SINN Féin's party conference is to be moved to June to allow party members to debate the party's abortion policy after a planned referendum in the Republic.
A referendum on the Republic's Eighth Amendment, which enshrines an effective ban on abortion, is due to be held at the end of May.
Sinn Féin will campaign for the repeal of the amendment.
Party president Mary Lou McDonald said she had asked Sinn Féin's Ard Chomhairle to move the Ard Fheis from November to June.
She also asked them to agree a motion which would amend party policy in line with the recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee.
The committee has recommended repeal of the Eighth Amendment and unrestricted abortions up to 12 weeks in pregnancy.
"The party leadership has backed both proposals and also finalised our campaign plan for the referendum," Ms McDonald said.
"For the next two months the party will campaign passionately for the removal of the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution and then at our Ard Fheis in June our party members will debate and decide on our policy."
The Eighth amendment, which gives equal weight to the right to life of a woman and her unborn baby, was added to the Irish constitution in 1983.
Ms McDonald said the amendment should never have been added.
"We can no longer stand by and allow women's lives, health and wellbeing to be damaged," she said.
"It is time to act. We owe this to every girl and woman in this state, to the victims of rape and incest and the parents who receive a fatal foetal diagnosis."
She added: "It is time to trust women and to trust doctors and to show compassion to women facing heartbreaking decisions."
Ms McDonald said party members will debate Sinn Féín's abortion policy at its Ard Fheis in June.
"I am well aware that within Sinn Féin, just as in wider society, there are mixed views on the issue of abortion," she said.
"I accept that and I respect that. We need to respect peoples’ views but we also have to protect women and ensure that compassion prevails."
