Shatter: New abortion referendum may be needed

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said there may need to be a fresh abortion referendum to deal with women pregnant as a result of rape.

He said it was an “unacceptable cruelty” that these women could only avail of an abortion if they were suicidal and there was a real and substantial risk to their lives.

The minister said the State had a “responsibility that we should live up to in this area” and condemned the continuation of “a British solution to an Irish problem”.