Fine Gael's Mr Jim Higgins has said he is opposed to the referendum because it would give power to the Supreme Court,"who are not answerable to anybody".
In the past the Supreme Court had interpreted amendments to the Constitution in a way which was different from what people had intended. Given this amendment would put a whole piece of legislation into the Constitution for the first time, there was "a greater likelihood" of this happening, Mr Higgins said.
He made the comments yesterday during a debate on the referendum on Mid and North West Radio. Mr Higgins said he was also opposing the amendment because instead of further tightening safeguards it could "liberalise" the situation, as it stated that human life began at implantation rather than at conception.
Fianna Fáil Minister of State Ms Mary Coughlan said the amendment was "an honest solution to a very complex problem". It would protect women by ensuring doctors could carry out any medical treatment necessary to save the life of the woman, while also protecting the unborn.
Labour Party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said there was no need for the referendum to safeguard medical procedures or to safeguard emergency contraception. The referendum was divisive and an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.
Labour favoured giving legal effect to the Supreme Court decision. The party would take medical advice as to whether terminations in the case of threatened suicide would be permitted up to 14 weeks or 24 weeks.
Mr Frank Murphy of the Pro-Life Campaign said it was "unreal" for Mr Quinn to say legislation following on from the X case could put a restriction on when in the pregnancy an abortion could be carried out, as the Supreme Court had already determined that.
Mr Quinn disputed this, saying legislation could put a time restriction on when abortions could be carried out in the case of threatened suicide.