Ireland – FitzGerald ‘railroaded’ into 1983 abortion referendum, Barry Desmond claims

FitzGerald ‘railroaded’ into 1983 abortion referendum, Barry Desmond claims
Gemma Hussey recalls threatening letters warning ‘we know where you live’

Feb 19, 2018
Michael O'Regan

The late Fine Gael taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald was “ politically railroaded’’ by Fianna Fáil’s Charles Haughey into agreeing to the controversial 1983 abortion referendum, former Labour minister Barry Desmond has claimed.

Mr Desmond, who was minister for health in the then Fine Gael-Labour coalition, refused to handle the referendum Bill in the Dáil because of his strong opposition to the wording, and responsibility for it was instead allocated by Dr FitzGerald to Michael Noonan, who was minister for justice.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fitzgerald-railroaded-into-1983-abortion-referendum-barry-desmond-claims-1.3396713