The Fianna Fail MEP Mr Niall Andrews has confirmed that he voted differently from party colleagues in a vote on legalised abortion in the European Parliament this week.
Following Tuesday's vote in Strasbourg, a Fianna Fail spokesman said all seven of its MEPs had voted against the report on women's health which called on member-states to legalise abortion in certain circumstances.
But when contacted by The Irish Times Mr Andrews said he had voted in favour of the section on abortion in cases of "forced pregnancy and rape, and where the health or life of the woman is endangered". The recommendation was divided into five sections which were separately voted on.
Asked why he had voted differently to colleagues, Mr Andrews said yesterday he was not aware of how his colleagues had voted individually. A Fianna Fail spokesman said the party had not known how he had voted until the following day.
Mr Andrews said he had voted for certain sections, including where the health or life of the woman was in danger, after he had reflected on it.
"Because I have a daughter who is pregnant, if I thought she was going to die, you would have to make a choice. I also have a daughter-in-law who is pregnant." As for the report's references to "cases of forced pregnancy and rape", Mr Andrews said: "Like everyone else I'm against [abortion]. But when confronted with a terrible situation you have to be sympathetic to these matters."
He said the report was "a statement that did not bind us in any way", as it could not force the State to introduce abortion.
"It was just a general statement by the women's rights group just before the election and had no bearing on anything that might happen here in Ireland. It was an exercise in how people feel about that matter. It had no legislative authority."
The Fine Gael MEP Mr Alan Gillis voted for one section of the recommendation, that which addressed the endangerment of a woman's health or life. "I voted against, except for that aspect which I felt reflected Ireland's position. I voted the way I felt the Irish people would want."
The four women MEPs - Ms Nuala Ahern, Greens; Ms Mary Banotti, Fine Gael; Ms Bernie Malone, Labour; and Ms Patricia McKenna, Greens - voted for the report and afterwards called for the issue to be dealt with in the Dail.