Lenihan claims the Irish are hypocritical about abortion

There is a "central, defining hypocrisy" in the Irish mind about abortion, according to a Government backbencher. Mr Conor Lenihan (FF, Dublin West) said the public "wants women to have the right to travel and the right to information, but does not want to have abortions performed within the State".

Nobody on the Government side was "holding a torch" for the proposed abortion amendment provisions, and he said they represented a compromise.

He also advocated that politicians should not canvass vigorously and aggressively during the referendum campaign as they would do in general and by-elections.

"Essentially, it is a matter of huge personal conscience as to how people vote on this matter." However, his party colleague, Mr Noel O'Flynn (FF, Cork North Central), said the referendum proposal was "clearly and unambiguously anti-abortion".

It would "prevent the intentional taking of human life during pregnancy".

He added that "the Medical Council should not have to hold the front line against abortion as that is our job as legislators, as members of the Oireachtas".

Mr O'Flynn said it was a "human rights issue" for people of every faith and none.

He urged people with no religious beliefs but who agree with the arguments against social abortion to join with Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and other Christians, Muslims, Jews and other faiths in taking a pro-life stand at the referendum by voting "Yes."

The Bill is before the House because the four Independent Deputies supporting the Government, Ms Mildred Fox, Mr Harry Blaney, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and Mr Tom Gildea, want a referendum on abortion.

These Deputies have made the holding of such a referendum a condition of their continued support for the Government.

Mr Eamon Gilmore (Labour, D·n Laoghaire) said the legislation and the proposed referendum on abortion "are products of a political deal" whose price and currency "is to play some kind of coalition roulette with the lives of women and mothers.

"The price of this referendum and this political deal will be paid by women for generations to come," he warned.

Since debate on abortion started in 1983, women have been "disembodied, divided and dehumanised" by a "small, intolerant pressure group" who do not trust women, claimed Ms Monica Barnes (FG, D·n Laoghaire).

"It gives me and other colleagues in this chamber no satisfaction to go through this again because underlying the issue is the belief of some men that women have to be controlled with regard to a murderous intent towards their unborn," said Ms Barnes.

"That is basic, fundamental, fundamentalist and highly insulting."

The "facile" slogan in 1983 was "abortion on demand - a woman's right to choose," the Fine Gael deputy said.

"The underlying meaning of that was that if a woman had any right or opportunity to choose, she would choose to abort her child."

In the current debate, the phrase "social abortion" was an indication of the deep, traditional, subversive, suspicious situation women must still deal with in Ireland, Ms Barnes said.