Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to make an important point before Deputy Kehoe starts his silly laughing again. It is not good enough to have 30 minutes for this debate on the Paris atrocities. That arises because the Dáil's business is being shoehorned into the time between 2.30 p.m. today and 5.30 p.m. tomorrow. It does not do the Parliament justice that we cannot order our affairs in a more dignified manner. Essentially, we are allocating a half hour to discussing one of the most appalling global atrocities and attacks on free speech. We must be conscious of both the role of this Parliament in the public and how it is perceived. Other issues could also be discussed and there was no reason we could not have come back yesterday.

After the atrocities in Paris last week, Ministers, including the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, and the Tánaiste, rather hurriedly indicated that the provision relating to blasphemy in the Constitution would be removed and there would be a referendum to facilitate that. We know the Constitutional Convention recommended that the article referring to blasphemy be removed from the Constitution, and that was supported by all political parties. In light of the statements from the Tánaiste and other Ministers, will the Taoiseach indicate when we can expect legislation to provide for the holding of such a referendum this year? Is it the Government's intention to do this?

I have seen the published list of legislation. I am very conscious of the exhaustive efforts put in by Deputies and Senators right up to the day before Christmas Eve on the water services Bill. I am not saying people groaned when they read this legislative list but No. 17 refers to another water services Bill to "address outstanding issues reflected in the Government's water package from November 2014". Will this tale of ongoing legislation ever end? Will we be dealing with legislation pertaining to Irish Water right up to next Christmas? We read this morning, with information arising from replies to parliamentary questions, that water meters will not last 15 years, if they last even that long.

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