Harney will vote Yes in referendum

The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, has said she will vote Yes in the forthcoming abortion referendum. Speaking on RTÉ Radio, she said the proposal was "a step forward" and an honest and sincere effort by the Government to protect women whose lives were at risk.

"After 4½ years of exhaustive consultation and reflection, this is the best we could do, and I haven't seen anyone coming up with any better formula," she said.

Ms Harney said doctors currently intervened from time to time to terminate pregnancies when women's lives were at risk.

"That has no statutory protection" she said. "Somebody is only a case away from a third party taking an action to stop a doctor terminating a pregnancy and saving the life of the mother."

The legislation protected the use of the morning-after pill as it defined abortion in terms of implantation, and not from the moment of conception.

"Certainly I could never support, or would never have supported, legislation that wouldn't facilitate the morning-after pill being used," the PD leader said.

The party was divided on the abortion issue, but it allowed a free vote on moral issues and issues of conscience.