Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the House to explain this very complex area which is causing great debate and concern among many people. The Tánaiste has kindly agreed to respond to some of the questions that will be put by Members at the end of the debate at the request of the Leader of the House and I thank her. It is rather unusual for a Minister in her position, who is not in the health dimension, to be in this position on this issue. It appears to be an issue that should be dealt with by the Department of Health and Children and not the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. However, I am a former Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and I dealt with many issues under the Single European Act. I appreciated that many items came to the Department at certain times and decisions on them had to be made very quickly.

Discussions took place at the Committee on Enterprise and Small Business, of which I am a member, but I was not able to attend on the day. The Tánaiste must be concerned with the recommendations of that committee, but she is not tied by a recommendation of that committee on this issue. I welcome the Tánaiste's very detailed assessment and I do not intend to go into all the details of this matter as serious ethical issues have been raised. The Tánaiste will, I presume, represent the views of the Cabinet and the decision reached on 27 November will be one agreed by the Government. The Tánaiste, as the deputy leader of the Government, will be aware of the views of the Cabinet on this particular issue. She is also aware that there was a discussion in the European Parliament and I understand the Fianna Fáil group voted against funding this research. I am subject to clarification on this as the vote took place very recently. I am not sure of the detail, but my colleagues might be.

We are in a particular difficulty as far as supporting the research in Europe is concerned. It would not take place here because it is unconstitutional to carry out such research. Would it require a referendum for the Government to agree to fund this research abroad if Irish taxpayers' money was being used to fund embryo and cellular research in any part of Europe? Our Constitution clearly states that the State is opposed to abortion in all its forms and any support for any form of research on the embryo could be seen as being in conflict with the Constitution. Has the Attorney General given the Tánaiste a guideline on this or a clear, legal interpretation of the Constitution? Irrespective of the possible benefits of embryonic stem cell research, the question of the right to life of the unborn is very important.