I want to raise an issue regarding referendums. There is to be one on lowering the age of presidential candidates but there was also a commitment to hold a referendum on extending the vote to Irish citizens in the North and in the diaspora. In November, the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, stated the Government would hold a referendum to permit Irish people living outside the State to vote in presidential elections.

I did not.

It was reported-----

We will not have a discussion across the floor about the issues.

The blasphemy issue has already been raised and it strikes me that the members of the Constitutional Convention will be very disappointed about this. They put in much work on these issues, as the Taoiseach knows; he has commended them on it. Given last week's horrific events in Paris, will the Taoiseach review his position on the blasphemy clause? In deference to the folks who cannot live in this State, will the Taoiseach consider the other matter? I apologise if I misquoted the Minister of State but it was reported in an Irish-American newspaper that he stated there would be a referendum to permit people outside the State to vote.

I also want to raise the Cabinet sub-committee, details of which were announced yesterday. It is a new sub-committee which will set out Government proposals to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. When will the Government publish the remit for the sub-committee and will there be a transparent and accountable process in place? I witnessed a debacle at the GPO when the Taoiseach launched this initiative and there was much nonsense related to the video that was launched by the Government. Bad service was afforded to the Irish language and the signatories of the Proclamation.

They were not even mentioned in all of this. There is already an all-party Oireachtas consultation group on commemorations, so what will be the relationship with the new sub-committee of the Cabinet? Can we also ensure there will be an all-Ireland or, indeed, a wider approach with the diaspora because, as we know, the Rising was funded by Irish-America and many people in Liverpool, Glasgow and London. The Proclamation itself pays tribute to gallant allies abroad. Can there be an all-island or, indeed, a wider global view of this?

When will we hear about the development of what the Taoiseach described as the "laneways of history" in Moore Street? There is potential for a very fitting museum and an educational asset and for the redevelopment of the inner city and city centre, in particular the north inner city.

My last point deals with two very pertinent issues ar an clár reachtaíochta nua - the new legislative programme - which came out today. I refer to the public health (alcohol) Bill. There is a crisis around public health in regard to alcohol. In the previous session, this Bill was in section C and it is still in section C. The health information Bill, which is such a crucial issue and the subject of great controversy and concern, in particular for families of ill people and for patients themselves, was in section C in the last session and it is still in section C. These two Bills are vital to preventative measures which, if properly implemented, would reduce the number of patients spending long periods of time in our hospitals.

There are 41 Bills in this session - through to the summer. Obviously, we try to say to Ministers and the Departments that these are priority Bills. There is some change because of the necessity to introduce them as quickly as possible. The two Bills the Deputy mentioned are important. The public health (alcohol) Bill is scheduled for later this year, as is the health information Bill. It depends on the progress made in finalising the Bills and how they can get onto the clár in terms of the scale of the legislative programme.

As I said, the Constitutional Convention recommended the removal of blasphemy from the Constitution, which the Government accepts. I had originally thought that it might have been possible to hold a number of referenda on the one day but I have found from talking to people that if one tries to do that, people may well switch off. They will say they do not understand this and that they need more time to have this explained to them. They will ask why we are holding so many referenda. People generally may not be all that interested in referenda. Two referenda will be held this year – one on marriage equality and one on presidential eligibility. The people of Carlow-Kilkenny will have an opportunity to vote in a by-election.

In respect of the work the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, did as the former Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, he had in place a situation for the development of Moore Street, the protection of the national monument and the developments around that, which were not in his control. Obviously, that is not going ahead in the way in which it was envisaged. This is quite complicated, as the Deputy will understand, but while time is short, I hope it might still be possible to have an appropriate development on the national monument, although there are different elements, as the Deputy is aware, in respect of the scale of the monument and what should be done in the locality.

The Deputy mentioned votes for Irish emigrants and for people in Northern Ireland and that the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, had made some comment in the United States. I think I heard the Deputy make one himself in regard to freedom of the press when he was over there. In regard to the Cabinet sub-committee, I want to formalise the structure around the preparations for 2016 in order that they are decisive and clear. The group already there will continue because it will engage with the parties, organisations abroad and others who wish to make observations so that we can get this as right as possible. The reason for having a Cabinet sub-committee, which Ministers will attend, is to support the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, in leading the presentation and implementation of an appropriate, comprehensive, sensitive and inclusive commemoration process for 2016.

In respect of the Deputy's comment on the debacle, as he called it, at the GPO, I think it was a very historic occasion indeed. It seemed to me as if he knew some of the people who were involved in the background music that was taking place when the contributions were being made by the various speakers. I am not sure whether that is true or not.