Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Will the Taoiseach set out the situation in the Government on votes on social issues among members of the Cabinet? I am referencing the position on the eighth amendment to the Constitution which, as the Taoiseach knows, is a source of great concern to people throughout the State. Has he devised a new doctrine or a change in the concept of collective Cabinet responsibility? Has it been agreed in principle that on social issues and perhaps economic issues independent members of the Government may, in fact, make a choice on how whether they will vote with or against the Government? It is a fundamental principle of our democracy in the context of new politics. The Constitution implies that there is collective Cabinet responsibility. If the Taoiseach has developed a different understanding of the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility to allow Ministers a free vote, for example, in upcoming votes in the Dáil on social issues, especially the eighth amendment to the Constitution, does this imply that there will be this freedom in the course of the debate on the budget, social welfare legislation and economic issues?

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