Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

-----we might have had that election too. The Government does not want to hold the by-elections. It is afraid of facing the people. There will not, therefore, be by-elections next week and, because of this, the Government cannot hold the referendum on the rights of children next week. It is quite a cynical position on the part of Government in terms of it being prepared to sacrifice the welfare of children to protect its own political hide. As a result of all of this, the House must sit next week. The Government Chief Whip announced this with some fanfare last weekend.

The proposed sitting for next week comprises a day and a half. I do not have any objection to the business proposed in this regard but the House will be meeting for only a day and a half. If this is not bad enough, we have before us this morning a proposal that next week there will be no oral questions, Order of Business, Adjournment Debates, Requests under Standing Order 32, Private Members' business or votes.

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