Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Reference was made to legislation to extend the presidential franchise to citizens outside of Ireland. I know the Senator wanted to have it yesterday but the Cabinet will have the Bill next Tuesday. We will then be able to publish it and begin work on it as quickly as possible. We want to provide for the option of a referendum in October or November, depending on the time it takes for the legislation to get through both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Reference was made to the question of a right to a home. That recommendation came from the last assembly or convention but it was not unqualified. That is why it needed consideration by the Oireachtas joint committee. Consideration was required in line with other socio-economic rights that might be provided for at the same time. That committee is not chaired by a member of Fine Gael. Sinn Féin has representation on the committee and if the Senator wishes to try to progress the matter, that is the appropriate forum with which to take it up.

I do not propose to accept the amendment - I offer my apologies for that - given the wording. It will not fall to only one Minister to implement these recommendations. Certainly, I will have a role in the first tranche of work that the citizens' assembly will do around gender but other Ministers will have more of a role given their briefs. Adequate reporting mechanisms will need to be put in place, separate from my function of returning here at different intervals. The best place to provide for reporting requirements would be through the various motions setting up the conventions, which will come before the Houses next week. This is simply a technical Bill to allow us to use the electoral register when establishing the assemblies. A motion would be more appropriate.

There were reporting requirements for the convention when it was established but it had to report to both Houses of the Oireachtas within a four-month period. The convention met those reporting obligations. There were separate obligations or requirements depending on whether the Government sought to accept, approve or follow through on the recommendations. That would be the more appropriate place for Senator Warfield's amendment and he might consider withdrawing it on that basis.