Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I was interested in the Taoiseach's comment on the referendum that he proposed at the weekend, where some of his Ministers obviously got a little carried away, including my good friend, the Minister, Deputy Roche, who is beside him and who went into orbit like a cloud of CO2 emissions.

The Taoiseach stated that the comment he made about a proposed referendum on children has no status other than comment until the Cabinet agrees it. There are not many members of the Cabinet who will disagree with the Taoiseach and the vast majority of political representatives accept the principle of what is involved. However, he has pre-empted the committee, which has not yet reported on this, although it produced a 90-page report today. Is it his judgment that the possibility of a referendum on the Northern Ireland question is receding because Dr. Paisley may want an election immediately after the St. Andrew's business is concluded successfully?

Does he believe that such a referendum might not take place and that there would be a referendum on an agreed wording in respect of the protection of children's rights, on which at least there would be significant support, some time before a general election — which would be followed by a divisive campaign on how the country should be run? Perhaps that is the Taoiseach's assertion of good politics. Why did he choose to announce that a referendum would be likely to take place, given that the committee has not even reported on the matter and the Minister appointed has not yet consulted with any Opposition personnel on whatever proposed wording might exist? Second, in the event of referenda taking place, we have raised on a number of occasions the issue of consideration being given to recognition in the Constitution of the official Irish sign language, which is different from sign language in England. A small but significant number of people use it and it is important to them that it should be considered as well.

Third — I doubt the Taoiseach will pre-empt the report in this case — the Cabinet has received back from committee the report dealing with assisted human reproduction. Is he likely to make a statement on having an adjudication on that? When will the Cabinet consider that report, which was referred back to it by the committee some time ago?

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