Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It may certainly reflect on it, but the Government has already decided that the question of the abolition of the Seanad will be put to the people. In the ordinary course of events when the constitutional convention makes a finding to the Government, for instance, in respect of the reduction of the voting age to 17 or the reduction of the presidential term of office from seven years to five years, it will outline its reflection, finding and recommendation. In each of those cases the Government has committed to responding "Yes" or "No" within four months. For instance, if the constitutional convention recommends that the voting age should be reduced, the Government will respond positively within four months to them all. However, in the case of the Seanad and child protection, the Government has already decided that we will have a referendum on each of these two things. They are both complex - it is just a question of timing. If we had not had the fiscal stability referendum, we might have had one before summer and one after summer. It was most important that it stand on its own and that the child protection one would stand on its own. I am hopeful that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs will be able to bring a consensus wording to Government shortly and we will be able to publish the legislation for that very early in the new session.

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