Is it not a fact that the 1967 Inter-Party Committee chaired by Deputy Colley, of which Deputy Seán Lemass was a member, found that there was constitutional discrimination against the Protestant minority in respect of divorce and even in respect of Catholics in certain circumstances? Could the Taoiseach say why there has been no amendment to the Constitution since 1967? Secondly, is it not a fact that in respect of matters of private morality there are a number of issues such as divorce, contraception and probably most importantly the primacy of the Roman Catholic religion in the courts under the ne temere decree? Does the Taoiseach propose to do nothing about those guarantees? Finally, does he not agree that as long as the southern Government continue to make these guarantees to the Roman Catholic Church to establish and maintain its primacy in the courts and in the Constitution and discriminate against the Protestant minority, the British Government will inevitably continue their constitutional guarantees to the Northern Protestants?

I can only say that I do not agree at all with Deputy Browne's analysis of the situation.

Am I right in assuming from the Taoiseach's reply that both he and his Government are firmly of the opinion that there is no legal or humanitarian need for any change in the constitutional position in relation to civil divorce?

I have not said that. I said we have no plans at present to attempt to change the Constitution to remove the prohibition on the grant of a dissolution of marriage.

Would the Taoiseach not agree that there is a need to take action on this matter and that if he does not take it now it will have to be taken later by somebody else?