Government ponders additional clause for referendum

The Government has yet to receive legal advice on the wording of a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment and are still mulling over whether an additional clause will be added.

While the Oireachtas abortion committee recommended a repeal simpliciter with legislation to follow, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has suggested that a provision be inserted to avoid a potential challenge to legislation Government may try to enact afterwards.

The Citizens Assembly suggested that an enabling provision specifying that legislation in this area is the “sole prerogative” of the Oireachtas and not the courts be included.