Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a position she is entitled to hold, but it is not the majority view in the State, based on the opinion polls to which she refers. I will give my opinion as a doctor and a young man at a later stage. However, I am Minister for Health and the Government's position is clear - we have no plans to repeal the eighth amendment. It is important to bear in mind that if the eighth emendment were to be repealed, it would result in the removal from the Constitution of any protection afforded to the life of the mother and the unborn child.

The Deputy will recall, for example, that the first divorce referendum was unsuccessful and that it was successful the second time because people knew what they would be replacing it with. It was replaced with a different amendment and the legislation was published. That is not what the Deputy is proposing. It appears that what she is proposing is just the deletion of the amendment and allowing the Dáil to enact any legislation it likes. I believe people would have a difficulty in voting in a referendum in those circumstances.

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