The Medical Council has formally asked its members not to speak to the media during the ongoing controversy over proposals to relax ethical guidelines on abortion.
The Irish Times understands that at least one member of the council expressed disquiet when the proposal was made at its meeting on Wednesday last. The president of the Medical Council, Prof Gerard Bury, requested each member to give a commitment to the absolute confidentiality of council business.
Prof Bury confirmed that "a formal reaffirmation of the principle of confidentiality being respected by council members was sought at the meeting".
Asked how this affected the transparency of council business, Prof Bury made a distinction between work in progress and completed policy.
The council is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act but this may change by the end of the year. In the meantime, the council has decided that Prof Bury is the only member authorised to make public comment.
Meanwhile, The Irish Times understands the council sought two legal opinions on the validity of its meeting two weeks ago, during which two controversial abortion motions were introduced.
It is believed both advised that the original meeting did not follow proper procedure.
Technically, the motions, which proposed termination of pregnancy for a "non-viable foetus" and when there is "real and substantive risk to the life of the mother", have not been withdrawn.
Nor does the council appear to have accepted legal advice that the proper forum to discuss ethical issues is its Ethics Committee.
It is expected that a motion to empower the entire council membership to deal with the substantive issue of abortion will be tabled at its next meeting.
There will also be a proposal to establish a cross-specialty expert group, with representatives from the Medical Council, the masters of the maternity hospitals, the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, GPs and psychiatrists, to examine the ethical issues surrounding termination of pregnancy.