Joan Burton calls for abortion referendum 'preferably before the Pope’s visit'

Labour TD Joan Burton has called for referendum on the Eighth Amendment to take place early next year.

Welcoming comments made by the Taoiseach in the Dáil today that he would be open to holding a referendum on the Eighth Amendment in early 2018, Deputy Burton said: “Today in the Dáil I put to the Taoiseach that the best time to have a referendum on the Eighth Amendment would be in the first half of 2018, for example sometime between the end of March to the middle of June, preferably before the Pope’s visit.