Mary Harney
Question:6 Miss Harney asked the Taoiseach if he intends to hold all-party talks in this State to seek to agree the particular wording of possible changes in Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. [4366/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Amendment of Articles 2 and 3.
As I already indicated in the House, I am prepared, as part of an overall settlement, to introduce and support proposals for change in the Irish Constitution to implement the commitments contained in the Framework Document and in the Downing Street Joint Declaration. I envisage that, in due course, the Government will consult the other political parties on the wording of such proposals. However, for the time being the priority must be to communicate the principles set out in the Framework Document to the people of this island, North and South, with a view to winning their support for them.
In my private briefing with the Taoiseach I expressed disappointment that the Framework Document was not more specific on constitutional change — perhaps, on reflection, I was wrong. That being said, the sooner we can reach agreement in this House on the wording of a possible change the better because my instinct tells me that we shall encounter some difficulty whenever we get around to dealing with this issue. Will the Taoiseach agree that it would be important to begin the process before we get close to the stage at which we might have to put this matter to the people?
Yes, this is a matter with which we should deal in good time, say, before we get anywhere near putting something to the people. It is my firm hope to be able to initiate formal and informal discussions with the Opposition parties in very good time on the matter. However, we are not nearly at that stage. We must first get the parties engaged in dialogue on the Framework Document. Only when they have essentially reached agreement, or reached a point at which they want to discuss the specifics of what we might do in terms of the precise wording in the Constitution, will we have to put forward specific wordings for discussion. Well in advance of that stage being reached, obviously it would be appropriate for me to have discussions with the Opposition parties in the House.
In the Government's document A Government of Renewal the Government wanted an overall constitutional review by a group of experts over the next year. Will the Taoiseach inform us whether Articles 2 and 3 will form part of that review and how far it has progressed to date?
Articles 2 and 3 will not form part of that review; they are excluded from it. We are at a fairly advanced stage in the establishment of the expert group which is to prepare a report by the end of this year to be presented to an all-party committee next year. Work on it is not completed but is at a reasonably advanced stage.