Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

That is the situation. Whether someone wants to say it is a very strong case or pleading, I will accept any language which is used. A strong, forceful case was made to me that the responsibility was mine.

The programme for Government envisaged that there could be constitutional change and at that stage in 2003 I said to myself that I had better start assembling the case for constitutional change. Coming up to Christmas 2003 I was working in my Department on creating a proposal for a referendum. My reason for doing so was that I knew it would be sensitive and that we would be heading into the turbulent waters that now exist. I knew all of the difficulties that I now face involving a small but vocal body of opinion——