[WATCH] Updated | Government in late night consultation with Attorney General over IVF Bill

Joseph Muscat says IVF Bill conforms to the Constitution

Updated at 12.24pm with Deputy Prime Minister's statement

There were late night consultations between the government and the Attorney General on Sunday, Joseph Muscat said, after pro-life groups claimed the IVF Bill is anti-constitutional in a meeting with President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

The Prime Minister said that government disagrees with the suggestion that the IVF Bill breached the right to life set out in the Constitution. "On this we are comforted by judgments delivered by the European Court of Human Rights and yesterday we spoke to the AG again, who confirmed the Bill is 100% constitutional," Muscat said on Monday morning, when asked for his reaction to the latest developments.

On Sunday, Coleiro Preca met representatives of three pro-life groups, who had asked for an urgent meeting. She informed them that she was duty-bound by the Constitution to give assent to any law approved by Parliament, however, the President forwarded the concerns raised to the government.

Muscat said the President did well to convey the message. "I respect her role but the government does not agree with these groups," he said.

The final vote on the IVF Bill is expected tomorrow.

Pro-life groups are opposed to embryo freezing, which they say puts human life at risk.

Attorney General's advice

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said the government will move forward "with conviction" to the Third Reading of the IVF Bill after once again seeking the advice of the Attorney General on matters raised by pro-life groups.

In a statement on Monday morning, Fearne said that the government sought the AG's advice after the President forwarded the concerns raised by pro-lie groups on Sunday evening.

In his advice, the AG is reported to have said there is no legal basis to argue that government's conviction on the constitutionality of the IVF Bill is "misplaced or incorrect". The AG also noted that any person wanting to challenge the constitutionality of a law could do so by opening a constitutional court case.

Fearne said that part of the legislative process includes consultations with the AG to enure Bills conform with the Constitution.