Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:5 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach his Department's legislative priorities for the remainder of the 28th Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1468/02]
Ceisteanna – Questions. - Legislative Programme.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:6 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his Department's legislative programme for the current Dáil session. [3645/02]
Michael Noonan
Ceist:7 Mr. Noonan asked the Taoiseach his Department's legislative programme for the first half of 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4086/02]
Joe Higgins
Ceist:8 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Taoiseach the priorities for legislation from his Department for this Dáil session. [5729/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together.
My Department has two Bills awaiting Second Stage in the House, the Statute Law Restatement Bill and the Interpretation Bill. The other remaining item on my Department's legislative programme for the remainder of this Dáil session is the National Economic and Social Development Office Bill, the text of which was approved by Government this morning for presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Why have the two Bills, which have been on the Government's list for the past two years, not been presented? Why is the Government proposing that, instead of sitting the normal nine days for the first three weeks of March, we will only sit five? Does the Taoiseach not see an urgency in moving this legislation?
Unfortunately, they have been on the list for a considerable period of time. Despite the fact that the House sat four days a week and late nights, it did not get time to deal with this legislation. Both Bills are important, perhaps the most important on the legislative programme, but they are not holding up many issues. The work on the Statute Book has continued, a matter on which I have reported to the House on many occasions. The purpose of the Interpretation Bill is to simplify the reading of statute law by deleting large amounts of standard principles of interpretation. This is important to a certain section, but perhaps not a priority against the type of legislation that has been on the list. There was a delay in regard to the other Bill to allow the proposals of the NCCP to be taken into account. That is now ongoing. I understand there is some urgency in regard to the Bill.
In view of the huge level of opposition from people with disabilities, their families and representative organisations, will the Taoiseach give a commitment to withdraw immediately the flawed Disability Bill?
That Bill does not come under this question or the Department.
Pontius Pilate.
It is the Taoiseach's Government.
I answered it in reply to the earlier question.
(Dublin West): Nach gceapann an Taoiseach gur cheart go mbeadh Bille na Gaeilge chun tosaigh anois, agus sinn ag dul isteach i ndeireadh théarma an Rialtais. Nach mór an náire go bhfuil lucht labhartha na Gaeilge fágtha ar lár ag an Rialtas? Bhíodar ag súil go mbeadh Bille na Gaeilge reachtaithe faoi seo.
The Deputy should table a question on the matter to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
(Dublin West): I am trying to establish from the Taoiseach the fact that Bille na Gaeilge has been on the stocks for a long time and the reason it is not—
We are dealing with questions on the Department of the Taoiseach's legislative programme.
(Dublin West): I will not go on about it, but the Taoiseach has overall responsibility for legislative priorities.
Yes, but the question the Deputy asked should be put to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
(Dublin West): I will do that, but perhaps the Taoiseach might answer it also. He has taken a number of questions during the past five years on the ground rents Bill. Why is the Government not bringing the Bill forward as a matter of priority?
That matter does not come under the Department. I answered the question about Bille na Gaeilge last week.
The question is more appropriate to the Order of Business.
When will the Bill which the Taoiseach indicated had been cleared at Cabinet today be published? Is it the heads of the Bill that have been cleared or the final text?
The Bill which I hope to publish very shortly. I know the Deputy has taken a special interest in it. Its purpose is to give statutory effect to the three organisations concerned. Now that the third has been established in its own premises, we want to secure the three organisations into the future and avoid what happened some years ago with the NESC and, to a lesser extent, the NESF. We want to keep the process ongoing while building it inherently into the social partnership process. Whatever programmes roll out in the years ahead, it is better that they are put on a statutory footing.