The Taoiseach insisted that the Government had made no commitments to Independent deputies about a possible abortion referendum next year.

Mr Ahern said the Government could not make a decision until the Cabinet sub-committee had first considered the anticipated report from the all-party committee on the Constitution.

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, asked if the Taoiseach, or anybody acting on his behalf, had informed or assured Independent deputies that a referendum would definitely be held on the abortion issue in the spring of next year.

Mr Ahern replied: "This issue was last discussed prior to the summer recess when I met with all of the Independent deputies. The deputies specified their views on this matter and all of them indicated their hope to see a referendum being held during the life of this Dail.

"I stated recently, as I did to the Independent deputies when I met them prior to the summer, that the Government's position was that when the all-party committee reports on this matter, it will then be referred to the Cabinet sub-committee which will make a decision. Until that happens, neither I, nor anyone acting on my behalf, can make a decision on this matter."

Mr Quinn asked if he could take it that any Independent deputy who had stated privately or in conversation that he or she had been assured by the Taoiseach, or people acting authoritatively on his behalf, that a referendum would be held on the issue in the spring of next year, was not telling the truth.

Mr Ahern said he had outlined his views to the Independent deputies some months ago, and he did not believe they had spoken to anybody else about the matter.

"They indicated their preference to me very strongly when I spoke to them and, in return, I outlined the Government's position to them following the publication of the Green Paper.

"I presume they will raise this issue again when the Cabinet subcommittee has considered the report of the all-party committee. No decisions can be made until that report is presented to the House and considered by the Cabinet sub-committee, so nobody could have made any promises one way or another."

Replying to the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, the Taoiseach said no work had been done by the Attorney General, or others, on the possible wording of a constitutional amendment.

Pressed further by Mr Bruton, Mr Ahern said he had not given any thought to whether the abortion issue would be put to the people on its own, or with another matter, but he would take on board the Fine Gael leader's observation that it should not be included with other issues.

Mr Bruton said it was likely the committee would not have a wording. He asked what resources were available to start from scratch on drafting a wording, and if they were sufficient.

Mr Ahern said he had a problem answering questions on the matter, given that there would not be much point in having an all-party committee on the Constitution if the Government or the Cabinet sub-committee was to prejudge its work.

"Even though under the terms of reference of the committee, I would have been entitled to get draft reports and be updated in this regard, my view is that the committee was entitled to complete its work."

Ms Liz McManus (Labour, Wicklow) asked if, contrary to extensive media reports, the Taoiseach was now saying that neither he nor the Government had any position on the holding of a referendum.

Mr Ahern replied that that was a matter for the Minister for Health and Children.