Leo Varadkar has announced that he will campaign for abortion laws in the Republic of Ireland to be "liberalised" ahead of the proposed referendum.

The Taoiseach said his views have "evolved" since 2014 when he described himself as "pro-life" while acknowledging that current laws were too restrictive.

"I believe Ireland's abortion laws are too restrictive and need to be liberalised," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"But I think sometimes that term - pro-life and pro-choice - can be misunderstood.

"I think even people who are in favour of abortion in certain circumstances are pro-life, I still believe in life, but I understand that there circumstances under which pregnancies can't continue."

A referendum on the contentious issue is expected in late May or early June.