Michael Woods
Question:2 Dr. Woods asked the Taoiseach the additional drafting resources he has provided in Departments and in the Attorney General's office; and the progress, if any, he has made in his plan to contract out such work. [7627/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Recruitment of Draftsmen.
The report of the Review Group on the office of the Attorney General recommended the phased recruitment of additional draftsmen. Sanction for a competition to recruit initially two additional senior draftmen has been sought from the Minister for Finance and his response is expected imminently. The office currently engages the services of three experienced draftsmen on a contract basis. The availability of further similar expertise on a contract basis is kept under constant review by the office.
Is the Taoiseach saying that to date there has been no recruitment of any additional draftsmen, that all that has happened is that sanction has been sought for their recruitment?
I expect the sanction to be given urgently. I will do everything I can to ensure that the sanction for the recruitment of the two additional draftsmen is given speedily. It is important for the House to understand that one cannot recruit four or five draftsmen at the same time as each of them has to be inducted over a two-year training period in a form of apprenticeship with the existing draftsperson so that the knowledge is passed on. The office simply could not accommodate more than two recruits at any one time during the training phase. We want to recruit the maximum number of senior draftsmen and we expect this to take place imminently.
The post of parliamentary draftsman has remained vacant for the past three or four years and this effort by the Government is the first time anything concrete has been done about the problem. I am sure the Deputy will take that point into account in his further questioning.
The draftsmen needed to be recruited as a matter of urgency. The review group reported to the House on 13 January and it recommended the early implementation of its proposals. The Taoiseach is experiencing difficulties in producing legislation——
There is no difficulty.
Brief, relevant questions, please.
Given that the review group made its report on 13 January, surely sanction for the recruitment could have been given long before now? It is scandalous that no other action has been taken during the intervening period. It was recommended that the posts of parliamentary draftsman and assistant parliamentary draftsman should be filled but obviously no action has been taken in this regard. The Taoiseach has adopted a lackadaisical approach to this issue.
The Deputy has made his point adequately.
Will the Taoiseach deal with these issues as a matter of urgency?
I have already answered those questions.
Will the Taoiseach agree that members of the legal profession other than barristers should be considered in the recruitment process for extra draftspersons?
I would prefer to have had notice of that question. The question of whether the other branch of the legal profession would be eligible is under consideration by the Attorney General and no decision has yet been made.
Will the Taoiseach agree that traditionally Attorneys General who happen to be barristers take a very dim view of anyone who is not a barrister when it comes to drafting legislation? Will he use his influence to have other possibilities, particularly from the other branch of the legal profession, considered for these positions?
I will pass the Deputy's representations to the Attorney General who no doubt will carefully consider them. This is a point worth considering.
A newspaper report last week stated that 100 Bills have been published in the 27th Dáil. If the truth were known I am sure 95 of those were drafted by the previous Government. As one of the main findings in the Attorney General's report was that the Attorney General's office was overloaded with work due to an increase in legislation introduced under the previous Government, does the Minister not accept the urgency in appointing additional draftspersons to that office?
Yes, and that is why the Government is proceeding to recruit two additional draftspersons to that office, something which the previous Government failed to do.
We might now be able to get more legislation through.
I accept the Taoiseach will treat the matter urgently now, but to have reached this point without having sought sanction for additional draftspersons is unacceptable. The second part of my question related to what has been done about the provision of additional drafting resources within Departments provided for in the programme, A Government of Renewal.
It is not the case that we are only now seeking sanction for the appointment of two additional draftspeople. That sanction was sought some time ago. What I stated in my original reply was that I expected sanction to be forthcoming imminently and once that happens we will proceed to hold a competition and to fill the posts.
Is it intended to continue contracting out work?
Yes.