Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I leith reachtaíocht atá forógraithe, I welcome the fact that the Government has concluded its position on the referendum on children's rights. It was a good thing to establish the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and that Deputy Frances Fitzgerald was given the post of Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Deputy Ó Caoláin has done work on this issue over a long time and Sinn Féin has co-operated with the Minister on this issue. I hope I will not be disappointed with what comes forward.

It would have been better if the Minister's briefing had taken place before the public announcement. I am not quibbling about this. I simply say it would be better to have some coherence on an issue on which we all agree. At least, we all agree about the need to protect our children.

Earlier, the Taoiseach asked about Sinn Féin's ideas on protecting citizens. One way of protecting citizens is to grant them legal underpinning. That goes for a range of people. In a republic, citizens should have legal entitlements. I welcome today's decision and I look forward to scrutinising what the Minister has brought forward.

My question refers to another issue about which there has not been clarity. Can the Taoiseach give the House an update on the Government's plans for the Seanad? When does the Taoiseach plan to publish legislation for a referendum and when would he expect such a referendum to take place?

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