Rabbitte: Abortion legislation 'as liberal as Ireland will get'

The Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte says legislating for the X-case is as liberal as Ireland is going to get.

Rabbitte: Abortion legislation 'as liberal as Ireland will get'

The Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte says legislating for the X-case is as liberal as Ireland is going to get.

His comments come following the recording of a telephone conversation between two Labour TD's which took place last June.

The Sunday Independent has published recordings of Aodhán Ó Riordáin and Anne Ferris, which the newspaper says shows their support for 'abortion on demand'.

Minister Rabbitte says while there may be a difference of opinion the government must do their job and legislate according to the 1992 Supreme Court Ruling.

"I don't think the Labour Party would be minded to legislate along the lines suggested in those tapes. There is certainly a view now that the imperative is the health of the mother.

"We must do our duty as legislators whatever our personal moral compass suggests. What is in prospect as I understand it, is a very restricted regime."

He added of the newspaper report: "Some people in the party would like to see a more liberal regime than they are going to get. There is no doubt about that. We may not have prominent individuals coming out against the idea but that doesn't mean there aren't differences of opinion.

"They must be taken by surprise that you can have a private telephone exchange and find that it's hooked to a Sunday newspaper that is prepared to publish them. It's a practice I would hate to see become the norm in Irish journalism that someonce can set you up."

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