Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Unfortunately, the Taoiseach made too many of them and the people now know that he could never fulfil them. He has lost a lot of trust and credibility as a result. Coming into government, there was no document, preparatory work or research.

Over the past 15 months, we have had various announcements about this matter and now the constitutional convention is being established. I asked earlier about marriage equality but the Taoiseach refused to answer any question on that. He has decided to refer that issue to the convention but, in his own wisdom, not the Seanad question. The Taoiseach has given the distinct impression that a great deal of work has been done but that proposals are far down the road. Perhaps he will outline for the House how much work has been done on the proposal to abolish the Seanad, how many Articles of the Constitution will require amendment-change in this regard, who is overseeing that work and the timeline in respect of the holding of a referendum on abolition of the Seanad.

The referendum on children's rights is promised for the autumn, which we are all agreed should be held on its own. The constitutional conventional agenda will also be dealt with this year. As such, we are looking at 2013 at the earliest in terms of a referendum on abolition of the Seanad, or are we? It is time the Taoiseach produced some evidence of work on this issue. Is it his intention to publish a position paper on the abolition of the Seanad and has a great deal of technical work been done that could, for example, facilitate debate on this issue by the Oireachtas? I would have thought the convention a good forum for discussion of this issue given people have differing views on whether there should be one or two Chambers in our Parliament. The original intent of the convention was to bring about radical reform in terms of how we govern ourselves. However, it will not now do this. It will not deal with this Parliament or with the relationship between it and the Executive or with whether we have a bicameral or unicameral system. It appears that all concerned could have done with that type of reflection. Nonetheless, the Taoiseach is ploughing ahead.

Perhaps the Taoiseach would respond to my questions on how much work has been done, how many Articles of the Constitution will require amendment, who is overseeing this work and when he expects the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad to be held.

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