Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his compliments. It is quite astounding that he should quote the advice of the Constitution Review Group, the Whitaker report of 1996, to shore up his argument for an immediate amendment, in particular not to have an all-party committee examine the issue. Has he forgotten that subsequent to that report was the amendment which apparently caused the problem in 1998, put to the people by the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government without the benefit of an all-party report, and that Article 2 will remain in the Constitution with various complex incoherencies possibly arising from that? Does that not relate to the need for an objective all-party examination of the issue?

I also take issue with the Minister's remark to the effect that if one is a racist one should vote "No" in the referendum. I would caution him against the use of that kind of language. It is unnecessarily provocative. Many will vote "No" in this referendum for sincere reasons which may not be accepted by the Minister. His remarks are not helpful to the debate.

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