Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Last week in the House I put forward a suggestion to the Leader, in the context of the proposed referendum on children's rights, that the Government consider agreeing a wording with all political parties in both Houses before the election, so that we could hold the referendum in the autumn or winter. The Leader regarded the suggestion as eminently sensible and I noted the generosity of her remarks at the time. It has emerged in the past 24 hours that the Government seems intent on holding the referendum, come what may. The leaders of Fine Gael and the Labour Party have told the Government they have no difficulty with a referendum on the same day as the general election on the principal issue of providing absolute legal protection for children in light of the CC case. However other issues, such as those involving the more fundamental review of rights for children under the Constitution, need to be dealt with in a more careful way.

I ask the Government, even at this late stage, to stop playing politics with our Constitution.