John Bruton
Ceist:9 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if it is proposed to hold a referendum on Cabinet confidentiality. [13704/97]
Ceisteanna—Questions. - Constitutional Referenda.
Proinsias De Rossa
Ceist:10 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, the Government has to hold referenda to amend the Constitution. [13714/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together.
The Government will consider proposals on a number of issues, including Cabinet confidentiality, which may result in referenda. As part of that consideration, we will review the Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill on Cabinet confidentiality which lapsed on the dissolution of the last Dáil. When decisions are taken on these issues, the Government's position will be announced and any necessary legislation brought forward.
Does the Taoiseach accept there should be an amendment of the existing constitutional rule on Cabinet confidentiality?
I do. The Deputy spent a considerable amount of time working on what he often described to me as the legal difficulties and complexities of this issue. I have had an opportunity to read the file on these and also to read what the All-Party Constitutional Review Group stated. It will now be a matter for the new Government to examine my proposals on the best way to proceed.
Does the Taoiseach propose to reconstitute the All-Party Constitutional Review Group? Does he intend to do so under the existing terms of reference or does he intend to change those terms of reference? What are his plans, if any, on the question of abortion? Does he agree the Constitution is not an appropriate place to deal with the issue of abortion, given its legal and social complexity?
The Government intends to reconstitute the committee. I do not propose to change its terms of reference at this stage and it has not been considered. It was stated in the programme for Government that we would commence the preparation of a Green Paper on the issue of abortion at an early date.
On a previous reference of the Taoiseach to the Government having a role as an observer in the Western European Union, how does he feel about the call by a number of NGOs for clarification of our position on neutrality in the face of considerable pressure and false representation of our position by other countries? This is one of the issues which requires a referendum. It should be considered with others to avoid expense and to clarify the matter once and for all.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has no difficulty in clarifying our position at any time. The requirement for any changes by means of a referendum is an issue to be discussed by the all-party committee.
Does the Taoiseach accept there is a need to review matters under the Constitution? We must have a series of referenda to deal with the recommendations already made in the two progress reports of the all-party committee. The committee must be speedily reconstituted to get to grips with the balance of the work and to bring forward further recommendations.
Yes, I accept that. Excellent reports have been prepared to date. I have read what is in the public domain and some of the files I received in the past ten days. The committee did useful work which should be continued. As the Deputy knows, the secretariat has continued working on a number of these issues during the interregnum. On the day I took over as Taoiseach, I gave my approval to continue that useful work. We should use the time available throughout the summer to continue developing that work. I have also approved continuation of the work started by Deputy John Bruton in preparing to redraft the Constitution.