Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 4

Written Answers - Law Reform.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

16 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether the legislative logjam that has developed in his Department could be alleviated by the appointment of a Minister with full Cabinet responsibility for law reform. [22814/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I am not aware of any basis in reality for the suggestion that a legislative logjam has developed in my Department. On the contrary, any objective analysis would show that my Department in the last 18 months or so has produced an unprecedented amount of legislation on both the criminal and civil sides. This is evidenced, for example, by the fact that, since my appointment as Minister, 18 Bills for which I had responsibility have been enacted.

While it is undoubtedly the case that the programme of law reform which I and the Government have set for the Department over the lifetime of the Government is both wide ranging and formidable, all the evidence so far indicates clearly that the programme will be delivered successfully.

In so far as the question refers to a Minister with full Cabinet responsibility for law reform, it is the case that I am the Minister with responsibility for the areas of law reform which fall within my Department's remit. I can safely say that I have delivered on that responsibility. If the Deputy's question is intended to suggest that this area of law reform might be better advanced by the establishment of a separate Department devoted exclusively to it, experience to date does not provide evidence which would support that proposition. The amalgamation of the former Departments of Justice and Equality and Law Reform, and the sharing of resources and expertise which that brought about, have proved beneficial.

As I informed the House in response to a similar question in October last year, it is in the nature of advancing as comprehensive a legislative programme as that being undertaken in my Department that the Bills in question, having regard to such matters as size, complexity and the need to consult with Departments and interest groups, are at various stages of preparation. It is inevitable that some Bills can be delivered and processed more quickly than others. It is also worth mentioning that factors outside the direct control of my Department — such as the allocation of parliamentary time — can influence the progress made in relation to particular legislative proposals. I shall, however, continue to implement the full legislative programme for which I have responsibility as quickly as possible.