Pat Breen says loss of premature baby daughter colours his views on proposed abortion laws

A Junior Minister has said he has serious concerns about supporting proposed abortion laws because of his own experience losing a daughter.

Junior Minister for Trade and Clare TD Pat Breen said the experience of losing a child who was born at 21 weeks colours how he thinks about the issue.

He said he will support holding a referendum on the 8th Amendment.

However, Mr Breen said he was struggling to come to a decision on whether to support abortion without restriction for up to 12 weeks.

He said: "I lost a little baby daughter (after she was born at) 21 weeks...It's something I don't talk about in public too often, but it does affect me, still. I have to try to separate my personal story from (my role as) a legislator. What I have to ask is what is in the best interests of society at the moment."

Earlier, Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said he does not believe that maintaining the status quo on the 8th Amendment is the right thing to do but will not “at any point in time” support unrestricted access to abortion.

Speaking on Today with Sean O'Rourke he said "people have to ask themselves the question, is the status quo ok, in terms of how Ireland are dealing with this issue".

He said, however, that he does not believe that there should be no protection in law for the unborn child and that the Government is united in its approach to repealing the 8th there were differing views on the legislation that should replace it.