Joan Burton takes credit for action on abortion law

A referendum to liberalise Ireland’s abortion laws is now all but certain to take place, irrespective of who wins the general election, as a citizen’s convention for next year has been promised.

In a move which is sure to anger many, Tánaiste Joan Burton last night claimed credit for Fine Gael finally tackling the controversial Eighth Amendment.

She said Labour’s lead on wanting to liberalise the country’s abortion regime had forced Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil into action.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, speaking in London, said a citizen’s convention would be convened before the end of next year, should he be re-elected.

“The proposal set out in the programme of our own party will be that, within a six-month period, if re-elected to office, I would institute a citizen’s convention on the Constitution, or whatever title would be appropriate, to put that process in play,” he said.

Mr Kenny’s decision to allow his party members a vote came on Wednesday night at Fine Gael’s parliamentary party meeting. In a speech to Labour Party councillors, Ms Burton said she and her party had forced the Taoiseach into action.

In her speech, Ms Burton said: “Yet again this week, we’ve seen our parties begin to slowly come round to our agenda.

“Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, in their own ways, have effectively acknowledged the growing momentum for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment in the next Government term.

“Labour has, yet again, led from the front on this issue, and we’ll lead from the front in delivering a referendum in our second term.”

Mr Kenny, meanwhile, said his deputy leader, James Reilly, is entitled to his own views on changing abortion laws.

Enda Kenny

Mr Kenny said: “There’s no difficulty between myself and the deputy leader of the Fine Gael party. Deputy Reilly is perfectly entitled to his personal views.”

However, he conceded the pair disagreed over the issue of holding an early referendum on the matter: “My issue was that it would be impossible to have an early referendum on an issue that is as complex as this, without people fully understanding what is involved.”

Mr Reilly had piled pressure on the Taoiseach by publicly demanding an early referendum to be held during the next Dáil to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

Senior Fine Gael sources have confirmed Mr Reilly’s comments did “bounce” Mr Kenny into announcing the change in the party’s position earlier than he wanted.

Several Fine Gael sources have rejected reports Mr Kenny was cornered by Mr Reilly, Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe, and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, to move to legislate for a more liberal abortion regime.