Will the Minister tell the House when it is proposed to circulate the Bill?
Finance Bill, 1986: First Stage.
Leave granted to introduced a Bill entitled an Act to charge and impose certain duties of customs and inland revenue (including excise), to amend the law relating to customs and inland revenue (including excise) and to make further provisions in connection with finance.
—(Minister for Finance)
There is no precise date set but it will probably be the first week of April.
The Minister will have to be precise. Is it 8 April or 9 April?
8 April.
We were told two weeks ago and again last week that the Bill would be circulated on 26 March. Will the House be in a position to take it on 8 April?
The Finance Bill will not be circulated on 26 March. Some further time may elapse before it is circulated. Standing Orders require that Second Stage must be passed within 30 sitting days after the budget, which is 23 April. Obviously, the Bill will have to circulated in sufficient time to allow for a debate on Second Stage before that date. We will endeavour to publish it as soon as possible but it will not be 26 March as previously indicated.
This is very disconcerting because twice in the past two weeks the Leader of the Opposition asked the Taoiseach for a specific date and he was told 26 March. Last week it was confirmed by the Tánaiste that 26 March would be the date of circulation. We are now told it is not definite when it will be circulated. This is not satisfactory. As the Minister indicated, we will need sufficient time for a debate on Second Stage which must be finalised by 23 April. We, on this side of the House, will need two weeks for a debate on Second Stage.
The Finance Bill is the most complicated legislation that is presented to the House in any year. Obviously great care must be taken in drafting the detailed provisions involved. If we had published the Bill on 26 March, as was the hope by both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, it would have happened before we completed the necessary detailed work which we feel is necessary to ensure that the Bill comes before the House in the best possible form for debate. I am sure Deputy Brady will appreciate this.
Is it because there are so many faults in the Bill that it will take so much longer than was anticipated by the Government to get it ready? Will the Minister give us his assurance that he will amend the confiscatory retention tax which applies to elderly people in particular?
This is the Finance Bill.
The Minister says he cannot fix a date because of the difficulties with the Bill.
I am afraid Deputy Woods misunderstood what I said. It is a question of detailed legal drafting which has to be finalised.
Second Stage ordered for Tuesday, 8 April 1986.