The Taoiseach has said that the abortion amendment represents an honest attempt to resolve the complexities which have surrounded the debate on abortion for at least the past decade. Bertie Ahern was speaking at the Fianna Fáil National Women's Conference in Dublin.
Mr Ahern said the proposal, if accepted at the referendum on 6 March, would protect women by ensuring that doctors could provide any medical treatment which was necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman.
The Taoiseach added the proposal would also protect the unborn by providing that abortion would continue to be illegal in Ireland unless the people choose to change the law. He said that only the people could make that decision.
He also said that the proposal would remove any uncertainty surrounding the use of emergency contraception. "There will be no expansion for the administration or use of such contraception."
"There has been a great attempt to confuse issues in this campaign, which is a very straightforward issue. But I haven't changed my viewpoint that what we're trying to do is make a simple constitutional change." The Taoiseach said that he accepted the referendum result could be close.
The campaigning in the referendum is now in full swing. This afternoon, a group calling itself "Doctors for Life" launched their campaign. Meanwhile, members of the Alliance for a No Vote brought their message to the door of the Fianna Fáil National Women's and Equality Forum.
With just ten days to go before the poll, both sides in this campaign privately accept it could be a close-run contest.
