Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On that occasion the Ulster team won. I am probably the only person here who remembers the Second World War. I also remember the shortages and the effort the country put together and the threats there must have been to the country in those days. I am quite sure the Taoiseach and Government of the day worked hard to ensure the Constitution they established in 1937 was not abolished. Not only did the Constitution survive, but democracy did also.

We went through a tough period after the war. In 1958, I had an opportunity to spend a winter in France, and what an exciting time to spend in France because Algérie française took place and the revolution or coup d'état occurred. The army took over the French Fourth Republic and the constitution failed. They got Charles de Gaulle to come in and take over and he introduced the Fifth Republic. I was in France for the referendum which introduced the new constitution. I mention this because it is a reminder of the fact that we have a Constitution on which an abolition day has never been foisted.