Fine Gael to vote on referendum stance
Fine Gael will today decide whether to support or oppose the Government's referendum on abortion at the party's first parliamentary meeting since the Christmas recess.
Leader Michael Noonan has already expressed his reservations about the idea, but his predecessor John Bruton has come out in favour of the coalition plan.
The party is likely to vote with Deputy Noonan, but the whip will not be enforced on any dissenting voices during the referendum itself.
No date has yet been set to go to the polls and the coalition is unlikely to set one at today's cabinet meeting.
