Coppinger to table motion on repeal of Eighth Amendment

The Government is to face a Private Members' motion calling for a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment when the Dáil resumes in the autumn. Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Ruth Coppinger has tabled a motion which is to be dealt with early in the new term.

The Eighth Amendment, approved in a referendum in 1983, acknowledges the right to life of the unborn with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother.

Members of the Independent Alliance sought a free vote on a recent Bill allowing abortions in the cases of fatal foetal abnormalities, leading to tensions between Fine Gael and Independent Ministers and TDs.

However, Minister for Transport Shane Ross, a member of the alliance, said he did not foresee a problem when Ms Coppinger's motion came before the Dáil. He said a co-ordinator was to be appointed to liaise between the alliance and Fine Gael in a bid to avoid a repeat of the dispute over the fatal foetal abnormalities Bill. He believed the argument on that occasion was the end of such disputes and he anticipated the issue would be sorted out amicably when the time came.

The Labour Party has already agreed it will support the motion by Ms Coppinger, which is likely to be dealt with on October 19th. Sinn Féin is also expected to back it, along with the Green Party and the Social Democrats.

Fianna Fáil will be allowed a vote of conscience while Fine Gael will be expected to oppose the motion in order to allow the citizens convention being set up by the Government to complete its examination of the Eighth Amendment.

Meanwhile, Mr Ross said he accepted some of the blame for the absence of the Independent Alliance at the launch of the Government's housing action plan last Tuesday. He said the group's five TDs had had a significant input into some of the measures proposed by Minister for Housing Simon Coveney. "We should have been more active and energetic on pushing ourselves on that, because we put a lot of input into it," Mr Ross added. "We were not aware there was a press conference. I should have been more aware of that and insisted we should have been in attendance."

The alliance’s five TDs, including Mr Ross and Finian McGrath, Minister of State for Health, have raised concerns with the Taoiseach’s advisers about the matter. They insist the alliance was excluded from participating in media engagements around the publication of the plan, which seeks to address some of the biggest issues facing the minority Government.

Mr Ross said he expected a lot of the difficulties would be resolved when a co-ordinator was appointed. He also hoped a deputy Government press secretary would be employed soon.

The alliance is seeking to have one appointed to represent them and Minister for Children Katherine Zappone and Minister for Communications Denis Naughten want to appoint a second one.