Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, Deputy O'Rourke, recently called on the Government to hold a referendum. She also revealed that the Minister of State with responsibility for children has a budget of €3 million to hold that referendum. She confirmed that the wording was agreed and she presumed, as Chairman, that it would be accepted by Government. That was on 30 April.

In confirming that €3 million is available and has been assigned to the Minister of State for the holding of this referendum, can the Taoiseach give us some clarification on whether it is intended to hold it in 2010? It is a matter that affects a large number of people, and the need for a referendum has been agreed, after a great deal of work, by the all-party Oireachtas committee. The proposed wording should be inserted into our Constitution by a decision of the people. I support this strongly. The Government should now be in a position to say it will hold the referendum at a date to be fixed in 2010 so that those involved can begin to focus on their task, which is to ensure people are as well informed as possible so they can make their decision when they are asked to vote on the referendum.

The Minister of State has a budget of €3 million. The all-party committee has agreed the wording of the amendment and the Chairman of the committee presumes the Government will accept that wording. Could we now have a statement from the Taoiseach on behalf of the Government to the effect that when the Minister of State comes back to the Cabinet, he will make a decision to hold this referendum some time in 2010?

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