Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am aware that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has made public his view that he intends to devise a proposal in this area for consideration by the Government. That has not yet arrived at Government and I would not anticipate what the Government's decision would be on the issue. Were it to be approved or were it to be proceeded with, obviously, it would have to be considered in conjunction with any referendum that would take place in the future - we have done that in the past.

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