Creighton will face uphill battle to rejoin FG, warns Varadkar

Leo Varadkar said it will be a "long road" back to the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party for Junior Minister Lucinda Creighton if she votes against the abortion legislation today.

The new Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill will complete all stages in the Dáil later.

Some of the 165 amendments tabled will be debated before the key vote at around 10pm, when all eyes will be on Minister Creighton.

Michelle Mulherin, John O'Mahony or John Paul Phelan may also join her in voting against the Bill.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says Minister Creighton will face an uphill battle to get back into the parliamentary party if she loses the whip tonight.

"There's a possibility that they could come back to the party - but that's not easy," he said.

"You'd have to get a vote of the parliamentary party to re-admit you. You'd have to get your own party members to select you, and I think that may be a significant issue for Lucinda … given that she represents a very liberal constituency."

Earlier, Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch, who is supporting the Bill, said she finds it peculiar that the focus of the abortion vote has been which TDs will lost the party whip.

"I think it's a very peculiar situation that we are about to pass landmark legislation, and yet the concentration seems to be on who's going to vote for and who's going to vote against," she said.

The Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin earlier told RTÉ radio that TDs who vote in support of abortion legislation are "co-operating with evil."

"The Archbishop is presenting a perspective from the Catholic church. He's perfectly entitled to voice his opinion," Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said in response.

He said the members of the Dáil were concerned with balancing the country's constitution and the safety of women.