Enda Kenny warns against ‘rush’ for abortion referendum

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has warned against a “rush” to have a referendum on abortion in the wake of the emphatic backing for marriage equality.

Mr Kenny’s caution was attacked by Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy who insisted the country had already waited too long for a fresh vote on the issue as he said 20,000 Irish women had been forced to travel abroad for terminations since this Government came to power four years ago.

Mr Murphy told the Dáil that the clear vote for extending civil marriage rights to same sex couples showed how profoundly Ireland has changed in recent years as he called for the Government to reflect the new reality.