A new coalition of pro-choice and civil liberties groups has been formed to campaign against the proposed abortion referendum.
The Alliance for a No Vote (ANV) met for the first time in Dublin at the weekend.
Its spokeswoman, Ms SinΘad N∅ Ch·lachβin, said the Government's proposals would put women's lives at risk. "They will criminalise suicidal women who attempt to self-abort. And they create a new criminal offence for any Irish woman desperate enough to try to self-abort or for anyone who tries to help her."
Among those represented at the launch of the alliance were the Irish Family Planning Association, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Lawyers for Choice, Cork Women's Right to Choose Group, Dublin Abortion Rights Group, UCD Women's Education Research & Resource Centre, Pro-Choice Campaign, the Socialist Party and the Workers' Solidarity Movement.
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, meanwhile, said he hoped the Catholic Church would support the proposals. "This is a significant statute in terms of the legal banning of abortion and there is definition in the Act which I think modernises the law," he said.
While the church's position on the proposed referendum was "entirely a matter" for itself, Mr Martin said: "I would hope that the Catholic Church would find within its capacity to welcome these measures".
Speaking on RT╔'s This Week, he said the Government had to take on board all views as it formulated legislative and constitutional proposals. Asked about a possible conflict with the Catholic Church over its definition of life beginning at conception rather than implantation, Mr Martin replied: "We are not defining human life. We are defining abortion."
