Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What we have said is that the convention should send in the reports and there would be a response to them within six months. If we are going to have a referendum, then we would say so and give an indicative timeline. The indicative timeline for the next batch of referendums is spring 2015. We have identified three from the convention reports, those relating to same-sex marriage, a voting age of 16 years and a reduction from 35 to 21 years to be eligible to become President. Two other issues outside the convention report relate to the unified patent court, to which I have referred, and the family court system. There is a batch of others that will have to be dealt with one way or another in the following convention report.

Let us suppose the Government has two years to go before the next election in 2016. We have a number to decide on and the question is whether, following the spring of 2015, is it right that there should be more in the autumn of that year. Should we run them in conjunction with an election to be held in the spring of 2016? These are matters for discussion. For 2015 we have proposed a number and, in the not-too-distant future, we will reflect on what others, if any, we should hold in conjunction with them. We will then set up the commission and give it plenty of time to do its work and get on with it.

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