Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"Seanad Éireann, in accordance with the recommendations of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution's Report for clear and agreed procedures for the holding of referendums on constitutional amendments,

—considering that political parties, north and south, view the proposal for an amendment to Article 9 of the Constitution as impacting on Article 2 and thereby the Good Friday Agreement and the process of its present review, and

—believing that there is a need for an All-Party Oireachtas Committee to consider the Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004, and specifically to evaluate the issues on the basis of the knowledge of experts and the presentations of the insights of groups outside the Houses and to report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas before 1 September 2004, declines to give the Bill a second reading.".

Never before have we seen a Bill to amend the Constitution rushed through like this. The Minister's disregard for the integrity of the Constitution, the legislative process and the Opposition parties is palpable. The manner in which he is dealing with this Bill is to be regretted. If the Minister was genuine in his efforts to embark on a process of all party consultation and to secure all party agreement, this Bill may well have passed through the Houses with unanimous support. He has chosen not to travel that route and that is why he is plunging ahead with a referendum on a divisive and a sensitive issue on a day of elections.

Fine Gael agrees that the broad nature of Article 2 has been open to exploitation and has been wholly committed to finding the best resolution to this problem.

If I had the attention of the Minister, I would continue. I want him to hear what I have to say.