Preparations are already underway for a referendum on abortion next Summer.
It's after the Committee on the 8th amendment voted on its final recommendations yesterday.
The Tanaiste has told the Dáil today that the Health Minister will work with the Attorney General to decide on the wording of supplementary legislation and that this will be completed by March.
Nicole Gernon reports:
The Oireachtas Committee yesterday voted in favour of repealing the 8th amendment and on the circumstances in which abortion should be allowed.
It will publish a non-binding report next Wednesday, which will be debated by the Oireachtas in the new year.
A bill to allow the referendum to take place would have to be published by February at the latest, to allow for a referendum by June.
The government has expressed a preference for the referendum to be held in May.
It's also expected that potential supplementary legislation will be published in advance to allow the public to see what the effect of the referendum will be.
The wording of the question that will be put to the people is not yet known and is far from a done deal.
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have votes of conscience, while Sinn Fein's party policy doesn't match the Committee recommendations.
Labour, Solidarity PBP and Social Democrats all support Repeal and abortion up to 12 weeks.
With both sides insisting that they will win it's likely that the government will want to make the wording of the legislation or any replacement amendment airtight to prevent legal challenge.
Expect the campaigning to begin in earnest in the new year.
