Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I cannot give the Deputy a date for the children's referendum Bill until such time as the children's advocacy groups, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Attorney General are happy that a wording that is acceptable can be put into a Bill to be brought forward here. I hope that at the appropriate time in the new year, we can have a referendum on this. In response to the specific question, it is important to have an understanding of the balance between the interest in the referendums and adequate time to have them properly debated. On the question of whether they should be run in conjunction with any election, I do not propose to have an election next year and, in the context of a general election or presidential election, it will not arise.

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