Wallace’s abortion bill a headache for Kenny

Taoiseach’s carefully planned strategy for dealing with the issue derailed after Independent TD’s bill is pulled from hat

A NUMBER of Fine Gael ministers and TDs are expected to urge Enda Kenny to allow a free vote on a forthcoming abortion bill that has been put forward by Independent TD Mick Wallace.

The Taoiseach’s planned strategy for dealing with the abortion issue has been thrown into chaos after a new system of picking bills to be heard in the Dáil randomly threw up Mr Wallace’s bill, giving Mr Kenny a real headache.

Mr Wallace has submitted a private member’s bill that seeks to legalise abortion in the case of a foetus suffering an abnormality that means it won’t survive. It is a very similar bill to the one introduced by Mr Wallace’s political ally Clare Daly in 2015, which was voted down by the Government.

Ms Daly, speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday last night, conceded that the bill, even if passed, would probably require a repeal of the Eighth Amendment to allow it enter law. She said: ‘I’m hoping that members of the Government will get a free vote and vote to support the bill. It is going to be very interesting, there is a genuine desire in the big parties for that free vote and to move on in these things.’

Fianna Fáil sources have confirmed that they will have a free vote on any matter of ‘conscience’. The Independent Alliance, part of the Coalition Government, will also have a free vote. Sinn Féin and Labour could also support the bill.

With only 50 TDs, Fine Gael’s leadership will be put under pressure to allow a free vote so as not to be outflanked on the issue.

A minister said last night: ‘My thought is that Kenny should just put the issue out on a free vote. Even if the bill isn’t constitutional, let the lawyers then decide.’

Mr Kenny had planned to put the abortion issue to a ‘Citizens’ Assembly’, which would come up with recommendations. The recommendations would then be dealt with by an Oireachtas committee.

The Eighth Amendment introduced a constitutional ban on abortion by recognising the right to life of the unborn child. It was introduced in 1983.

The UN Human Rights Committee last week said that a woman carrying a foetus with a fatal abnormality had been subjected to discrimination and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment due to the ban on abortion. It called for the prohibition to be reversed.

Mr Wallace is in France attending the European Championship. His colleague Ms Daly spoke last night about their bill. She said: ‘It was great that the bill came out of the lotto. Only nine TDs submitted bills and this was picked out.’

She said that Mr Kenny will be unhappy that the bill has succeeded in being put on the Dáil schedule so early: ‘I’d say he’s raging, the timing is brilliant, after the UN, and given their ruling, it is ideal.’

Mr Kenny said recently that he

‘Let the lawyers decide that it’s unconstitutional’ ‘Only nine TDs submitted bills and this was picked’

believed an abortion vote would not get through the Dáil.

There are substantial numbers of TDs in Fianna Fáil opposed to repealing the Eighth Amendment. In the last vote, in 2015, only Fianna Fáil TDs Robert Troy and Billy Kelliher voted for Ms Daly’s bill.

No Fine Gael TDs have declared their stance on Mr Wallace’s bill.