The Government has agreed on an ‘indicative timeline’ for an abortion referendum, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil.
Leo Varadkar outlined that the timeline allows for a standalone vote on the Eighth Amendment of the Constituton next May or June, reports RTÉ.
This is dependent on the recommendations of the cross-party Oireachtas committee on the issue, he said, which are due to be reported by Christmas.
The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the equal right to life for the mother and the unborn.
After the Citizen’s Assembly voted in favour of repealing that amendment earlier this year, the Oireachtas Committee is now working on recommendations for possible legislation.
Ireland will vote in six other referenda by the summer of 2019, the Taoiseach added, including one in October 2018 on Article 40.6.1 of the constitution, “Woman’s life within the home”.
