The Offaly TD Carol Nolan has resigned from Sinn Féin as she doesn’t want “any hand, act or part” in ending the lives of unborn children. She had already been on a three-month suspension for voting against the Bill to hold a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment and during that time had campaigned for a No vote. Since then, the party voted against allowing its members to have a vote of conscience on abortion policy.

In a statement, Ms Nolan said she felt it was “unethical to force TD’s who were strongly opposed to abortion to vote against their conscience”. She continued: “I do not want to have any hand, act or part in bringing about the end to the life of an unborn child, the most vulnerable in our society. It is not for politicians or society, in general, to decide who lives or dies. Every life is precious, and every child deserves the chance to live. I don’t believe that abortion is the solution to any crisis. How can it be when it takes the right to life away from the unborn? I cannot and will not support abortion and for that reason I have made a decision to leave Sinn Féin.”