Sinn Féin does not favour United Kingdom-style abortion laws but would accept abortion for cases of fatal foetal abnormality, rape and incest, or where the mother’s health is in danger, Michelle O’Neill has said.

The party’s leader in Northern Ireland said she will back the party’s proposed new policy on abortion but declined to say if she was in favour of giving TDs a “conscience vote” on the issue.

The party’s ardfheis, which begins in Dublin on Friday evening, will debate a motion that would liberalise the party’s restrictive stance on abortion.

Currently Sinn Féin supports a repeal of the Eighth Amendment and legislation to allow for abortion in cases of rape and fatal foetal abnormality.

The proposed new policy would also allow for abortion in cases of a serious risk to the mental or physical health of the woman.

In an interview in The Irish News published on Friday, Ms O’Neill disagreed with a party colleague who said that the proposed new policy would bring the party’s view into line with the situation in the UK.

Former Sinn Féin MLA Daithi McKay said the new policy would be “broadly in line” with the 1967 Abortion Act in the UK.

‘Big difference’

But Ms O’Neill said there was a “big difference” between the new policy and the UK law.

She said Sinn Féin “isn’t in favour of abortion” and when this was explained to people they would understand the need or the change.

“I believe it’s practical, it’s reasonable - it is just a restatement of our current policy with additional features,” she said.

The ard fheis will also debate a motion calling or TDs to be a given the right to vote in accordance with their conscience on the issue. The party is the only major group in the Dail to impose a whip on the issue. However, Ms O’Neill declined to say how she would vote on this issue, though it is expected to be rejected by the party leadership.

She said that the ard fheis would be “historic” as the party prepares to hear from its President Gerry Adams on this timetable or stepping down. She also indicated that she had no desire to succeed Mr Adams as leader “at this point in time.”