, including the fact that the courts could interpret the legislation, but the Oireachtas would not be able to amend it. He said that the government's attitude to changes his party would seek in the Bill would influence their approach to the referendum.
For the Labour Party, Liz McManus said that the procedure being used by the government was legally and constitutionally flawed. She said that it diluted the equal right to life of the mother and it sought to overturn the decision of the people in relation to the judgement in the X case.
