Election will not disrupt plan, says Government

LEGISLATION:THE GOVERNMENT has insisted it will introduce all legislative measures required to obtain the €85 billion EU-IMF financial package before next year's general election.

A deadline of May 2011 has been set for the enacting of a series of laws in the memorandum of understanding on the conditions for the financial support.

A Labour Party spokesman said it was difficult to see how this date could be reconciled with Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s announcement he would dissolve the Dáil early in the new year.

However, a spokesman for Government chief whip John Curran said: “It is our intention to have given full legislative effect to both the budget and the memorandum of understanding in advance of the general election.”

The spokesman said Mr Curran would meet various Ministers who had legislative commitments “to map out the legislative programme that is necessary, both before Christmas and before the general election”.

He stressed the Green Party would also be part of that process.

By May 2011, legislative measures must be enacted to “tackle unemployment and poverty traps through reducing replacement rates for individuals receiving more than one type of benefit”.

There must be “more effective monitoring of jobseekers’ activities”.

By the end of the second quarter of 2011, the document calls for the introduction of legislation “for the enactment of financial regulation, expanding the supervisory and enforcement powers of the Central Bank”.

Legislation to reform the bankruptcy and personal debt “regimes” must be submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas “by end Q1-2012”, the document states.

The Labour spokesman said: “It’s difficult to see how that [deadline of May 2011] can be reconciled with the statement by the Taoiseach he would be dissolving the Dáil early in the new year and calling an election. The Greens have promised the Dáil will be dissolved by the end of January.”