A former Fianna Fáil minister does not believe the current minority Government will fall because of this week’s rift over a proposed bill on abortion laws.

Independent government Ministers are due to vote against the rest of their Fine Gael cabinet colleagues tomorrow, in support of opposition TD Mick Wallace’s bill on fatal foetal abnormalities.

That is despite the Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s statement that the bill is “flawed” and “bad for women”.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Mary O’Rourke thinks the Independent Ministers decided not to support the bill after Fine Gael dug in and adopted a hard-line position.

However, she does not think it is the end of the road for this administration.

“To my mind Enda Kenny was being pragmatic, he wasn’t going to win this one,” said O’Rourke.

“Was he going to fall on this bill – which is never going to be the bill that will decide in the end the whole Eight Amendment (issue).

“Was he going to sacrifice Government over that?

“No I think not – so it has proven to be.”