A pro-life Fianna Fáil TD has warned similarly minded colleagues intent on blocking the planned post-eighth amendment abortion laws to back down and accept "the will of the people" in the divisive debate. Fianna Fáil social protection spokesperson Willie O'Dea hit out after a number of pro-life TDs and senators claimed they were being silenced by their party's hierarchy - and as it separately emerged Oireachtas authorities want the bill agreed by early November. As revealed in today's Irish Examiner, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and senior party TD Timmy Dooley clashed with several rural backbenchers at Tuesday night's weekly parliamentary party meeting. However, while repeating the view to reporters at Leinster House on Tuesday, Fianna Fáil social protection spokesperson Mr O'Dea also urged other pro-life TDs and senators to back down and accept "the will of the people". [/quote]"The rule is that the party spokesperson puts forward the amendments, so this is not silencing anybody or closing anybody down.

Source: Evening echo October 03, 2018 18:56 UTC