I welcome the Taoiseach back from his travels and his little fireside tales about planning permissions and other issues.

As reported by Lara Marlowe and Pat Leahy in The Irish Times, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, was asked what would happen if the proposed referendum on the eighth amendment was lost. She replied: "The people who have brought us, and who have been very vocal on this issue for a number of years, they are certainly not going to accept a No." While declining to say directly if the Government would call a second poll in the event of a rejection, Ms Doherty said she envisaged the pro-choice movement would strongly push for one. The remarks have caused significant concern among those who are campaigning in good faith to retain the eighth amendment. Is it the intention of the Government to campaign for another referendum if the proposed repeal of the eighth amendment is unsuccessful? Those remarks go to the heart of the fears many people have about the entire campaign and the mockery and sham of the democratic process. Is there collective Cabinet responsibility and will the Taoiseach restrain the Minister and ask her to withdraw her remarks or is it what will happen and we are only hearing about it in a leak such as this? It is shameful.

I am happy to clarify this matter. The Government will respect the result of the referendum, so if the referendum is passed, I hope people will respect that and if the referendum is defeated the Government will respect that decision and will not bring forward a proposal for a new referendum during the period of this Government.