Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I welcome next week's debate and I join the Leader in encouraging all Members to attend Thursday's briefing on the fiscal compact in the AV room. I ask the Government to make a clear statement on where it stands on the matter. Contradictory noises have been emanating from Cabinet on what this referendum will be about. A number of weeks ago the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, said he was afraid of a referendum on the basis that other elements would be brought in. It is a fair point that matters that are not of this treaty would end up being debated. The intervention of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, in this regard is most unhelpful. We all want some debt write-downs or a deal on the promissory notes. It is unhelpful and unwise to put this at the forefront of the debate at this early stage. The fiscal compact treaty is about how Ireland and the rest of the EU will have a mechanism to get funding if they cannot get it on the private market. I ask the Leader to make a firm statement that the Government's position is that this is a referendum on the treaty itself and not on supposed sweeteners and kites being flown by Labour Ministers in particular. There is not one voice coming from Cabinet as should be the case.