Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The proponents opposite are clearly confused. They are making different arguments and believe different issues can arise from this Bill, and that is exactly what we always do with this issue. We pass legislation or amend our Constitution without fully understanding the consequences of that and what we are actually proposing. It is not defined well enough, and it needs to be much better defined.

This is flawed legislation. Even if it was constitutional, which it is not, it is bad legislation for the reasons I have explained and the reasons the Members opposite have demonstrated through their, somewhat at least, different interpretations of what it would mean. No matter what people feel about this issue, it is flawed legislation. The proponents do not even seem to understand it. It is unconstitutional in the view of the Attorney General, and for those reasons we will not support this Bill. However, I believe this is a matter we should deal with in the 32nd Dáil, which is not that far away, and that is a position I will be advocating within my party and elsewhere. The suggestion of a constitutional convention or something along those lines might be the correct way to move forward.

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