Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has committed to holding a referendum on same-sex marriage and the Taoiseach has stated he strongly supports such a referendum. When will the Government set a firm date for this?

This morning, the Cabinet agreed a redress scheme for victims of the barbaric practice of symphysiotomy. Will the Walsh and Murphy reports be published? The Minister has had them for more than a year. Thus far the Government has refused to lift the Statute of Limitations and allow victims who wish to go to the courts to do so. Will the detail of the redress scheme and its framework and procedures be published? Is the Government prepared to lift the Statute of Limitations?

Tá dhá cheist eile agam. Dhá mhí ó shin, mar fhreagra ar cheist a chuir mé chuig an Taoiseach ar chás Bhaile Uí Mhurchú, dúirt sé go raibh sé tiomanta do bhunú rún uile-pháirtí ar an gcás seo agus gheall sé go raibh sé chun an rún seo a dhréachtú agus a chur inár láthair. Thug sé an freagra céanna sin dom gach uair a chuir mé an cheist seo air. Dúirt sé go raibh sé ar intinn aige rún a fhoilsiú an tseachtain seo caite, agus an tseachtain roimhe sin. An féidir leis níos mó eolais a thabhairt dom anois faoi seo? An mbeidh sé ag dul ar aghaidh leis an rún seo?

Maidir leis an tionól bunreachtúil agus an dóigh gur theip ar an Rialtas freagairt gasta a thabhairt in am maidir leis an tuairisc a tháinig ón tionól, the resolution of the Dáil which established the Constitutional Convention set a timeframe of four months for the Government to respond to its recommendations. The official response to the convention's fourth report, on electoral reform, was due last December. The deadline for the Government's response to the fifth report, on the right of citizens resident outside the State to vote, was in March. The deadline for the Government's response to the sixth report, on blasphemy, was in May. In April, when I asked the Taoiseach about this he told me he acknowledged the Government was not measuring up in terms of allowing time for discussion on the convention's reports. This remains the case and nothing has changed. These reports are building up. I attended many meetings of the Constitutional Convention and it was a very good exercise in citizen participation. The citizen delegates were delighted to be involved. When can we expect the Dáil to have an opportunity to discuss the work and recommendations of the Constitutional Convention?

See this speech in context