The abortion bill has inched closer to being passed into law.
The Protection of LIfe During Pregnancy Bill cleared committee stage in the Seanad last night.
There was tense debate in the Seanad last night as not enough time was allocated to deal with all the proposed amendments.
Even the clause giving the Minister for Health enough money to operate the new law was fiercely contested.
Some members wondered if Ireland would become a home for 'abortion tourism' - leading junior health minister Kathleen Lynch and senator Brian O Domhnaill to exchange terse words about life-saving treatments.
"I'm sorry I wasn't born a woman," the senator continued, as the minister argued that terminations would only be administered - at a cost to the taxpayer - if necessary to save a woman's life.
Next week's report and final stages in the Seanad are now all that stands in the way between the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill being completed.
Once it clears the Seanad, the bill will go to President Higgins - who could yet decide to prolong the examination of the Bill by sending it to the Supreme Court.
