Holding both referenda together
Harte objected that holding the adoption and other constitutional referenda on the same day could diminish the adoption issue by linking it to a political question. The Minister replied that the House had passed the necessary legislation.
Might I ask the Minister, along the same lines as Deputy Blaney, to elucidate what these things are about? Would the Minister agree that when the Government decided to have both measures dealt with on the one day the importance of the adoption referendum was being relegated to that of one where there were political connotations? Does he think it consistent with the deep concern people have——
Comment on this
Surely the Minister would agree that it was not in keeping with high principles to link the changing of the Constitution to deal with an adoption problem to something that was a political problem?