By switching sides, Tánaiste has left FG without a pro-life figurehead pro-life figurehead

THOSE who believe Simon Coveney’s change of heart on abortion was a cold, calculated political decision are wrong. No minister ever wants to find themselves performing an about-turn on the front of the newspapers, especially on an issue that they have been so clear cut on in the past.

Reading the Tánaiste’s piece in the Irish Independent yesterday, it’s clear that he demanded legislative assurances from colleagues in Government.

“This is not an easy issue, many of us have seen our views evolve as the facts and cruel inadequacy of our current laws are exposed,” he wrote.

The safeguards to be signed-off at Cabinet today are enough to bring him reluctantly into the large camp of Fine Gael TDs who support abortion up to 12 weeks.

While it was a personal rather than a political leap for Mr Coveney, it does make life a lot easier for himself, the Taoiseach and the Health Minister.

The idea of having your deputy publicly on the opposite side of such a sensitive debate was going to prove incredibly difficult for

Leo Varadkar.

Each time one of the Fine Gael princes spoke on the issue, journalists would be running to the other for an alternative view.

Mr Varadkar has repeatedly said Fine Gael should be a “warm house and large tent” for diverse views – but those who oppose 12 weeks are now firmly in a minority.

As we prepare to embark on the full-blown campaign, Fianna Fáil finds itself split down the middle on the issue, whereas Fine Gael is now firmly in favour of ‘yes’.

As things stand, 23 Fine Gael TDs are supporting abortion up to 12 weeks,

10 say ‘no’ and 17 are undeclared.

But there is no real obvious leader of the conservatives. Those who might have looked to Mr Coveney as a key person on the pro-life side no longer have a figurehead.

The Tánaiste’s shift in attitude is likely to bring many of those ‘undeclared’

across the line.

“It seems like it’s only going to be warm for people who change their views,” said one senior Fine Gael figure yesterday.

“Does the Fine Gael leadership look like isolating its members now as it now seems no Cabinet minister represents them and instead it’s only one or two junior ministers? ”

The list of ministers now openly opposing repeal and 12 weeks is very limited, with juniors Patrick O’Donovan and John Paul Phelan the most vocal. We have yet to hear anything close to a solid view from former Taoiseach Enda Kenny or ex-finance minister Michael Noonan.

Bearing in mind Sinn Féin’s current policy opposes access to abortions up to 12 weeks, and the Labour Party is now down to just seven TDs, it means that Fine Gael is clearly the most liberal of the main parties.

Leo Varadkar had better hope that his grassroots are as ‘modern’ as him.