Young Fine Gael has written to all the political parties in the State, including its own party headquarters, giving them three weeks to respond to a questionnaire on abortion.
First to disappoint the authors of the questionnaire is likely to be Fine Gael itself. A spokesman for the party last night confirmed: "We will not be answering this."
He said the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, had made his position "patently clear - he is opposed to abortion in all circumstances.
"He is also making it clear that he will not be getting involved in any questionnaire or circular on this issue, no matter who is putting it around."
Young Fine Gael, with 2,500 members, is officially independent of the senior party but has its office at Fine Gael headquarters in Upper Mount Street, Dublin.
The questionnaire, containing four questions on abortion, was sent to the political parties this week with a letter signed by the Young Fine Gael president, Mr Conor Price.
Attached was a letter stating that the results would be published and that replies should be returned by February 8th.
According to Mr Price it was "a mature questionnaire to foster real debate" and to establish the official position of each political party on abortion. "It would show a genuine immaturity if they do not reply," he added.
The questions are as follows:
(1) Does your party believe that the resolution to the abortion issue will require a further amend ment to the Constitution, or will legislation suffice?
(2) Does your party believe that there is a case for legalising abortion where there exists a real and substantive threat to the life of the woman?
(3) Are there any circumstances in which your party would support the legalisation of abortion? (4) How does your party propose to reduce the number of Irish women who are forced to travel abroad to have an abortion?
The accompanying letter said that Young Fine Gael believed the abortion issue had been avoided by successive governments and that all political parties should clarify their position.
It emerged last night that the Government's Green Paper on abortion is "in the process of being finalised."
Senior sources told The Irish Times that the document is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet sub-committee on abortion before the end of February. It will be examined by Cabinet and then published, the sources said.