Coalition leaders meet as abortion rift grows

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste met last night as divisions deepened between the Coalition parties over proposed abortion laws which Labour sources claimed were “unworkable”.

Despite earlier reassurances from Health Minister James Reilly that a pregnant woman would not be put through an “interview process”, Fine Gael is sticking to its demand that six experts must assess the risk of suicide.

Dr Reilly was due to bring the heads of the bill — legislating in line with the X case ruling — before the Cabinet at yesterday morning’s weekly meeting.

A failure to reach consensus meant the document has been delayed until at least next week — reducing the chance of a law being enacted before summer.

In a sign of the deepening rift between the sides, Fine Gael leader, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, met with the Labour leader, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, last night to discuss how to proceed.

The meeting was also due to be attended by Dr Reilly and the deputy leader of Labour, Joan Burton, who is also the social protection minister.

Both party leaders are likely to face demands on the issue from their parliamentary parties, both of which are set to meet today.

It is understood Fine Gael wants a two-step process that would involve a pregnant woman first being assessed by three psychiatrists — including one perinatal psychiatrist — and then by a panel of two psychiatrists and an obstetrician, to determine if she should be granted an abortion on the grounds of being at risk of suicide.

Sources close to the Labour leadership said last night that such a proposal was unworkable. The party’s TDs have previously cautioned that any such approach would result in a woman seeking termination being “put on trial”.

A government spokesperson said afterwards that Dr Reilly did not table the heads of the bill, but that “further discussions will take place in advance of next week’s Government meeting aimed at agreeing heads of the bill which will then be approved”.

In the Dáil, Mr Kenny rejected what he called “disgraceful” remarks from Clare Daly of the United Left Alliance, who said: “I’m not sure why you feel that women’s lives are less valuable than men’s or that women’s health should be unnecessarily put at risk.”

She said the death of Savita Halappanavar highlighted the urgent need for legislation. “Are you waiting for your daughter, my daughter, someone else’s wife to be in that same horrendous circumstance?” she asked.

Mr Kenny said: “In all the comments I have made in these matters I have tried to be as understanding on the position as one can be.”

He added: “Everybody in this House shares the same understanding and the same value of people’s lives.”

Meanwhile, sources close to Dr Reilly insisted the two Labour junior ministers in his department have been fully involved in the drafting of the legislation.