Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Government opposes this Bill. The Tánaiste announced the date for the referendum in this House on 27 March. He also outlined the constitutional amendment to be put to the people. Within days, the Government published the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution, (Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012.

Whenever a Bill containing a proposal to amend the Constitution has been passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government makes the polling day order for that referendum. I did so on 30 April 2012 and arrangements for holding the referendum were put in place for the 43 constituencies throughout the country. The existing legislation in this area, the Referendum Act 1994, does not provide for the changing of a referendum polling date except in circumstances where the Dáil is dissolved. Deputy Ross should have done a little more research on that legal matter.

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