The All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution is shortly to consider cabinet confidentiality with a view to facilitating another referendum on the matter in the spring.
The committee, which was formally announced by the Taoiseach yesterday, is to consider the issue following the confusion which surrounded last month's referendum. The Government's proposal, to continue to keep cabinet discussions confidential except in very rare circumstances, was barely carried.
After significant opposition to the proposal had emerged on the grounds that it was too restrictive, Mr Ahern said he was open to the issue being re-examined at an early date. However, he urged the passage of last month's referendum on the grounds that its defeat could hinder the work of the Moriarty and Flood tribunals. Another referendum could be held in conjunction with the referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty in the spring.
The new committee, to be chaired by Mr Brian Lenihan TD, is charged with undertaking a full review of the Constitution. Its most sensitive task will be to consider the Green Paper on abortion, which the Government intends to publish next year.
The vice-chairman of the committee, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, chaired the last such committee which was dissolved with the last Dail. The other members are: Mr Brendan Daly TD, Mr Seamus Kirk TD and Senator Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail); Mr Tom Enright TD and Senator Fergus O'Dowd (Fine Gael); Mr Derek McDowell TD and Senator Kathleen O'Meara (Labour); Ms Liz McManus TD (Democratic Left); and Senator John Dardis (Progressive Democrats).