Ministers raise concerns over abortion poll

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and two of his ministers have questioned whether the Eighth Amendment referendum will be passed if it allows unrestricted access to abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Mr Varadkar, Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald and Fine Gael’s deputy leader Simon Coveney said they doubt the vote will be backed by the public if the Citizens’ Assembly recommendation is included in any final referendum wording.

At a media briefing in which Mr Varadkar also indicated he wants to hold a November 2018 referendum to cut the divorce waiting time to two years, he denied the abortion referendum could split his party, as TDs will be allowed to campaign on both sides. He said there is genuine doubt the 12-week law change will be backed.