Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted that a referendum on the rights of children had been "on the cards" for some time, dismissing suggestions that it was a replacement for a now unlikely plebiscite on the North, ahead of a "divisive" general election.
Mr Ahern told Opposition leaders in the Dáil that such a referendum was not new, was first considered in the 1990s, and that Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan had informed the UN during the summer that "we were examining the possibility of legislative change. That was on the cards."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte pointed out that the Taoiseach had "assured us on a number of occasions that there would not be a referendum. What brought about the change of heart?"
Mr Ahern said that "when asked questions of this nature I always state that nothing is ever agreed until the Cabinet is prepared to make a decision. It will not have the status of agreement until then."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed that as the possibility of a referendum on Northern Ireland was receding, there would instead be one on protecting children's rights, "which there would be significant support for, some time before a general election, followed by a divisive campaign on how the country should be run. Maybe that is the Taoiseach's assertion of good politics."
Rejecting this view, Mr Ahern said: "I did not say on previous occasions that the issue was pending, because the Cabinet had not cleared it. However, the Cabinet has done so now."
Mr Ahern also rejected Mr Kenny's claim that his announcement of a referendum on Friday had pre-empted discussion by the child protection committee.
Mr Kenny suggested the possibility of a referendum on the North was receding "because Dr Paisley may want an election immediately after the St Andrews business is concluded successfully".
The Taoiseach insisted that he had not pre-empted the committee, and said: "I was careful the other day not to pre-empt the House or other interested parties because we must come to an agreed wording, which is not simple".
