Labour TD: State is treating women as second-class citizens

The Irish State is still treating women as "second class citizens" according to a Labour Party TD, who said the restrictive nature of abortion laws passed last year is putting women through "torment".

Waterford TD Ciara Conway joined calls from some opposition TDs and the National Women’s Council for a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment which introduced a constitutional ban on abortion in 1982.

Her party leader, Joan Burton, has already ruled out any further changes to abortion laws during the lifetime of this Government and Deputy Conway accepted there is “little appetite” for any such move at Cabinet level.