The Health Minister says Ireland must deal with abortion 'definitively', after two women who had attempted suicide more than once were refused abortions in Ireland.

The Abortion Support Network told the Irish edition of The Times the women were both immigrants who needed visas if they were going to travel to the UK for a legal termination.

One of the pregnancies had been diagnosed with a fatal foetal abnormality.

Last night Simon Harris said that he would make all possible resources available to draft legislation for a referendum on the issue.