Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There are a number of referendums I would like to put but I am not in a position to dictate that at the moment. It is important we reaffirm that a constitutional referendum should be held to enable the electorate to decide whether the Oireachtas should enact new legislation to reinstate the criminal offence of statutory rape for the protection of children. On 12 June, during the debate on the Ryan report, the leader of the Green Party and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, called all-party agreement on a referendum on the rights of children the best monument to the victims of institutional abuse. I am pleased at this and that there seems to be movement towards honouring the commitment made by the Taoiseach's predecessor on behalf of the Government to hold a referendum on children's rights. Does the Taoiseach have a view of when this will happen? It will not be in 2009. Is it the intention of the Government to hold a referendum on children's rights in 2010?

The revised programme for Government refers to holding three referendums over the remaining lifetime of the Government. One seeks to broaden the reference to the role of women in the home to one that recognises the role of the parent in the home, another on children's rights, and another to consider the establishment of a court of civil appeal. What is the intention of the Taoiseach regarding these commitments?

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