Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I join with the Taoiseach and Deputy Kenny in extending my sympathy and that of the Labour Party to the Minister, Deputy Micheál Martin, and his wife, Mary, on their tragic loss. I also join the Taoiseach and Deputy Kenny in condemning absolutely the assault on the Minister for Health and Children.

In the course of a newspaper interview published on Saturday, the Taoiseach indicated the writ for the Donegal by-election will be moved in the first quarter of next year but he did not commit to holding the by-elections for Dublin South and Waterford on the same day. Will he clarify if it is his intention to hold the three by-elections on the same day? There are now four by-elections to hold. Given what the Taoiseach said to Deputy Kenny, that his mandate and authority derives from this House, I draw his attention to the fact that it now derives from a House that is down four in number. It is not sustainable to have a situation where Dáil Eireann has its membership depleted by that number for such a period of time.

There has been speculation that the budget day will be earlier than 7 December. Will the Taoiseach confirm the date of the budget is 7 December? Given the financial state of the country and the uncertainty in the markets, I am sure he agrees it is not helpful to have uncertainty about the date of the budget. I invite the Taoiseach to confirm that the budget will be on 7 December. If not, he should tell the House what date it will be.

Regarding the wording of the children's referendum, the Taoiseach indicated the Government is considering a new wording. Is it his intention to refer the new wording to the all-party Oireachtas committee that drafted the original wording and did so much work, as generally acknowledged by the House? Can he give an indication when the Government will have the wording ready?

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