Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The point is the Government awaits the advice of the Attorney General. It then makes a decision based on its attitude to this particular issue or its wish to put a complex treaty to the Irish people for them to endorse or otherwise.

This treaty has far-reaching consequences for the people. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, let the cat out of the bag when he said he did not trust the people on a referendum because it would end up being a debate on issues such as septic tanks or the closure of Roscommon hospital's accident and emergency department, which is very important too.