Martin: Opposition needs to give alternatives for referendum

The Minister for Health, Michael Martin, has hit back at the opposition parties for their criticism of the upcoming abortion referendum and asked them to clarify their alternative proposals to the abortion laws.

The Minister criticised the negative approach of the main opposition parties to the proposed bill, saying that all they have contributed so far were tactical attacks without giving any real alternatives to the proposed government initiative.

Deputy Martin maintains that it has been four months since the Government published its proposal and Fine Gael and Labour have still not bothered to give real alternatives and he has accused the oppositions of hiding behind "tactical attacks".