Varadkar: I’ll tell you what I think next year

‘It’s a decision for the Irish people’

THE time has come to allow the people of Ireland to have their say on abortion, Leo Varadkar has said.

But Fine Gael will not make its position on the forthcoming abortion referendum clear until well into the New Year.

The party will take the festive period to consider next week’s Joint Oireachtas Committee report. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he too would study the report over Christmas before giving a more considered view.

On Wednesday, the committee on the Eighth Amendment recommended wide-ranging reforms including removing abortion from the Constitution and making terminations available on request for up to 12 weeks of a pregnancy.

Asked if his Government would campaign on those recommendations, the Taoiseach said: ‘That is really to be decided.

‘We set out a process here a couple of years ago and that process is coming to a conclusion.

‘I particularly want to thank Justice [Mary] Laffoy and Catherine Noone for the work they did in leading the Citizens’ Assembly and all the members of that and also the joint Oireachtas Committee.’ Mr Varadkar, who has been under pressure in recent days to reveal his position on the issue, said it would be discussed with his parliamentary party before anything is decided.

He said: ‘We will... have a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party in early January where I’ll hear the views of the Fine Gael party, and after that there will be a debate in the Dáil and the Government will discuss it.’

He acknowledged a referendum had to take place and called for a dignified discussion following tetchy exchanges between committee members recently.

He said: ‘This is a decision for the Irish people and I believe the time has come to allow Irish people have their say on this issue. But I will be doing my best to make sure the debate that we have is respectful and civilized. That is really important.’

In the Dáil yesterday, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald welcomed the committee’s findings.

She said: ‘It is my hope that the referendum vote will come quickly and that the people can have a comprehensive, respectful and democratic debate, concluding with the removal of the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution. This referendum will be an opportunity for a new generation to have their say on a matter of fundamental social importance.’

However, the Dublin Central TD would not be drawn on her support for unrestricted abortion access for up to 12 weeks.

Micheál Martin told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘Fianna Fáil will facilitate a referendum on the Eighth Amendment and I have been consistent since 2013 that all members and public representatives in the party will vote on this in accordance with their individual conscience.

‘I have made it clear that I believe there needs to be movement on the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities and I do not believe that someone who is pregnant as a result of rape or incest should be forced to proceed with a pregnancy against their will.

‘However, I do acknowledge the difficulties in legislating for these issues and the work that the Oireachtas committee has put into these difficult questions over recent months.

‘I intend to study all submissions to the committee over Christmas and will give a more considered view on their recommendations in the New Year.’