Labour leader Brendan Howlin has welcomed the decision to hold an abortion referendum, but said: “I have concerns about the Government’s decision to depart from the Oireachtas Committee’s proposal for repeal simpliciter”. Attorney General Séamus Woulfe had advised the Cabinet against straightforward repeal, and said an enabling provision should also be inserted in the Constitution that would give the Oireachtas full authority over our abortion law.

Mr Howlin, however, said the Government “now intends to proceed with a proposal rejected by the Oireachtas Committee and must publish and explain its advice for doing so”. He added: “We know that every additional phrase in the Constitution is subject to further analysis and perusal, and the risk that that entails seems unnecessary given the stated powers afforded to the Oireachtas in the Constitution already.”