Enda Kenny stresses ‘collective responsibility’ ahead of abortion bill debate

The bill, which will be brought forward by TDs Ruth Coppinger and Bríd Smith, will be debated on Tuesday with a vote on Thursday.

A similar bill brought by Mick Wallace caused friction in government after three alliance members voted in favour.

Mr Kenny said: “I would remind you that the Oireachtas — both the Dáil and the Seanad — have already voted to implement what is already contained in the Programme for Government; that is to set up a citizens’ assembly of 99 citizens chosen at random representing gender, age, region and so on, to discuss the question and the implications of change if any of the Eighth Amendment.

"That work is now proceeding. We will consider this on Tuesday at the cabinet meeting and obviously the issues that are relevant to the Programme for Government require collective cabinet responsibility.”

Separately he dismissed as “mischievous” and “misleading” reports that the EU Commission were to investigate Ireland in relation to 300 other tax cases similar to the Apple tax ruling.

He was responding to reports the European Commission had not ruled out further investigations into this country’s tax regimes which could equate to State aid to multinationals.

He said that in 2013 Ireland provided all tax rulings information between 2010 and 2012 and after this the commission launched an investigation “in respect of one case only”.

“The commission have never stated that there are other impending State aid cases pending against Ireland and to suggest otherwise is mischievous, is misleading and is wrong,” he said.

“That type of loose talk is potentially very damaging to our country and I take the matter very seriously indeed.”