The Minister for Health has said the right for an abortion is enshrined in the Irish Constitution and cannot be limited.

It comes just hours the government published the long-awaited abortion laws. The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill was published in the early hours of this morning and runs to 18 pages.

Minister James Reilly will have the power to suspend any hospital or facility deemed to be operating outside of the act and it redefines the offence of intentionally destroying unborn human life.

He outlined the legislation to Breakfast here on Newstalk.

 It also comes as a new opinion poll for the Irish Times shows 3 out of 4 people supporting the government legislation. The IPSOS-MRBI poll for the Irish Times shows 75% support the legislation on abortion. That is up 4 since the last survey in February.

79% of Fine Gael voters and 78% of Labour voters back it, but so too do 74% of Fianna Fáil supporters which is higher than within its own Parliamentary Party.

Support for the government to go even further than planned is stark with 83% saying they would support a woman being granted a termination where a foetus is not viable outside the womb.

81% would also back an abortion in a case of rape or abuse, while 78% believe it should be granted where a woman's health as opposed to her life is at risk.

Support in the case of suicide is the lowest at 52%.