David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We support these amendments. It is a decent attempt at meeting the Government half way and trying to strike that balance between the plebiscite, which Sinn Féin believes is flawed, the inability of the Seanad to propose a constitutional amendment, and all of the amendments that have been ruled out of order. What is interesting about this amendment is that the Minister has said on a number of occasions that he has gone as far as he can in respect of giving a commitment to hold a plebiscite. If the Minister had re-constituted the Constitutional Convention, set up a similar mechanism or allowed the forum, as this amendment suggests, to look at the issue of a constitutional referendum and all of the issues associated with it and ventilate all the concerns and issues that have been raised by the Minister and Government Senators as to why we cannot have a constitutional referendum or why it would be very difficult to do so, he would be able to say that the Government has done as much as it can. In the absence of that, I do not believe the Minister has done what is possible. This is a reasonable amendment and one that we will support. The Minister should reflect on this. I am guessing the Fianna Fáil Senators may withdraw the amendment and resubmit it on Report Stage. I will listen to what they and the Minister have to say. The amendment is a genuine and decent attempt to do our best and use whatever mechanisms are open to us to make sure that there is a constitutional referendum as opposed to the plebiscite, which I also believe is flawed.