Irish cabinet set to decide on abortion referendum
Demonstrators wear repeal masks at The March for Choice in Dublin, a demonstration demanding change to Ireland's strict abortion laws. -AP
Ireland's cabinet will hold a special meeting this evening to pave the way for a historic referendum on the country's abortion laws. Ministers will discuss what question will be put to voters and formally decide when it will take place - most likely in May or June.
Under the Irish constitution, there is a near total ban on abortion, reports Sky News. The eighth amendment equates the life of a foetus in the womb with that of the mother. The law does not allow for terminations in cases of rape or incest, or when there is a foetal abnormality.
Any changes to the Irish constitution can only be enacted through public plebiscite. Different options are open to the government on what question could be asked.
They include a simple repeal of the amendment, repeal with abortion allowed up to 12 weeks as recommended by a parliamentary committee, or a question on whether there should be an enabling provision added to the constitution to let parliament legislate on the issue.
The abortion referendum is likely to spark an emotive, difficult and fierce debate in Ireland, where it remains a divisive issue. Two recent polls have shown a significant move in public opinion since the mid-1980s, when the Roman Catholic Church held sway over public discourse.
A clear majority of all voters - 56% - said they would vote in favor of the constitutional change, with 29% not in favor, and 15% saying they did not know or offering no opinion, according to an Irish Times poll published last week.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said he will campaign to liberalize the country's abortion laws, saying they "are too restrictive and need to be liberalized".
It is a view shared by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Sinn Fein leader-elect Mary Lou McDonald, who support a parliamentary committee's recommendations for unrestricted access to abortion for 12 weeks.
