Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The Taoiseach referred to property rights. I would be interested to hear if he took note of the widespread calls made by people dealing with housing and homelessness, for a right to shelter to be incorporated as a constitutional provision, explicitly including people with special housing needs. Has this matter been discussed and does the Government have any intention of acting on this call, which has been made repeatedly and continues to be made?

Has the Attorney General's advice been sought on whether there is a need to amend the Constitution? In the Carrickmines judgment, for example, the judge ruled on it being unconstitutional to amend an Act by ministerial order. Will this have a bearing on the Government's plans for electronic voting? Has advice been sought on this? It is clear that the Government needs to consider a constitutional amendment on this matter.

Has the Government urged the all-party committee to do any analysis of the impact of the proposed EU constitution on the Constitution? Given the detail involved and the significance of it, there may be a role for the all-party committee to examine it so that we can all be both better prepared for the EU constitution and that it can be better understood by the public. Will the Government make a recommendation to the all-party committee in that regard?

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