asked the Taoiseach if he has had any meetings or contacts with members of the anti-amendment campaign.

: No.

: Is the Taoiseach in a position to confirm to the House rumours or stories which have been circulating to the effect that he either gave or caused to have given to the anti-amendment campaign a document of advice by the Attorney General?

: That allegation has been made already by the Deputy in this House. I have already stigmatised it as false. The Deputy knows it is false and is repeating it knowing it is false. I cannot regard that as honourable conduct.

: On the contrary, the Taoiseach is not in a position to say that I know anything to be false. I do not know anything to be false. I am entitled to ask the Taoiseach a specific question. If he gives an answer to that question I will accept it. I resent his attributing falsehoods to me. I am simply endeavouring to find out from the Taoiseach the truth of this matter. It is widely alleged that this document, a copy of which I have to hand, the advice of the Attorney General on this issue, was given to people involved in the anti-amendment campaign either by the Taoiseach or by someone acting on his behalf. It is a perfectly valid, legitimate question.

: The reason I answered as I did was that this question was raised yesterday by the Deputy and I said then that the allegation was false. For him to raise it again implies that he did not accept my denial and it was to that fact that I was referring. I note that he now accepts my denial, the second time it has been made, and I feel he should have accepted it the first time.