Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I welcome the Minister to the House. I am sure he has come across a play I am very fond of, Robert Bolt's screenplay of "A Man for All Seasons". There is a moment in that where Sir Thomas More addresses the man who will be his son-in-law, Will Roper, and states:

This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's and if you cut them down - and you're just the man to do it - do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!

I have grave reservations about this referendum proposal, although I acknowledge the Minister's bona fides and commitments in this issue. We are making a mistake and losing sight of important principles, and certainly the separation of powers. There is also a need to respect fair procedures in a very fundamental way. My proposed amendment on Committee Stage will reflect that.

There are three parts to this proposed constitutional amendment. There is the idea that the Houses will have powers to conduct inquiries on matters of general public importance, but I am not convinced. We should see our role as scrutineers of policy and legislation-----