Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are 41 Bills in this session - through to the summer. Obviously, we try to say to Ministers and the Departments that these are priority Bills. There is some change because of the necessity to introduce them as quickly as possible. The two Bills the Deputy mentioned are important. The public health (alcohol) Bill is scheduled for later this year, as is the health information Bill. It depends on the progress made in finalising the Bills and how they can get onto the clár in terms of the scale of the legislative programme.

As I said, the Constitutional Convention recommended the removal of blasphemy from the Constitution, which the Government accepts. I had originally thought that it might have been possible to hold a number of referenda on the one day but I have found from talking to people that if one tries to do that, people may well switch off. They will say they do not understand this and that they need more time to have this explained to them. They will ask why we are holding so many referenda. People generally may not be all that interested in referenda. Two referenda will be held this year – one on marriage equality and one on presidential eligibility. The people of Carlow-Kilkenny will have an opportunity to vote in a by-election.

In respect of the work the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, did as the former Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, he had in place a situation for the development of Moore Street, the protection of the national monument and the developments around that, which were not in his control. Obviously, that is not going ahead in the way in which it was envisaged. This is quite complicated, as the Deputy will understand, but while time is short, I hope it might still be possible to have an appropriate development on the national monument, although there are different elements, as the Deputy is aware, in respect of the scale of the monument and what should be done in the locality.

The Deputy mentioned votes for Irish emigrants and for people in Northern Ireland and that the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, had made some comment in the United States. I think I heard the Deputy make one himself in regard to freedom of the press when he was over there. In regard to the Cabinet sub-committee, I want to formalise the structure around the preparations for 2016 in order that they are decisive and clear. The group already there will continue because it will engage with the parties, organisations abroad and others who wish to make observations so that we can get this as right as possible. The reason for having a Cabinet sub-committee, which Ministers will attend, is to support the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, in leading the presentation and implementation of an appropriate, comprehensive, sensitive and inclusive commemoration process for 2016.

In respect of the Deputy's comment on the debacle, as he called it, at the GPO, I think it was a very historic occasion indeed. It seemed to me as if he knew some of the people who were involved in the background music that was taking place when the contributions were being made by the various speakers. I am not sure whether that is true or not.

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