Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I seek clarification from the Tánaiste on a similar issue. On the fiscal responsibility Bill, the treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism Bill and the European Communities Act 1972 (Amendment) Bill, will the Tánaiste indicate the order in which these Bills will be introduced and whether they will be taken before or after the referendum on the austerity treaty? Will he also indicate when the Referendum Commission will be appointed and when the legislation for the holding of the referendum on the austerity treaty will be published? The Tánaiste's colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, indicated in New York that there were two possible windows for holding the referendum, namely, late May-early June and late June-early July. Will he oblige the House by indicating which of the two windows the Government will choose?

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