Simon Harris seeks tighter reins on revisiting potential 12-week abortion law

Health Minister Simon Harris has risked creating further confusion over the potential post-referendum 12-week abortion law by saying future governments will have to go “above and beyond” existing rules if they want to change the law.

A day after Tánaiste Simon Coveney was criticised for suggesting the law should only be changed by a two-thirds Dáil majority, Mr Harris said other options could be used, such as a new citizens’ assembly or abortion committee.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings, Mr Harris repeated Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s view that Mr Coveney’s two-thirds barrier suggestion would be unconstitutional and thus could not be introduced.