Mr Toibin was a prominent campaigner to save the Eighth Amendment and, most memorably, vigorously defended the rights of the unborn in all circumstances in the final Prime Time debate on RTE against Minister Simon Harris. He was subsequently suspended from party activity for six months after refusing to support the Government’s proposed abortion legislation. He had previously been suspended from the party for voting against the 2013 Abortion Act.

The deputy handed in a resignation letter today “with a heavy heart”. In the letter, Mr Toibin said he had secured a deal with the leadership in November 2012 which stated the party “would treat me equally and would not marginalise me due to my views on the right to life as long as I also gave the party view”.

“This deal worked well for four years at no cost to the party”. However, he said over the past 18 months the arrangement was “binned unilaterally by the party”.

“I have lost speaking rights, spokesperson’s positions, portfolios and have been significantly censored in my engagement with the media. These actions have prevented me from fully representing my constituents.”

“I have strived in every way I know how simply to make space within the party for people with a different on this one issue.

Finally he wrote to Ms McDonald and others in the party hierarchy two weeks ago, seeking to know if he had a future in the party. “This email was never replied to. That may be an answer in itself,” his resignation letter concludes.