Vol. 463 No. 6
3 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach if the Government intends to implement all legislative commitments in the programme, A Government of Renewal; if he has satisfied himself that all legislation promised in this programme will be passed before the end of 1996; and the items, if any, that have effectively been dropped or are not being favoured. [6988/96]
On 17 October 1995 in reply to a parliamentary question from the Deputy, I stated that satisfactory progress was being made in preparing legislation to implement the commitments in A Government of Renewal. I outlined the progress being made in that regard and I stated I was confident that all of the Commitments would be well advanced within the Government's mandate from the present Dáil.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that progress in implementing the legislative commitments continues to be satisfactory. Thirteen commitments have been reflected in legislation passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas and one commitment by way of regulations. Four commitments are the subject of Bills before the Houses and a further nine commitments are the subject of ten Bills being drafted by the parliamentary draftsman. I am hopeful these ten Bills, along with Bills in respect of a further nine commitments, will be initiated before the end of 1996, leaving a balance of seven commitments to be dealt with by way of legislation in 1997.
When the Taoiseach formed the Government he borrowed without acknowledgement many legislative proposals from Fianna Fáil, which he included in the programme A Government of Renewal. Does the Taoiseach have any intention of reforming the Ministers and Secretaries Act, replacing the Official Secrets Act, bringing in an administrative procedures Bill, enabling the establishment of a commission on the management of courts or establishing a prison management committee? These matters are extremely important and many relate to the area of crime. There was one Bill last year and there will be one this year.
The Taoiseach said the position in regard to crime was bad under the last Government. Perhaps it was, but it is far worse now. The position in regard to drugs, shootings, killings and muggings is appalling. Will the Taoiseach give clear commitments on when, if ever, he intends doing anything about these matters in the lifetime of this Government?
The Deputy referred to five pieces of legislation, four of which are being dealt with by the respective Ministers. The fifth is being dealt with by a committee chaired by Mrs. Justice Susan Denham.
Can the Taoiseach be more precise rather than just saying they are being dealt with?
I answered the question precisely. The Deputy listed five pieces of legislation, each of which is being dealt with.
When will we see them?
If the Deputy wants to ask particular questions about the timing of that legislation I suggest he put down a separate question.
In the light of apparent gangland killings involving the use of guns in each case, and the widespread use of guns in criminal activities, does the Taoiseach intend to introduce legislation with a view to ensuring a psychological and mental health test for applicants for firearms certificates? I understand this has been proposed in Great Britain.
Is that question relevant?
Nothing is more relevant.
It is somewhat extraneous to the question before us.
There is a question to the Department of Justice on that matter which will be taken today.
In the second paragraph of the programme, A Government of Renewal, the Taoiseach and his partners gave a commitment to restore confidence in the political system and in Government, which they said had been badly damaged. Does the Taoiseach agree that the current controversy regarding the chairman of the Independent Radio and Television Commission further damages confidence in Government and the political system? What action is he taking to restore confidence in the political system?
We are somewhat outside the bounds of the question.
It is about the programme for Government. A very strong commitment was made in the second paragraph of that programme. What is the Taoiseach doing in light of the present controversy to restore confidence in the political system?
The question relates to legislative commitments in the programme. As far as the matter which the Deputy raised is concerned, the Government has passed legislation on ethics. It has also published an Electoral Bill to deal with that matter. This Government is acting with integrity and propriety in all its work.
In relation to the list of priorities for legislation, I put it to the Taoiseach that the Juvenile Justice Bill deserves more priority from his Government. Will he ensure it is brought forward as soon as possible? In the context of the escalating crime rate, will the Government consider bringing in legislation to provide for an amnesty for illegally held weapons?
So far as the Juvenile Justice Bill is concerned I would remind the Deputy that legislation has been in the works for approximately 20 years under successive Governments. This Government is the first to have considered and approved the heads of a Bill and authorised the preparation of a draft Bill. Rather than the Deputy referring to priorities, he should reflect on the absence of priority for juvenile justice legislation in his Government and on the fact that——
With all due respects, publishing the heads of a Bill is only a PR exercise.
——this Government has given this matter priority by ensuring that decisions on ministerial responsibility in the area of juvenile justice, which were holding up the legislation, were taken by this Government. This is the first Government to accord juvenile justice legislation a priority.
It is a PR exercise, no more, no less.
If Deputy Ahern is concerned to advance his political cause, I advise him not to raise this topic, because it is one on which his party's record is less than good. So far as the other matter is concerned, that is under consideration.
I asked another question relating to——
I answered it. The Deputy did not hear me because he was shouting.
The Taoiseach mentioned the Ethics in Public Office Act in the course of one of his replies. When will amending legislation be introduced to extend that Act to the Labour Party?
In view of the evasive nature of the Taoiseach's replies and that we are losing the fight against crime, will he give an approximation of how many items of criminal law legislation he intends to implement during the remainder of the lifetime of this Government, which I expect will be rather short? Will the Taoiseach confirm what he told Deputy Jim Mitchell last week, that the legislation on wandering animals will be published this month?
I answered the Deputy in regard to that legislation on the Order of Business last week.
Will the Taoiseach lend his support to a guns amnesty?
The question of a guns amnesty is a matter appropriate to the Minister for Justice. It is not a matter dealt with in the Programme for Government, which is the subject matter of this question. I understand a question has been tabled to the Minister for Justice about that. I suggest the Deputy might, in the ordinary way, wait for the Minister for Justice to deal with this question on an authoritative basis.
The Taoiseach is going soft on crime.
The gunmen are not waiting.
