Simon Coveney: Opposition 'trying to split the Government' over abortion referendum
A Government minister has hit out at opposition parties which he says are trying to "split the Government and embarrass people".
Simon Coveney was speaking ahead of a Dáil debate tonight, on a Bill calling for a referendum on the 8th Amendment.
The Independent Alliance wants a free vote on the issue, but Taoiseach Enda Kenny believes supporting any vote on abortion would be a contradiction of the Programme for Government.
Minister Coveney is not impressed that it is coming up when the Citizens' Assembly's already working on the issue.
He said: "People are playing politics with a very, very sensitive issue.
"In the middle of an agreed process by Government that is underway to look at the detail and difficulties around this issue, opposition parties are trying to split the Government and embarrass people."
