Fine Gael TDs to be allowed free vote on abortion

“I said on the RTE Six One News and on The Sean O’Rourke show previous year that if you speak out in Fine Gael you will be punished and this is exactly what I feel has happened to me with sustained attacks on my character in the media since that time”.

Mr Kenny, meanwhile, said his deputy leader, James Reilly, is entitled to his own views on changing abortion laws.

In his Sunday Independent interview, Dr Reilly called for a referendum, early in the term of the next government, to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which gives equal right to the life of the mother and the unborn.

The Taoiseach announced that the party would have a free vote on any future changes to abortion laws, so would be free to decide based on their own beliefs, rather than be subject to a party whip.

However, Mr Kenny said that it was always the party’s intention to include dealing with this contentious issue in its manifesto for the general election next year. “The party will run a vigorous campaign in the constituency to allow us to continue our work to keep the recovery going”, the party statement said.

He said: “It’s an issue which requires a very sensitive, very respectful, comprehensive discussion”.

But instead, in his biggest shift yet on the issue, he said Fine Gael would propose sending the matter to a Citizens Convention, similar to the one that proposed the referendum on marriage equality.

When pushed on whether Fine Gael would commit to a referendum, Mr Kenny said: “No, I am not committing to any referendum”. He put in place a process which involved the Oireachtas, has looked to build a consensus on this.

Mr Perry will ask the High Court this morning for an injunction preventing the party from signing off on the ticket as he tries to have the result overturned.