FF TDs and senators to get free X case vote

Fianna Fáil TDs and senators are to be given a free vote on X case legislation.

Leader Micheál Martin failed to persuade a divided parliamentary party to back his stance supporting the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013.

Opposition to the proposed legislation was strongest among senators, some of whom Mr Martin tried to block from running for the upper house in 2011.

The move came as the Oireachtas health committee published a 1,600-page summation of the expert evidence given in three days of hearings on the proposed legislation.

Committee chairperson Jerry Buttimer said although the report made no recommendations, it highlighted more consideration needed to be given to areas like suicidal intent, penalties, and conscientious objections.

Mr Martin was forced to accept a free vote on the emotive issue of the X case legislation after a parliamentary party meeting failed to reach agreement.

The party’s recent ard fheis passed motions which objected to suicidal intent being grounds for a termination.

Mr Martin denied the move was a blow to his leadership.

“This is a unique issue, people have genuinely held issues and beliefs. Times are changing in politics and I think it does facilitate the articulation of a person’s particular view on this Bill,” Mr Martin said.

The decision will dash any remaining Government hopes that the legislation can be “nodded through” without a vote as it only takes 10 TDs to demand a formal Dáil vote.

The move is set to renew calls from within Fine Gael for Enda Kenny to allow his parliamentarians a free vote also — something the Taoiseach has firmly resisted in the past.

The Fianna Fáil decision came as the Oireachtas health committee published its report on three days of hearings which looked into the X Case legislation earlier this month.

The report, which runs to 1600 pages across two volumes, contains no recommendation, but provides a summation of the evidence given to the committee.

Mr Buttimer said: “It is important to understand there are issues that we highlight in the report that need further consideration, the issue of suicide, the whole issue of penalty clauses, and the whole issue of conscientious objections.

“The report provides an overview of the expert opinion given to the committee, and makes public written submissions for the first time.

“It was never the intent to bring recommendations in the report,” Mr Buttimer said.

The report has been sent to Health Minister James Reilly who is expected to present the legislation to the Dáil in June, with the Government hoping that it will complete the Oireachtas process in July.