Coveney Abortion U-Turn
29.03.2018
Tánaiste Simon Coveney has decided to back the government’s plan for abortion on demand up to 12 weeks, if the 8th Amendment is repealed. He had previously said that he was opposed to allowing abortion on demand, and was seen as a voice representing pro-life elements within Fine Gael. He proposed that the new abortion law could require a two-thirds majority of the Dáil in order to amend it, but this idea was widely dismissed as being unconstitutional.
The Tánaiste’s idea for a two-thirds “lock” on abortion legislation had been intended to reassure voters who are unwilling to trust politicians on the abortion issue. Ironically, his dramatic flip-flopping on the issue will only confirm voters in their convictions that politicians cannot be trusted with life and death decisions.
RTÉ. March 27. Irish Independent. March 26. Family & Life. March 29.