In his reply the Taoiseach said it was his personal opinion that changes were required to the Constitution but when speaking to the Seanad in 1981 he was speaking as Taoiseach, and again he is speaking as Taoiseach here today. He said in 1981 that regardless of the attractiveness or otherwise of our ideas to the Unionist community——

The Deputy must confine himself to a question.

I am asking a question relating to the constitutional crusade.

The Deputy was making a speech.

I am not making a speech. I have to explain exactly what the question involves.

That could take a very long time and would reduce Question Time to a farce.

It would take a lot less time if I was allowed to continue. The Taoiseach said in the Seanad in 1981 that it was a fallacy to say that we must wait until the Unionist population are prepared to accept a package——

The Deputy is not allowed to qoute.

I am not quoting, I am referring to a speech made.

I will allow the Deputy to ask a question——

I am asking a question. Has the Taoiseach now changed his mind? Are we no longer in a position to change our Constitution and must we wait until such time as the British Government and the Unionists in Northern Ireland agree to a package before we can proceed to change the Constitution in the way in which the Dáil and the people of this State want it changed?

I have answered the question very clearly. I have not changed my mind on either of those points. At present we are awaiting a considered reaction from the British Government to the report of the New Ireland Forum. I would not wish, therefore, to raise constitutional issues in a way which could give rise to controversy and could make it more difficult to obtain an agreed approach to whatever that reaction might be.

At what point does the Taoiseach feel that the Dáil and the people of this State can safely discuss changes in the Constitution? Is it next week, next month or next year?

When the process initiated by the Forum has been brought to completion, the question could then arise. However, I have made it clear that I do not intend to raise issues of this kind at present which could make it more difficult to secure an agreed reaction to whatever response might come from the British Government.