Fine Gael Ministers do not believe the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on abortion would get sufficient support to pass into law and will have to be significantly amended.

The issue was discussed at their weekly pre-Cabinet meeting on Tuesday at Government Buildings. No conclusions were reached, but several Ministers said that most of those present believed the assembly recommendations, which suggest changing the Constitution and legislating for general access to abortion up to 22 weeks into a pregnancy, would not be supported by the Fine Gael party, would not pass a vote in the Dáil and would not be passed by the electorate in a referendum.

According to a report in the Irish Times, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and the Minister for Rural Affairs Michael Ring both stressed they would not be in a position to support the recommendations of the assembly. One Minister said the assembly’s proposals would not pass “party, Dáil or country”. Another said he shared that view “very much”. Another said the discussion made it clear that any proposal for a change in the law would have to be quite limited and not provide for a complete liberalisation of the law. Sources say this means a much more restrictive abortion regime is likely to be proposed by the Government.