Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Adams for his ceisteanna. The Government has 180 days to respond to the finding of the UN Human Rights Committee. This will require some detailed conversations and discussions between the Office of the Attorney General and the Minister for Health. This will take place over the next period. As I said, we have 180 days to respond. The citizens' assembly will be set up within six months of the date of the formation of the Government. As I indicated to Deputy Coppinger, I intend to bring a memo to the Government next week to initiate this process. There will have to be discussions with the Dáil. I envisage the terms of reference for the assembly would have to be discussed. In any event, the assembly will have to report back to the Dáil because there will be an Oireachtas committee representative of members, with expertise available to it, to reflect on those propositions, recommendations or whatever the citizens' assembly might bring forward. Eventually it is this House that will have to make its decision in respect of anything to be done in regard to the eighth amendment if that be so. I repeat again that on an issue that has been so socially divisive in this country it is not something to be rushed into immediately without a very clear understanding of the nature and scale of consensus that might exist.

In respect of the Moore Street situation, the Government decided this morning to appeal this case to the Court of Appeal.

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