Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

Last week I raised the issue of Article 27 and the facility it provides for a majority of Members of this House to sign a petition requesting that the President not sign a Bill but instead put it to the people by way of referendum. Even where a Bill is found by the Attorney General to be constitutional, it can and should be put to the people if the President deems it to be of such national importance that the will of the people ought to be ascertained. The Fianna Fáil Party will ask Members of the Seanad, on this and the other side of the Chamber, to sign such a petition in respect of the Bill dealing with the new EU treaty. I ask Members to support the petition even if they are in favour of the treaty. Opinion polls show that some 75% of the people want a say on this treaty. We should give it to them.