The Government’s decision to hold a referendum was based on "crass political opportunism", the Socialist Party said today.
Speaking at the launch of the party’s campaign for a "No" vote, Mr Joe Higgins said a "squalid and cynical calculation" lies behind the Government’s decision to launch this referendum.
"Holding the referendum heads off the possibility of "pro-life" candidates standing in crucial constituencies in the General Election, which would hugely complicate Fianna Fail’s craving to remain in Government," said Mr Higgins.
"They hope it will ring fence for themselves a small but crucial conservative section of the electorate, which, in a tight electoral situation, will give them the advantage."
Mr Higgins said that the Government was repudiating the difficult choice the 6,500 Irish women who traveled to Britain last year for abortions made.
The Socialist Party has launched a national poster campaign for a "No" vote, and is distributing leaflets on the issue.
Earlier today, the Worker’s Party began its campaign for a "No" vote in the forthcoming referendum, saying the Bill is flawed and will put women’s lives in danger.
Speaking at the campaign launch, party president Mr Sean Garland said the Bill demonstrates the worst features of an anti-democratic society.
"It refuses to accept that there is a very real and serious problem in this country which is demonstrated every week when 125 women decide to go to Britain to terminate a pregnancy," said Mr Garland.
"The Workers’ Party firmly believes that this Bill is flawed," he said. "Those in our society who have been seeking for years to turn the clock back in relation to the rights of women are the only people who can be happy with this Bill".
The party, which is running its campaign under the slogan "For Democracy and Tolerance Vote No", states the referendum will take away rights that women won through the X case decision, and will put women’s lives in danger.
The party also believes the referendum will particularly discriminate against low-income women who cannot easily find the money to travel to Britain for abortions, branding it "undemocratic, unworkable and unnecessary".