Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

In the first published document, it was stated that the balanced budget rule - basically, Draconian austerity - had to be enshrined at constitutional or equivalent level. The latest draft, the third draft, states that the Government should enshrine this through binding and permanent provisions, preferably constitutional. Is our negotiating team trying to avoid a referendum? Is it trying to change the text to avoid the need for one? Is the Government trying to avoid its responsibility of putting this before the people? Is it trying to circumvent putting it before the people? Is the Minister's negotiating team involved in that?

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