Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

On the constitutional referenda, if agreement is reached in Lisbon next week and ratified at the Brussels summit in December, ratification for us should be prior to the next European election, which means it should be next year. My view is that it would be better to hold both referenda on the same day but I am open to other views.

On the criminal justice miscellaneous provisions Bill, rostering of manpower is an important issue which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has raised many times. It is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner but the views to emerge from the debate in this House last week are certainly known to the Garda Síochána.

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