Ahern ready to shelve referendum on children
Tuesday, 6 February 2007 19:01The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that he is prepared to shelve the proposed referendum on child protection until after the Election if he cannot get all-party support.
The Cabinet today agreed the terms of the poll and the Minister of State with responsibility for Children, Brian Lenihan, is consulting with the parties.
This evening a Government spokeswoman said that the precise wording of the referendum was still being worked on and that the issue would return to Cabinet next week when the proposal would be published.
In the meantime Mr Lenihan is to continue consultations with the opposition parties.
Pressed on the referendum in the Dáil by Pat Rabbitte, Bertie Ahern said that the issue of child protection would have to be dealt with in 2007, but if broad agreement was not forthcoming he would leave it over until after the Election.
He told the Labour leader that he personally did not favour having the poll alongside the General Election, but he would be prepared to have it in April or May or the same day as the Election if that was the compromise.
This prompted Mr Rabbitte to observe that if nothing else the opposition had elicited the date on which the country would be voting this summer.
