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Legislative Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004

Tuesday, 30 March 2004

Questions (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

200 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the cost to the State in 2002 and 2003 of maintaining a dedicated legislative drafting service in the form of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9545/04]

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Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

201 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the consideration he has given to the dissolution of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and the establishment of satellite offices as has occurred in other comparable jurisdictions, in the context of Government decentralisation plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9543/04]

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Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

202 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the consideration he has given to the dissolution of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and the appointment of at least one parliamentary counsel to each Department decentralised, in the context of Government decentralisation plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9542/04]

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Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

203 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the number of Acts, both pre and post-1922, which are in force in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9582/04]

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Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

204 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the approximate number of pages of both pre and post-1922 Acts which are in force in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9583/04]

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Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

205 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Taoiseach if, in the context of successful and efficient outsourcing of the transposition of EU directives by barristers in private practice, he will direct or encourage a greater use of outsourcing in the drafting of legislation generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9544/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 to 205, inclusive, together.

The cost of maintaining the Office of the Attorney General as a whole in 2002 and 2003 amounted to €8,669,000 and €10,085,000, respectively. There are no separate figures available for the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel which is a constituent part of the Office of the Attorney General.

As I indicated to the Deputy in reply to a written question on 27 January, 2004, I have no plans to dissolve the Office to the Parliamentary Counsel to allocate parliamentary counsel to each Department. To do so would be inefficient since the office operates through three groups each serving a number of Departments and this is most effective in prioritising the Government legislative programme. For the same reasons, I have no plans to establish satellite offices.

Currently, the statute law revision unit does not have precise information on the number of Acts or pages of Acts which are in force in the State. However, it is estimated that there are 500 pre-1922 Acts and 3,000 post-1922 Acts in force. Apart from the continued outsourcing of some EU directives for transposition by way of statutory instruments, I have no plans to direct or encourage a greater use of outsourcing of the drafting of legislation. The staffing of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has been built up over recent years and it continues to produce all primary legislation, significant amounts of secondary legislation and all Government orders. Parliamentary counsel work closely with the Attorney General and advisory counsel in the process of drafting legislation.

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