Fitzgerald wants FG commitment for abortion vote

Ms Fitzgerald has backed the stance of her fellow Fine Gael leadership contender, Health Minister Leo Varadkar, in seeking to have the Constitution changed in a referendum.

But she told the Irish Independent it's a matter for the next government to resolve.

Last week, Mr Varadkar called for an abortion referendum to remove the eighth amendment to the Constitution, which he said was too "restrictive" and has a "chilling effect" on doctors.

Ms Fitzgerald supported Mr Varadkar's comments.

"What Leo said was how individually we need to respond to these very difficult cases. If you are a partner and your wife has a fatal foetal abnormality, I think that is an issue that the next government will have to address. I think the issues around women's health are very serious. Leo talked about dealing with these issues with compassion and care and that a Constitution isn't the place to deal with them. And I do understand - I have said that for many years - I do understand where he is coming from," she told the Irish Independent.

The eighth amendment, voted into the Constitution in 1983, acknowledges the right to the life of the unborn as being equal to the mother's right to life.

Ms Fitzgerald's intervention will again place the issue of abortion back on the political agenda and has opened Fine Gael up to promising a more liberal regime.

The Justice Minister has been put in charge of Fine Gael's general election planning by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Mr Kenny claimed that Mr Varadkar was speaking in a "personal capacity" when he called for a referendum.

The Taoiseach appeared to have been taken by surprise by some of Mr Varadkar's remarks and said he had not seen the speech beforehand.

However, the Irish Independent understands Mr Varadkar had cleared the speech with Mr Kenny beforehand.

Mr Kenny disagreed that a referendum on removing the eighth amendment is needed and said his party colleague was speaking in a "personal capacity".

Meanwhile, the case of a clinically dead pregnant woman being kept alive by doctors against her family's wishes will come before the High Court tomorrow.

The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, has made himself available to consider the case on Tuesday.

The woman, an unmarried mother in her 20s, cannot be identified due to a court order.