Sinn Féin split emerges around Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment

A split has emerged in Sinn Féin after one TD claimed the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment is biased.

Peadar Toibin said there was a lack of balance with 24 witnesses called being pro-choice and only four witnesses being pro-life.

His Dáil colleague Jonathan O'Brien said this was because pro-life groups have refused to appear before the committee, telling Mr Toibin not to cry over spilt milk.

The imbalance has been caused by Pro-Life groups refusing to appear before the Ctte. Don't cry over spilt milk when you intentionally split it yourself just so you can cry https://t.co/98eGMWaQaR

— Jonathan O'Brien (@JOBrien_71) November 12, 2017

Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment and Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone said labelling medical practitioners as either pro-choice or pro-life "merely served to engender a polarised debate".

"It's also the case that many of the so called pro choice medical practitioners are medics dealing with Irish women on a daily basis.

"Labelling them either pro life or pro choice merely serves to engender a polarised debate," she said.

Meanwhile another Sinn Féin TD, Eoin O'Broin, said Peadar Toibin was trying to undermine the work of the committee.

"I'm very disappointed that [Peadar Toibin] has aligned himself with Mattie McGrath & Rónán Mullen in trying to undermine the work of Committee & SF reps on it," he tweeted.

He said Mr Toibin's views did not match those of the party.

"Current position as democratically agreed at previous Ard Fheis is Repeal & legislate for rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormality. Will be debated at next weeks Ard Fheis & may change," he added.

Current position as democratically agreed at previous Ard Fheis is Repeal & legislate for rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormality. Will be debated at next weeks Ard Fheis & may change.

— Eoin Ó Broin (@EOBroin) November 12, 2017