Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We have too much experience of legislation being rushed for political motives, dating from the early 1980s when people on all sides of the House were bullied and pressurised into taking up positions they later regretted. I urge the Government to listen to and heed the advice of legal opinion, and of Members of both Houses, and pull back from holding the referendum at this stage. If we are to have a referendum, let it be on the same day as the general election because otherwise it will become entangled in that election campaign and the difficulties, particularly on the latter issue, will have to be sorted out at a later stage. From the Leader's discussions with the Government, is it likely that the 28th Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2007 will be taken in this session? I would be grateful if she could answer that question.

Yesterday we saw a Government U-turn on a commitment to the people of Cork in respect of Cork Airport. There was a second U-turn yesterday, where the same Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, broke his commitment to the people of Dublin along the M50. I was given an absolute commitment two years ago in this House that we would not have multi-point tolling along the M50. The Taoiseach himself said it in the other House.