The upcoming referendum on abortion is a sop to the four independent TDs supporting the Government, according to Fine Gael.
Describing the proposed constitutional amendment as "the most flawed piece of legislation to amend our Constitution that any government has ever proposed", Fine Gael’s Ms Nora Owen said the referendum had been called for reasons of political expediency.
"Political expediency has dictated their actions, i.e. to satisfy four independents and the hope of extra votes because they are 'supposedly' dealing with the abortion issue" Ms Owen said at the launch of the party’s campaign for a No vote today.
She said a referendum was only required to overturn the ‘X’ case Supreme Court ruling that allows for suicidal women to have abortions and that other matters contained in the amendment proposals could be dealt with through legislation.
"This Amendment, when all the unnecessary legislative paraphernalia is disregarded, has only one purpose. It reduces a woman's equal right to life as enshrined in Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution. The rights of the unborn are not altered by this amendment," Ms Owen said.
She singled out the Progressive Democrats, and in particular the Attorney General Mr Michael McDowell, for what she said was a U-turn on the issue, quoting Mr McDowell saying in 1992 that women who become pregnant as a result of rape, incest or sexual abuse of a child should not be obliged to continue with the pregnancy.
"Shame on the PDs for their endorsement of a proposal solely for political self-preservation," she declared.
"I hope, for the sake of even one Irish child or woman, that the people will reject this proposal," Ms Owen concluded.
