The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said he does not believe the result of the proposed abortion referendum will be open to legal challenge.
Mr Ahern also said this was the Government's "best shot" at dealing with the abortion issue and it did not wish to lose the referendum because it had "put a huge amount of effort into it".
The Taoiseach was asked on RT╔ radio's This Week programme yesterday if a Yes vote could end up being challenged in the High Court and possibly at the European Council or in the European Court.
"I don't think it will turn up in any of those places. I think if this amendment is passed by the people, the people will leave this rest, and that is what I believe. It is as close to the will of the people as we can get."
Mr Ahern said what was being put forward was legislation which was under-pinned by constitutional certainty.
"If there is a change in future then the people also have a decision in that . . . This in a very fair way gives the people power over an issue that is both an ethical, moral, religious, medical and other issues as well.
"I think it is a very fair resolution," the Taoiseach continued. "I think there is no reason for it to be getting into a legal or constitutional domain. That is why we so carefully balanced it and so carefully constructed it and that's why I think that people should support it."
The Government wished to see the referendum passed, he said, "because otherwise we will continue on with the difficulty created by the X case where in effect in this country you could have an abortion.
"It was only the medical rules of the Medical Council which was preventing that from happening. We're opposed to that and we have now set out our position and we hope that is supported by the people."
The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruair∅ Quinn, said he welcomed Mr Ahern's acceptance that the referendum was about whether the Supreme Court decision in the X case should be overturned.
However, he said, he believed that "what the Taoiseach is asking us to do is reject the equal right to life of the mother as set out in that decision".