asked the Minister for Justice the legislation he intends to introduce within 12 months from the 7th May, 1974; and the approximate dates for the introduction of such legislation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Legislative Programme.
70.
Mr. R. Burke
I could not undertake to commit myself in a matter of this kind.
As the Deputy presumably is aware, the introduction of legislation by a Minister requires the specific approval of the Government and has to compete for its place in the Parliamentary timetable. Moreover when the Government have approved in principle of new legislation, even an apparently simple Bill frequently gives rise to complex legal difficulties and any attempt to set specific or even approximate dates for the introduction of a series of Bills during the next 12 months would be wholly unrealistic.
I am hopeful, however, that during the coming 12 months I will be introducing legislation to deal with adoption, reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders, landlord and tenant law, the matters arising out of the 19th Interim Report of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure, the criminal law, the courts, malicious injuries. In addition, I am having an examination made of the outstanding reports of the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure with a view to implementing some at least within the year.
Again we are at a disadvantage but we can take it that what the Minister has said in regard to the number of matters he hopes will be introduced within the next 12 months is not a pious aspiration and that, in fact, we shall see the introduction of legislation of the kind the Minister has outlined? I ask the Minister to convey to his colleague that we on this side look forward to dealing with the legislation it is hoped to introduce in the next 12 months. We consider all these matters——
The Deputy should avoid making statements.
We look on all these matters as extremely important and urgent and I would ask the Minister for Education to impress on the Minister for Justice the urgency there is. I am sure the Minister will do that.
Mr. R. Burke
I shall convey the Deputy's views to the Minister.