The Health Minister Simon Harris has denied that setting up a Citizen’s Assembly to consider repealing the 8th amendment on abortion is a stalling tactic.

Yesterday the UN called Ireland’s stance on abortion cruel, inhuman and degrading for its treatment of pregnant women with fatal foetal abnormalities.

Sinn Féin said a referendum on repealing the 8th amendment must be held as soon as possible.

The Irish Human Rights Commission said Ireland must fully consider the views of the UN Human Rights Committee who lambasted Ireland’s abortion laws as cruel, inhuman and degrading.

Health Minister Simon Harris said the UN report was an upsetting read, and that the Citizen’s Assembly will be set up within six months.

“I do not find the current situation to be satisfactory. I find it a deeply upsetting and unacceptable situation which I believe needs to be addressed,” he said.

“However, the last Government was informed it was a constitutional matter and therefore it can only be addressed through constitutional change through a referendum.

“I think the best process for dealing with this is through the Citizen’s Assembly. We will meet the commitment in the Programme for Government to have it established within six months…This should be one of the first issues this Citizen’s Assembly will consider.”

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald countered: “I think it’s absolutely a stalling tactic…We know now the 8th amendment is not tenable. I see no excuse for a Government Minister to stall any longer.”

There was a two-year gap between the same-sex marriage referendum and the previous Citizens’ Assembly. With a new political framework at play in Leinster House, it is no matter of certainty that this Government will be in place if a referendum on the 8th amendment is called in the near future.