Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Everybody has an interest in dealing with the place of children in the Constitution. I previously made the point that to amend the Constitution in any way requires full, thorough and proper discussion with all the parties involved, the Oireachtas and especially the people.

The level of briefing given by the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has not been as extensive as is being portrayed. That is possibly because he was not in a position to brief as fully as might be necessary his political colleagues in the House. Why have we not been able to get the wording of the referendum this week? The Cabinet approved it yesterday and it will not change between now and next week. Is there some reason the Opposition spokespersons on justice could not have been given the wording this week so they could at least start to get a legal interpretation of its impact, as distinct from what we have been doing, namely, trying to comment on the intent of what the Government has in mind?

Is it intended to put two questions to the people or just one question in the form of the wording that has been passed by the Cabinet — one dealing with the issue of a zone of absolute defence, with which there is no problem, and the second in regard to rights? Will the referendum include a provision to allow soft information to be made available to those involved in the vetting of children and the vetting process? Even though a person may have been accused of improper or illegal behaviour with children, there is no formal provision for the release of that information to employers, boards of management or whatever else. Is that to be included in some way in the referendum also?

Correspondence has begun to increase on the complex area of the balance between parental rights and children's rights. I am sure the Cabinet discussed this matter. Is a reference to this issue included in the wording approved by the Cabinet yesterday?

See this speech in context