Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We agree with today's Order of Business. Is the Leader aware of a report from the All-Party Committee on the Constitution, chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, which made two clear recommendations in 2001 concerning the timing of a referendum? The first recommendation was that every Deputy and Senator should be entitled to speak without a guillotine on any constitutional change that comes from Government to the Houses. The second recommendation was that a minimum of 30 days, but preferably 90 days, should occur after the passage of the Bill so the people can debate the matter in a national campaign.

Neither of these conditions will be met if the Government continues to pursue its plans for a constitutional referendum limiting the rights of citizenship on 11 June. What is the latest Government position on this matter? Will legislation come before the House on this issue shortly? Does the Leader agree the case has not been made for constitutional change in respect of limiting citizenship rights of non-nationals or anybody else?

The notion that a constitutional provision as immense as this could arise from such flimsy evidence as that obtained at a meeting between a Minister 18 months ago and four masters of the Dublin maternity hospitals, or from unsubstantiated figures concerning the number of non-national births in those hospitals, is not the way to do business. Does the Leader agree the way to approach this matter is through the establishment of an independent commission which would examine the issue of citizenship on an all-party basis and produce proposals in Green and White Papers which could be debated nationally in a calm and reasoned fashion as opposed to the type of rushed approach being put in place by the Government? This House has a role to play as a House with a long tradition of standing up for the rights of all citizens and all people who come to this country. Will the Leader make a statement on the Government's intentions on this matter?

I congratulate the sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights on yesterday's report on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. Senator Jim Walsh was a member of the committee. The report is an example of how the committee structure in this House can deal with complex matters and complete its job in a tight timeframe. The committee deserves credit and praise.