Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has rejected claims from Independent TD Mattie McGrath that, if the referendum on the Eighth Amendment passes, the proposed legislation that follows will allow for late-term terminations.
Mr McGrath said that if repeal happens "absolutely no guarantees can be given around prohibition of abortion at either six, seven, eight, nine months".
Mr Varadkar said the legislation allows for termination after 12 weeks only on the grounds of serious risk to their the mother's life or health, or if the baby will not survive.
"It doesn't provide for terminations beyond viability".
Mr McGrath also accused Minister for Health Simon Harris of going into hiding, by refusing the requests from the Save the 8th campaign for an open debate on the issues.
Mr Varadkar criticised Mr McGrath for personalising the issue against Minister Harris.
The Taoiseach also said there would be "no legislation" in the event of a No vote.
"Women who are victims of rape, women who are pregnant as result of incest, women who are just children themselves won't be able to get help they need in this country.
"Those who are advocating a No vote need to explain why they would turn their backs on those women, give them the cold shoulder because that is what a no vote would mean," the Taoiseach said.
Minister critical of people behind graphic posters
Minister for Health Simon Harris has criticised those who "put pictures of miscarried babies, with my image" up in his Wicklow constituency "with a view to intimidate and upset his family, friends and constituents.
He was speaking at the Oireachtas Health Committee this afternoon where Independent Senator Ronán Mullen, said: "I have always disapproved of such posters but I am asking you is there a disconnect between disapproving of the posters and being in favour of the killing of children in that way?"
Minister Harris took issue with the "phraseology of 'the killing of children'" but Senator Mullen said that "it is what happens."
Later Minister Harris said: "Your language regarding killing babies is something that I completely disassociate myself from. This is about accepting a reality that Irish women face. Nine will leave our country today to have a termination. At least three will take the abortion pill today.
"I am not willing to ignore those realities. I have heard from doctors and the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which does have a position on this issue,. it believes the Eighth Amendment should be repealed and that is what I believe as well."
He added: "I am going to campaign vigorously with colleagues on a cross-party basis and with civil society to bring that about.
"I hope that those who disagree with my position will also campaign and put their views forward but won't put pictures of miscarried babies, with my image up around my office, near my house, with a view to intimidate and upset my family, my friends and my constituents."
Senator Mullen said: "we are in agreement about those pictures but 'miscarried babies' does suggest you are in denial."
In the Dáil Independent TD Thomas Pringle called for regulation of posters, saying some were using imagery that was "clearly wrong".
Mr Varadkar said he shared Mr Pringle's concerns, describing some of the posters as "extraordinarily inaccurate" and others as "quite grotesque".
He said parents had been forced to explain the images to their children, which "said a lot about the motivations and hearts of those people".
He said the matter could be considered by the relevant Oireachtas Committee after the referendum. But he warned that regulating posters, could mean also regulating literature.
The Taoiseach also welcomed the decision by Facebook not to accept ads paid for outside the country, although he said this could have happened sooner.
"We all hold by the principle that foreign money should not be used to influence elections and referendums in this country," he said.
He noted that Google had gone further, by banning ads altogether.
Separately, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said people increasingly understand that abortion is an everyday reality in Ireland and there is no option available to make the country abortion-free.
He was speaking at an event organised by the "Lawyers for Yes" group.
Mr Martin said the logic and humanity of the all-party recommendations on the Eighth Amendment have withstood scrutiny.
"What we are being asked to do is to remove a 35-year-old provision in the constitution which has not only failed to make Ireland abortion-free it has inflicted considerable harm," he said.
Mr Martin said a Yes vote would enable a system which is regulated, safe and humane and bring to an end the failures of the Eighth Amendment.
A majority of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party takes a different view to the leader on the Eighth Amendment.
Last week, some 31 TDs and senators posed for a picture calling for a No vote in the upcoming referendum.
