I propose to take Questions Nos. 768 to 770, inclusive, together.
The Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018 completed all stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas on Wednesday 28th March 2018.
The Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government has made a Polling Day Order for a referendum to be held on Friday 25th May 2018.
On Polling Day, the people will be asked to vote on whether they agree or disagree with the proposal to delete Article 40.3.3 in its entirety, and to substitute an article in the Constitution, the object and effect of which would be to articulate clearly the principle that laws may be enacted by the Oireachtas to provide for the regulation of termination of pregnancy.
In the event that the proposed Referendum on Article 40.3.3 is passed by the people, the Government would seek to give effect to legislation regulating the termination of pregnancy in Ireland. In such circumstances, the Department of Health would, in considering any such legislation, consult with representative bodies of all relevant medical practitioners on the details of the legislative proposals and possible service implications, as is the usually the case in developing legislation.