Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:92 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her legislative priorities for 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28962/03]
Written Answers. - Legislative Programme.
My immediate legislative priorities in 2004 will be the introduction and passage of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004, and the progression of the Civil Registration Bill 2003. In addition, to improve accessibility to the existing body of social welfare legislation, and to address my commitment to regulatory reform, I intend to bring forward a social welfare consolidation Bill. The Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004 will provide for any amendments to the social welfare schemes consequent on the budget 2004 which are not provided for in the Bill. I will bring this Bill before the House immediately after the Budget Statement, and any additional measures requiring a basis in legislation.
The Civil Registration Bill 2003 was published last July, and I intend to progress it to enactment in 2004. The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of the civil registration service, an t-seirbhís um chlarú sibhialta. This will entail the re-organisation and modernisation of the system of registration of births, stillbirths, adoptions, marriages and deaths. The Bill further provides for the extension of the system to cover decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity of marriage granted by the courts. The new system is part of a joint project between my Department and the Department of Health and Children, to modernise and update the present system through,inter alia, the use of modern technology.
The social welfare (consolidation) Bill 2004 will bring together the existing body of primary social welfare legislation in a single document. Currently, social welfare legislation is contained in the 1993 consolidation Act and some 15 subsequent amending Acts. The purpose of this initiative is to facilitate access to social welfare legislation and meet Government commitments to regulatory reform.
It is also my intention to publish early in 2004 a Comhairle (amendment) Bill. The primary purpose of this legislation will be to give statutory effect to Comhairle in the context of the delivery of the Government's commitments in relation to services for people with disabilities. In addition, I envisage introducing a social welfare Bill following the budget in December 2004 to provide for the implementation of budget increases in social welfare payments and any other changes which would be scheduled to take effect from January 2005.
Question No. 93 answered with Question No. 83.