Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge and accept the bona fides and goodwill of members of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children towards achieving an agreed wording that can be put to the people in a constitutional referendum. I accept it may take some time. It wants to allow people extend their views more widely than the NGO groups did in 2006. It is a good thing but there is the time factor.

If we separate it from the EU referendum, it is unlikely it will be dealt with in 2008. If it cannot be done, it cannot be done. However, I gave a firm commitment to the NGOs — I am sure other party leaders had met them too — and promised this referendum would be dealt with by Easter 2008. If it is separated from the European issue, it will not happen in 2008. That is not a reason to rush the matter but that is the reality.

I do not want to confuse the issue of Seanad reform. There are three separate positions on Seanad reform. The power to allow all graduates to participate in Seanad elections for the university panel was passed in a referendum 20 years ago. We just never implemented the decision of that referendum.

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