Testy exchange at Cabinet as Independents seek free vote on abortion

It was, by all accounts, a pretty testy exchange on the vexed issue of abortion at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

Minister for Transport Shane Ross and Minister of State at the Department of Health Finian McGrath argued strongly in favour of a free vote for Independent Alliance TDs.

Mr Ross and Mr McGrath, who both voted for a similar bill proposed by Clare Daly last year, told Cabinet they accepted the Attorney General's position.

However they insisted they could not oppose the legislation, citing their support for terminations in these cases. Independent junior minister John Halligan also strongly supports the intention of the bill.

The Irish Times understands Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar were "sympathetic" to the request of the two Ministers.

However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted the advice of the Attorney General must be accepted. He will be mindful of the consequences of the Government refusing to accept the Attorney’s advice: she would have no option but to resign.

Mr Kenny adjourned the meeting without a decision and a special Cabinet meeting is to be held on Thursday to agree the Government position.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t hold cabinet meetings so early in the morning,” quipped one minister. The meeting began at 7.30am to facilitate the Taoiseach’s departure to Brussels for the European summit meeting.

Fine Gael believes that it has agreed a path to dealing with the question of the eighth amendment - a citizen's assembly, an all-party committee, a possible referendum. And the Independents have signed up for all that in the Programme for Government.

But the Independents also reserve the right to deal with other issues that arise by negotiation. That is one of the many uncertainties of the minority coalition: what happens when unforeseen difficulties arise?

This one might have been entirely foreseeable but the Independents maintain this issue is not specifically covered by the Programme.

Compromise

Both sides expect a compromise to be reached. The Independents accept the Attorney’s advice, but don’t necessarily want to be bound by it themselves. To many on the Fine Gael side, this sounds suspiciously like having your cake and eating it.

But the essence of coalition is compromise; and sometimes that is expressed as a downright fudge.

Further contacts are expected today, and sources on both sides say that the Independent ministers will accept a counter motion agreed by the Cabinet but will be allowed to abstain in the vote in the House.

Of course, the Independents are not exactly united themselves on the matter. It is expected Mr Ross, Mr McGrath and Minister of State John Halligan will abstain while Minister of State Sean Canney and Longford-Westmeath TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran are expected to vote against the Bill.

The free vote is not just to satisfy their consciences; it’s to maintain their unity. In any case, a vote will not take place until next week.