The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has rejected claims that the Government's abortion amendment could result in pregnant women not receiving treatments necessary to save their lives.
Mr Martin yesterday cited a statement from the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists which condemned as "ill informed" statements that women with haemorrhage as a result of miscarriage may not receive medical care.
"Treatment for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy will not be affected by the legislation and they will receive appropriate care throughout the country," the statement from the institute's chairman, Prof John Bonnar, said.
Fine Gael leader Mr Michael Noonan told his party's ardfheis last weekend that a Yes majority would "increase the risk to women who, in an emergency, require immediate medical assistance, but who, if the referendum is passed, will have to travel sometimes long distances to designated centres to be treated".
Senator Mary Henry (Independent) wrote to this newspaper last week stating: "Often bleeding is most unexpected and can occur early in pregnancy. The termination of the pregnancy may be the only method of stopping the haemorrhage. It will be illegal to do this anywhere in Ireland except in an approved centre."
Mr Martin said yesterday these arguments had now been "comprehensively dismissed by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who have strongly stated that all medical procedures will continue to be available".
However, a Fine Gael spokesman said Mr Martin was "clearly confused", and again called on the Taoiseach to take up Mr Noonan's challenge of a debate on the subject.
Senator Henry said it was "fine for Prof Bonnar [of the institute] to say there will be no trouble, but he is not a registrar in a county hospital being told it is not an 'approved place' under the law".
She asked what would happen if a future government, under the influence of a group of independent deputies, restricted the number of approved places at which terminations could be carried out.
"How do we know there will always be an 'approved centre' nearby?
"Will there be centres on the islands, for example? It's not going to be a problem very often, but that doesn't mean it will never be a problem."