Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Explanatory Memorandum.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

269 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the reason an explanatory memorandum was not produced by his Department to accompany the Employment Equality Bill in view of its complex provisions; the reason Deputies were not provided with any other form of detailed explanation of the Bill's provisions; if he intends to produce this explanatory memorandum before the Bill is discussed in Dáil Éireann; and if he will undertake to produce this leaflet when he publishes the proposed Equal Status Bill. [15909/96]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

A brief guide to the Employment Equality Bill, 1996 is available from my Department. The guide was sent to every member of the Oireachtas. It provides a readily accessible and succinct description of the content of the Bill. Copies of the guide may be obtained free of charge from my Department. A standard explanatory memorandum will be published before the Bill is discussed in Dáil Éireann.

Equal status legislation is being prepared in my Department. It is not possible to say in advance of finalisation of the draft Bill whether an explanatory memorandum would be indicated.