Speaking on his way into Cabinet this morning, the Health Minister Simon Harris said he still believes it will be possible to hold the vote in May.
“Out of fairness to all of our citizens, I think the importance of having factual and impartial information so people can make an informed decision is something we can surely all agree on,” he said.
“So I think if we can pass the bill through both houses of the Oireachtas before the Easter break; that would give the Referendum Commission a good period of time to run a public information campaign that could provide our citizens with factual impartial information.”
Mr Harris said the Dáil will sit until midnight tonight and 11pm tomorrow.
Sinn Féin has brought forward its Ard Fheis to June to decide what its policy will be on proposed abortion legislation – should the 8th be repealed.
Party leader Mary Lou McDonald has defended holding it after a referendum on the matter.
She said: “We will categorically campaign for the repeal of the eighth amendment, and we will participate in a legitimate public consideration and debate on the nature of the legislation that follows.”