Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

With regard to the children's rights referendum as the Deputy is well aware it is quite complex and the children's advocacy groups are working with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to see whether we can arrive at agreement on the best wording to put before the people. This is outside of the proposal for any constitutional convention. I cannot give a time for it without a wording because a process must be gone through, of which I am very aware following the confusion that arose because of the proximity of time between the commission and the Bills for the previous two referenda.

We need a discussion, if not in the Chamber than at committee, about the process and timing of calling referendums, whether more than one is held at the same time and the reasons for this. A certain level of vote must be cast for it to be eligible and there is the balance to be considered between holding an important referendum such as the one on children's rights on its own or together with another important referendum such as that on the Seanad, or on another issue such as patents that may arise outside here. I understand the Bill on the children's rights referendum is being examined by the Attorney General and when we have clarity on it we will decide on when best to hold it.

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