I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
The information sought by the Deputies is contained in a statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
There are four Bills at present before the Oireachtas which will implement commission reports. These are the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Bill, 1988, the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill, 1990, the Criminal Damage Bill, 1990, and the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Bill, 1990. Work is at an advanced stage in regard to other reports.
The commission have made a very large number of recommendations; for example, in the last three years they have published 12 reports and three consultation papers, of a very detailed kind. Each of these require careful examination in order to enable a decision to be taken.
Deputies will, of course, appreciate that the introduction of legislation in this connection is a matter for the Government, and, consequently, it is somewhat misleading to speak of "delays in implementing" recommendations of the commission.
Further, the Government have a large and urgent legislative programme, much of which is in areas not covered by commission reports: and they give the reports the appropriate priority taking account of these other legislative demands and limited resources. Indeed, in their latest annual report the commission pointed out that they do not claim to have a monopoly of wisdom and do not expect all their recommendations to be implemented as a matter of course.
The Government have no plans to abolish the Law Reform Commission.
The following is the statement:
Reports which have yet to be acted upon — (a) Report on Defective Premises; (b) Report on Nullity of Marriage; (c) Report on Offences Under the Dublin Police Acts and Related Offences; (d) Report on Minors' Contracts; (e) Report on the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters; (f) Report on the Liability in Tort of Minors and the Liability of Parents for Damage Caused by Minors; (g) Report on the Liability in Tort of Mentally Disabled Persons; (h) Report on Private International Law Aspects of Capacity to Marry and Choice of Law in Proceedings for Nullity of Marriage; (i) Report on Jurisdiction in Proceedings for Nullity of Marriage, Recognition of Foreign Nullity Decrees, and the Hague Convention on the Celebration and Recognition of the Validity of Marriages; (j) Report on the Service of Documents Abroad re Civil Proceedings — the Hague Convention; (k) Report on the Rule Against Hearsay in Civil Cases; (l) Report on Debt Collection: (1) The Law Relating to Sheriffs; (m) Report on Debt Collection: (2) Retention of Title; (n) Report on the Recognition of Foreign Adoption Decrees; (o) Report on Land Law and Conveyancing Law: (1) General Proposals; (p) Report on Land Law and Conveyancing Law: (2) Enduring Powers of Attorney; (q) Report on Child Sexual Abuse; (r) Report on Sexual Offences Against the Mentally Handicapped.
Deputies De Rossa and Shatter rose.