Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

We will find out. The Tánaiste said the Government will allocate as much time as is requested for debate on the substantive legislation. However, it is not prepared to give as much time as possible to the debate on the proposed constitutional amendment. I presume she meant that the debate would not be guillotined. That is an unsustainable approach because if it is important to give time to the substantive legislation, surely it is equally if not more important to give time to debating in the House the need for a constitutional change. The Dáil has been recalled for that purpose for two days. Various parties and Independent Members have put on record their views on the matter. This would have been better dealt with in an Oireachtas committee which would have allowed for a debate on the issue in a cooler light with less friction. The failure of the Government to consult with parties in the House has been the wrong approach. There is a need to defuse the tension that has been created.

Everybody involved in politics must realise the danger involved in holding a referendum of this nature at the same time as elections, particularly local government elections which attract all types of candidates. In some areas, 17 or more candidates will stand for election. For example, more than 20 candidates contested one ward in my constituency in the previous local elections. Given that Government candidates have a duty to promote the passing of the referendum, a position the Fine Gael Party had also hoped to take, I fear that local election candidates from the Government parties, who will be under strong pressure from other candidates, will use the emotive issue addressed by the proposal in a racist manner when they knock on doors.

My concern is not far-fetched but based on human nature and how people react when in tight corners or confronted on doorsteps. For this reason, the referendum should not have proceeded in conjunction with the local elections. Regardless of Deputy Conor Lenihan's influence over the decision to hold the referendum on 11 June, it would have been much more useful to hold it in September following all-party agreement on the issue, which is too serious for party politics.

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