Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I agree with the Taoiseach that the problem is that the list of legislation which is published always states dates cannot be expected or are unknown. I often thought that there is need for greater clarity on when these things are likely to come to fruition in the first place. I am sure it is very frustrating for Government Members to be speaking about Bills which they do not expect to be published until 2011 or 2012. I am not sure it is possible to get a sharper focus on that but it would be helpful. From the Taoiseach's reply, with the number of days we have left in this session, it is not clear if any of the three Bills to which I referred will be passed.

The revised programme for Government referred to three referendums over the lifetime of the Government. One concerns children's rights and another is to broaden the reference to the role of women in the home to one which recognises the role of the first parent in the home. There is also a proposal to support a referendum which is necessary to consider the establishment of a court of civil appeal. They are due to be taken during the lifetime of the Government. Given that it has a maximum of 100 weeks and most work has been done on the referendum on children's rights to date, does the Taoiseach think any of them will be held or is it likely that the Government will push ahead with the referendum on children's rights this year?

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