The Tanaiste has said she is against "another divisive and bitter referendum" on abortion, with senior PD sources warning that their ministers will not be tied into any decision they do not in conscience support.
While the Taoiseach indicated to independent deputies last week that he personally favoured a referendum by next June, Ms Harney told The Irish Times yesterday that "we need to take a lot of time" to try to reach all-party consensus.
There had been a number of "bitter and divisive" referendums on the matter, and she didn't want to see another. She warned against "playing politics" with the issue.
As clear Government divisions on the issue resurfaced, senior PD sources said their ministers would not be tied to any Government decision "which impinges on freedom of conscience". The sources conceded that this could include any decision on the abortion issue.
The PD position will cause further difficulties for the Taoiseach as he attempts to deal with the demands for a referendum from the four Independents who support the Government. The four have said their continued support is conditional on a referendum being held to curtail the effect of the 1992 X case decision.
That decision allows for abortion where there is a real and substantial risk to the life, as well as the health, of the mother, including the risk of suicide.
Efforts to reach a common Government position will begin next week when the Cabinet subcommittee on abortion meets. This will follow next Wednesday's publication of the report of the all-party committee.
Minister of State Ms Liz O'Donnell is the PD representative on the committee which is chaired by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. The other members are the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, and the Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell.
Should the issue get to the Dail, the PDs would have a free vote, say party sources. This would result in at least three of the four PD deputies voting against the proposal favoured by Fianna Fail and the four pro-Government Independents. Sources say only Mr Bobby Molloy would consider supporting it.
However, without Government agreement, the matter will almost certainly not be put to the Dail.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael has said it has not fully shut the door on the possibility of supporting another referendum on abortion. It is also understood the party will allow a free vote on the matter in the Dail.
While the party remains to be convinced that a referendum to amend the Constitution would work in practice, it will keep "as open a mind as possible", Fine Gael TD Mr Jim O'Keeffe told The Irish Times.
Mr O'Keeffe, a member of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution, said it was his duty as a legislator to consider any proposal for a referendum.
Mr O'Keeffe stressed the Fine Gael approach is to concentrate on the plan to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies and the rate of abortion and to leave the legal position unchanged. This approach is based on the contention that constitutional and/or legislative measures would have no impact on the number of abortions carried out in Ireland, as there are none.
He said previous experience has shown that campaigns to amend the law on abortion have been divisive. But yesterday, Mr O'Keeffe said if somebody has another proposal, the party would be prepared to look at it. "I am open to being convinced. If a particular wording [for a referendum] is put forward I have a responsibility to look at it. Who knows, maybe someone will come up with the perfect wording after all these years."