Political parties must allow a free vote on the forthcoming abortion legislation so TDs can “vote with their conscience and not according to the Party Whip”.
This is the view of Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish who said this is a “highly emotive issue” and one where “politicians are not prepared to change deeply held beliefs”.
Dep Grealish acknowledges that public representatives in political parties “have to follow party policy and abide by party rules”, but that this abortion legislation “has divided all political parties in Ireland”.
As a result, he argues, “not allowing politicians a free vote on this issue may result in the loss of senior and valuable politicians across the board”.
