A deal has been reached on a collective Cabinet response to tonight's Dáil debate on abortion.

Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance have agreed to back a counter-motion, which will be tabled during the debate this evening.

The counter-motion agrees not to pass any bills on abortion while the Citizens' Assembly is still considering the subject.

But an Oireachtas committee - which will be set up to consider the Assembly's findings - will be set up early, so that it is "up and running" as quickly as possible.

While the Citizens' Assembly will still issue its findings in June 2017, the Oireachtas committee will now be tasked with digesting those findings and issuing its own recommendations for legal change by the end of that year - paving the way for possible legal changes, including a referendum, in 2018.

The agreement defuses a long-running dispute which had seen some Independent ministers demand a free vote.

Enda Kenny had made it clear that he believes supporting any vote on abortion would be a contradiction of the Programme for Government.

Today's agreement means Fine Gael has held firm on its demand for a common position today - while independents are placated by a quicker timeline for possible legal change in future.

The agreement reached at Cabinet this morning will also guarantee Independent ministers a free vote on any matter which is not covered by the Programme for Government, or by a separate Cabinet decision.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: