Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

However, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform put forward an alternative wording at the time of the Agreement. The commitment in the programme for Government to initiate all-party discussions on the issue has not been met. There was no consultation with the political parties in this House or with me as party leader, despite this being a specific part of the Government decision, as announced. I admit that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform passed me in the corridor and informed me that the machines will take it. Neither has there been consultation with the political parties in Northern Ireland.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has made claims about maternity hospitals yet has failed to produce conclusive supporting data. The Government pleads that its decision to hold the referendum on 11 June is not a cynical political tactic. Its failure to engage in any meaningful consultation undermines that plea. This is made all the more obvious in the absence of any coherent Government immigration strategy. The Minister's rush to this matter has been reckless and arrogant. The Tánaiste says the Government will give as much time as is requested for the substantive legislation but is not prepared to give more time and debate for a consideration of the change in the Constitution. This is completely inconsistent. If it is important to give time to the substantive legislation, which it is, surely it is equally, if not more, important to give time to debating the need for a constitutional change in the first instance.

It is impossible not to interpret the Government's solo run on this issue as anything but a political stroke to shore up votes for Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in the local and European elections, and to divert attention from the real issues of the economy and what is happening outside. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern, would know all about that.

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