Fine Gael TDs split on holding vote on abortion

Fine Gael’s fault-line on abortion rights is set to rock the party again as senior figures clash over whether to include a vote on repealing the Eighth Amendment in its general election manifesto.

Government chief whip Paul Kehoe is not in favour of such a move, setting himself on a collision course with Health Minister Leo Varadkar and other Cabinet colleagues, who want to liberalise the party’s stance.

Fine Gael is now braced for a damaging row in the run-up to the looming general election, as the issue looks set to dominate party debate on what should go in the manifesto.