Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has described as “meaningless” the offer by Taoiseach Enda Kenny for a free vote for Fine Gael party members on whether or not to repeal the Constitutional protection for the unborn.

Senator Healy Eames told the Seanad: “The offer of a free vote by the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, is as meaningless as the letter from Fine Gael to the people of Ireland before the last election which stated that the party would not legislate for abortion. Fine Gael did legislate for abortion.”

Referencing her expulsion alongside those of fellow Senator Paul Bradford and five Dáil deputies over the 2013 abortion row, Senator Healy Eames asserted that the “narrative” within Fine Gael on the current debate was likely to be one of “Steady the ship, boys, we have a second term in sight. A free vote is no problem, so let us high five that, lads. Stick with the party and I will be Taoiseach again.”

She said she was not trying “to score points” but insisted that on the matter of abortion “somebody is right and somebody is wrong…I am speaking about the truth and not using a subject that is so deeply human and important to the existence of life as another joy-ride into power.”