Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

That is not the primary objective of the Government. The primary objective of the Government is to work with others in Europe to bring stability in the first instance to the euro and to the eurozone and to ensure that the European economy grows and second, in doing that, to do so in a way that secures the best possible deal and arrangement for the taxpayers and the public of this country. We have made it clear that if at some stage either this agreement or another agreement requires a referendum, we have no difficulty in presenting that to the people. Of course, the Deputy will appreciate that in pursuing our work and in pursuing our negotiations, which are ongoing and in which senior officials of Government are involved on a day-to-day basis, the officials will comply with the Constitution. We have an obligation to work in a way that complies with the Constitution.

See this speech in context