I wish to raise two items, although at this point one wonders about the value of raising questions on promised legislation. Given the consistent and horrendous flooding families have been experiencing in recent times, will the Taoiseach confirm that the Government is investigating the implementation of a Bill similar to the UK Water Act 2014? This matter was raised in the House last week by my party leader, Deputy Micheál Martin. As the Taoiseach knows, such legislation would allow home owners and businesses in areas prone to flooding to obtain insurance cover at a reasonable price. It would also require the State to be directly involved in a joint approach. Will the Taoiseach confirm that something is happening in that regard? We heard some positive soundings on the matter from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney. Will the Taoiseach also confirm the type of insurance model that will be introduced for persons who have been adversely affected by the floods?

As regards the Constitutional Convention's outstanding reports, the Government has accepted recommendations on the holding of referenda on blasphemy, reducing the voting age and the setting up of an electoral commission. For several months many Members have been raising these issues and we were given firm assurances that we would have an opportunity to debate the three outstanding reports before Christmas. However, that has not come to pass. Is there some prospect that these matters will be prioritised if we return in January? All of us but particularly the citizen members were enormously proud to be given an opportunity to participate in the convention. It is a considerable disappointment, therefore, that the House has not adhered to the timelines the Taoiseach himself set for us to consider all of these reports.

To respond to the Deputy's first question, I have already said a memorandum of understanding has been signed for quite some time between the Office of Public Works and the insurance companies. The purpose is to share information on flood risk and how it might be factored into the commercial assessments made by insurance companies. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has referred to the necessity to put in place a much more sophisticated weather forecasting and flood warning system which would be of benefit to everybody, including business premises, private dwellings and the agri-sector. I have given a commitment that the issue will be looked at, but what was introduced in Britain would not be suitable here because houses completed since 2009 were left out, as were small businesses. In Bandon, Athlone, Crossmolina and elsewhere most of those affected are small shopkeepers and other retailers. One cannot have a situation where they would be left out. There is no intention to set out on a course to introduce further insurance levies.

Not too many of them were built after 2009.

I have given a commitment that we will look at what might be done, working between the Office of Public Works and the insurance companies.

On the Constitutional Convention, as I have said on a number of occasions, I accept responsibility for the fact that we have not had a discussion here. I am now giving the Deputy an undertaking that the issues will be discussed when the Dáil resumes on 13 January 2016.