The All-Party Committee on the Constitution will next week present the Taoiseach with a report on abortion setting out three possible courses of action.
Its proposals will include Fianna Fail's preferred choice of holding a referendum on legislation that would effectively roll back the X case judgment.
This approach, agreed by the committee yesterday as one of three possibilities, involves legislating for abortion in line with current medical practice, but excluding the risk of suicide by a pregnant mother as grounds on which an abortion can be carried out.
The Fianna Fail approach is understood to have PD backing.
Faced with growing pressure for a referendum on the issue from independent deputies upon whom the Government relies for support, there is growing speculation that another abortion poll will take place next June.
The committee's report is understood to reject the argument of anti-abortion groups that a distinction can be made in law between "direct" and "indirect" abortion. The option of legislating for current medical practice is understood not to rely on this distinction.
A second option, reflecting the Fine Gael position, would leave the law unchanged but set up a State agency to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies. However, Fine Gael sources say that while they are not convinced that a referendum would improve the position, they will examine any proposals that are made.
The third option, effectively the Labour position, advocates legislation to provide for abortion in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment in the X case. This would permit abortion where there was a real and substantial threat to the life of the mother, including the risk of suicide.
The committee, chaired by Mr Brian Lenihan, of Fianna Fail, will meet again next Wednesday to approve its final report. This will then be sent to the Taoiseach who is expected to refer it to a Cabinet sub-committee before announcing his final decision.