Former female ministers have joined together to urge for a No vote in the forthcoming abortion referendum.
The group, made up of former Government ministers or ministers of State, said they were united in their opposition to the Constitutional amendment as it would overturn the Supreme Court decision in the X case and "drag us back twenty years".
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The politicians at today’s call include Ms Niamh Bhreathnach, Ms Joan Burton, Ms Eileen Desmond, Senator Avril Doyle MEP, Ms Nuala Fennell, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, Ms Mary Flaherty, Ms Gemma Hussey, Ms Liz McManus TD and Ms Nora Owen TD.
In a statement today said they were "appalled" that the Government had foisted another abortion referendum on the electorate.
"Since 1983 it is patently clear that the complex and difficult issue of abortion cannot be dealt with through the Constitution," the statement said.
They were opposed to the referendum proposal because it would remove suicide as a grounds for an abortion which is an important safeguard for Irish woman, they said.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Health, Mr Micheál Martin accused the No campaign of deliberately misrepresenting the issues and called on them to outline their alternative to the proposed amendment.
"If they really want to help the public to decide, they should put aside politicking and be honest with the public - what laws do they want to introduce," he said.
His comments followed the yesterday’s criticism of the Government’s position that the proposed amendment does not raise doubts over the constitutional status of the morning-after pill and IUDs.
The Taoiseach yesterday drew a distinction between the constitutional position of the morning-after pill - about which the Government and the Referendum Commission currently do not agree - and the position in criminal law.