Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share Deputy Howlin's view and, indeed, Deputy Martin's view. I have no intention of setting out dates for referendums without consultation with everybody. I agree with that. There is no point in saying that we will have a referendum in October on some issue unless we have buy-in from all of the political parties here and agreement to set aside day X in month X for a referendum on a major issue.

I suppose, when one reflects on the Constitutional Convention, one must conclude that while it did good work, perhaps we gave it too much work to do. If one gets 18 recommendations for referendums, obviously, that is four or five years' work. These are expensive issues to handle and a Minister of the day must contend with that. I also agree that it is difficult to motivate people about many of the issues that might arise in terms of changes to the Constitution and we should, perhaps, consider more carefully the major issues, societal or otherwise, that need to be dealt with by way of referendum.

We decided on this occasion to have as broad a citizen representation as possible and that is why the recommendations from the assembly will come back to the Oireachtas, where all the Members will be involved in any event.

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