Minister for Health Leo Varadkar is expected to publish abortion regulations on Friday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told the Dáil.

Mr Kenny described the issue concerning ‘Ms Y’ who was raped and unsuccessfully sought an early abortion, as a “very personal and sensitive matter”.

He said a report on the controversy was due “shortly” and while he could not give a definite date for it but “the young woman involved is receiving the very best level care and attention possible”.

He said the Minister for Health “is to publish the regulations regarding terminations, I think on Friday of this week”.

Socialist Party TD Ruth Coppinger had called for the Dáil to sit late to debate the "horrific ordeal of the migrant suicidal rape victim who was denied an early abortion in this country over the summer".

She said it had “drawn international opprobrium and it has also horrified ordinary people throughout this country”.

The Dublin West TD said “it was amazing that no time had been allowed to discuss the case or to allow TDs to question two Ministers who had knowledge of these events, had been questioned by the UN over the summer and clearly this anti-woman law that was voted through in the Dáil has failed”.

She said time needed to be tabled to discuss when a referendum could be held to repeal the 8th Amendment to the Constitution on the issue, which she described as a “medieval” amendment that was 31 years old.

Ms Coppinger called for the Dáil not to adjourn until her constituency colleague, “the Tánaiste in particular, who made her reputation on women’s rights, brings forward a date to discuss this and when we can have a referendum to appeal the 8th”.