DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Irish government suffered an embarrassing setback on Tuesday when one of its lawmakers quit after voting in favour of an opposition bill to allow the abortion of unviable pregnancies.
Prime Minister Enda Kenny's government retains a comfortable parliamentary majority but Labour deputy Anne Ferris' defection is a blow for the coalition a year before an election in which Ireland's abortion laws, among the most restrictive in Europe, are likely to be a major issue.
Ferris' decision could also raise tensions between Kenny's centre-right Fine Gael and its junior coalition partner, centre-left Labour, which is traditionally more supportive of abortion.
Under parliamentary rules, Ferris is automatically expelled from the Labour Party's parliamentary group by voting against the government and will now sit as an independent member in the assembly.
Tuesday's bill, which opposition lawmaker Clare Daly said would end the "cruel and inhumane" practice of pregnant women having to travel to Britain for abortions, was defeated by 104 votes to 20.
The government has said it will only consider addressing the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities after the next election. It ordered its deputies to vote against the bill because it believed it to be unconstitutional.
Ireland, where the once powerful Roman Catholic Church has lost much of its traditional moral influence in the wake of child sex abuse scandals, ended its complete ban on abortion in 2013. It now allows terminations if the life of the mother is in danger, including by suicide.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Gareth Jones)
