The Government has proposed setting up a special committee to examine the area of assisted suicide over the next 12 months.
The proposal is in response to the Dying With Dignity Bill introduced by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny.
The Dublin TD has said the move is an unacceptable attempt to bury the bill by delaying its progress and he has again called for the Government to give a free vote.
He said there was no need for another committee as all the arguments for and against the bill could be heard at the committee stage.
Mr Kenny's bill is due to be debated in the Dáil on Thursday evening, with a vote due next week on whether to allow it progress.
Today, the Government agreed that all Cabinet ministers in the three coalition parties will back the Government amendment to Gino Kenny's Bill.
Green party TDs not in cabinet have a free vote so this applies to backbenchers and junior ministers.
Fianna Fáil TDs outside of Cabinet will have a free vote on the Bill.
Fine Gael has not decided yet but it is likely to be discussed at its parliamentary party meeting tomorrow evening.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told last week's meeting that there appeared to be a consensus on having a free vote.
Special committee to hold hearings and consider submissions
The Government has proposed a counter motion to allow for a year for a special committee to hold hearings and consider submissions.
It says this would facilitate consideration of the medical, ethical and moral issues, as well as criminal justice and constitutional issues that arise.
It would also consider unintended consequences and safeguards found in other countries that have legislated in this area.
In addition, it would examine the role or legal rights of a family member and the legal profession.
The counter motion acknowledges that assisted suicide is "a very complex issue which gives rise to medical, ethical and moral issues, as well as criminal justice and constitutional issues".
It also acknowledges "the sincere and humanitarian objectives of the Bill to minimise human suffering and distress at the end of life".
Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats have all said they would support Mr Kenny's bill at this stage in order to allow for further scrutiny.
Mr Kenny has said he is concerned that the legislation he has put forward "will never see the light of day".
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Kenny said the best way to progress this bill was to vote for it to go into a committee called pre-legislative scrutiny, where there are witnesses from each side of the argument.
That committee issues a report, which directs them as legislators. He said this was "the best route for this legislation".
He said, in principle, he is not against using the Citizens' Assembly to discuss the issue, but he said the elected representatives are the legislators and they have the responsibility to progress these issues.
Aontú TD for Meath West Peadar Tóibín said he is opposed to the bill, and if the law is going to change in this direction, it needs to be scrutinised so TDs know exactly what they are dealing with.
He said "this is a radical change in Irish law, which seeks to legalise one adult ending the life of another adult", which he said he understood under the law currently to be manslaughter.
Lawmakers to consider assisted dying bill
Mr Tóibín said he has invited the Irish Palliative Medicine Consultants' Association to the Dáil to discuss this and he said the association is opposed to the bill.
He said there are a number of wide open gaps in the legislation, such as not giving a time limit to a terminal illness.
Mr Tóibín said it is important that people do not underestimate the pressure that can be brought to bear on older people who are in very vulnerable situations, where their value changes within society and they can come under strong pressure.
He said: "Palliative care and the weakness in palliative care in this country should not be short-circuited by introducing assisted suicide into this country and we need to invest in end of life."
