A private member’s motion, put forward by the United Left Alliance TD Clare Daly, legislating for the X Case, was last night defeated in the Dáil by 101 votes to 27.
Many TDs and Ministers were missing for the vote – including Sinn Féin’s Peadar Toibín, who controversially broke ranks with his party last week – and said he couldn’t support the bill because he’s pro-life.
The four options put forward by the expert group on abortion will now be debated in the Dáil, and the Health Minister James Reilly, told politicians in Leinster House last night that the issue of abortion would not remain un-addressed by this Government:
