The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) has voted narrowly in favour of the legalisation of abortion in cases of non-viable fetal abnormalities.

After three vote recounts at a heated session of the the ICGP's annual meeting in Galway, the motion was eventually passed with 55 in favour and 52 against.

The motion called on the Government to allow abortion in the current planned legislation in cases where there are non-viable fetal abnormalities. 

However, another motion, calling for the legislation to provide for abortion in cases of pregnancy following rape or incest, was defeated by 55 votes to 52.

A third motion calling on the College to publicly support the Government in its commitment to introduce legislation and regulation for abortion where the mother's life is at substantial risk, was amended.

The amended motion, which was passed by 60 votes to 48, called on the ICGP to call on the Government to introduce legal clarity on termination founded on evidence-based medical guidelines where there is a substantial risk to the life of the mother.

The motions were put forward by Cork GP Dr Mary Favier.

The two-and-a -half hour debate was marked by procedural wrangling and some heated exchanges, culminating in narrow votes on the rape/incest and fetal abnormalities issues.

However, some GPs at the meeting stated that it would be unconstitutional for the Government at present to legislate for abortion for rape/incest or fetal abnormalities. Concern was also expressed about the inclusion of suicide as a grounds for abortion under the planned legislation.

Similar motions to the three debated at the ICGP meeting were all defeated at the recent AGM of the doctors' trade union, the IMO, in Killarney.