Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy rightly said, the arrangements relating to the convention are being dealt with through the Office of the Taoiseach. When we discussed these matters last in Cabinet, the decision was made that there would be a consultative process with the Opposition leaders. I am not up to date on where that stands at present.

I presume the issues the Deputy has raised will form part of the consultative process. There is the issue of the appointment of individual members to the convention, the engagement of the general public with it and the topics to be addressed. The subject matter of the Deputy's question is one of the topics to be addressed. I cannot pre-empt what the outcome or the recommendations of the convention will be on this or any other issue. If I was to do that or to prejudge it, there would be little point in having the convention.

The idea is to have a facility for a number of issues to be discussed openly and for submissions to be made. As I understand it, if need be, the convention would want to hold some form of oral hearings. When it publishes its report, that report will obviously be a matter to be considered by Government. Should there then be issues on which the Government determines there should be a referendum, clearly it will be a matter for the Government to decide in regard to a date and the likely constitutional amendment. However, on neither this nor any other issue to go to the convention is it appropriate that I pre-empt what the outcome of the discussion may be of those who participate in it.

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