The Minister for Social Protection has said it would be a “difficult precedent” if independent ministers voted against the Government on abortion.

Leo Varadkar was responding to his Independent colleague Shane Ross, who says he will vote in favour of Mick Wallace’s bill on fatal foetal abnormalities this week.

The stance puts him at odds with the Taoiseach, who has said the bill must be voted down because it is unconstitutional.

But he says voting against the government now will only make it more difficult for other ministers in future: “There are times as a minister that you just can’t do things because they are against legal advice or they are unconstitutional.

“And if you are willing to disregard or go against the advice of the attorney general who is the Government’s legal advisor, on one thing, inevitably you will come under pressure on a plethora of things to do the same.

“And I think that will make their job as Independent Ministers harder.”