Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 19, inclusive, together.

On Friday, 22 May, the Government held two referendums on foot of recommendations from the Convention on the Constitution, on the age threshold for candidates in presidential elections and on marriage equality. As the House is aware, the referendum on marriage equality was passed by a decisive majority. This is the first time that a proposal for constitutional change put forward by a constitutional convention will have resulted in actual constitutional change. It will also be the first time that marriage equality was carried by popular vote and so marks an historic first for Ireland among the nations of the world.

As regards the convention's other reports, Ministers from the relevant Departments have already given the Government's response in the Dáil to five reports of the Convention on the Constitution: on 18 July 2013 to the first report on reducing the voting age and the presidential term; on 10 October 2013 to the second report on the role of women and women in politics; on 17 December 2013 to the third report on same-sex marriage; on 18 December 2014 to the fourth report on electoral reform; and on 2 October 2014 to the sixth report on blasphemy. In the process of responding to these reports of the convention, the Government has committed to establishing an electoral commission, as recommended in the convention's fourth report. The Government also accepted the convention's recommendations for referendums on four items: removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution; reducing the voting age to 16; reducing the age threshold for candidacy in presidential elections; and marriage equality. As I mentioned earlier, referendums on two of these, on reducing the age threshold for candidacy in presidential elections and on marriage equality, were held on Friday, 22 May 2015.

The fifth report, about giving citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections was scheduled to be debated in the House two weeks ago but other business intervened. I expect the debate will be rescheduled shortly. However, Deputies will be aware that the Government made the point in its recent diaspora strategy that it is necessary to analyse the full range of practical and policy issues that would arise from any significant extension of the franchise before any decision could be made on the holding of a referendum. The analysis is being undertaken by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in co-operation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora.

Work is underway on the seventh, eighth and ninth reports, respectively, on Dáil reform, economic, social and cultural rights, including housing, and the convention's conclusions and recommendations. I expect that the Government's responses on these will be given in the Dáil shortly.

The future of the convention was one of the issues considered in the ninth report. While there was unanimous support for a second convention in the report, it was acknowledged that this is an exercise that can only be achieved once in the lifetime of any Dáil. The possibility of another Convention on the Constitution will be for the next Administration to determine. I am sure, however, that all sides of the House will join with me in congratulating and thanking the convention chairman, members, secretariat, expert panel and, indeed, all associated with the convention on their work on the unique project that it represented.

I should add that the Government has now held eight referendums in the four years since coming into office, namely, investigative powers for Oireachtas committees; judges' remuneration; the Fiscal Stability Treaty; children; abolition of the Seanad; the establishment of a Court of Appeal; marriage equality; and on the age threshold for candidates in Presidential elections. This is a much more intense programme of constitutional reform than has been carried out by any Government since 1937. The last Government, for example, held just two referendums. The Government does not propose to hold any further referendums during the remainder of its term, but I think the House will agree that the changes in our Constitution since 2011 have both improved and strengthened the fundamental law of our State.

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