Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)

Mr. Éamon de Valera, the author of Bunreacht na hÉireann, famously said he had only to look into his heart to know what he was doing was right for the country. I, for one, am glad to be part of a Government that will look beyond this Chamber to the community and have confidence in citizens' ability to make the right decisions on the issues put before them.

There are two warmly welcome criticisms in regard to the constitutional convention. These concern both the process and content. With regard to the process, if people are worried that 33 Members of the Oireachtas will be involved in the convention and that they will be somehow restricted as a result, they should listen to what is being said tonight. Politicians, by their nature, tend not to agree on very much. The Tánaiste will know this more than most because this trend is evident even within his party. To believe there will be groupthink because 33 Members of the Oireachtas will be involved is a fallacy. Politicians, as with others, are citizens of this great country, and we should remember that. I will be very confident that the 66 members of the convention, irrespective of where they come from, will be able to make the correct decisions. We will respect the decisions they make on the questions put to them.

I have heard many state the approach is not radical. What could be more radical than amending the clause that somehow restricts women to life at home? What could be more radical than addressing the circumstances of a young woman who fears an interview board will not give her a job because it suspects she will go on maternity leave? If we could introduce paternity leave and give back to the couple the choice as to who will look after the child, what could be more radical? What could be more radical than allowing 17 year olds to make decisions and have an influence? We would have a very different Chamber if more 17 year olds were allowed to vote. I have every confidence that they, too, would be sitting alongside us at the age of 20 or 21. These are radical steps that could change society for the better. I commend the motion to the House.

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