The Labour Party has described the 14-bill legislative programme for the new Dáil term as "one of the thinnest ever produced for any Dáil session in recent years".
Labour Party Chief Whip Emmet Stagg said: "Six of the bills on the list have appeared on previous lists of promised legislation. Two - the Social Welfare Bill and the Appropriation Bill - are annual pieces of legislation, so, in effect, there are only six new pieces of legislation on the list."
Details of the legislative programme for the next Dáil term, which begins tomorrow, were announced this morning by the Government Chief Whip Ms Mary Hanafin, who said "health continued to be a priority".
The health bill will provide the legislative basis for the implementation of the health reform programme. It will allow for the establishment of the new Health Service Executive which will replace the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. It will also include a provision for a statutory framework for complaints procedures in the health services.
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill is also expected to be published during the coming Dail session. The bill will regulate the entitlement to Irish citizenship of persons born in Ireland to non-national parents.
Ms Hanafin said other bills anticipated for publication include the Employment Permits Bill, the Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, the Abbotstown Sports Centre Authority Bill, the Building Societies (Amendment) Bill, the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill, the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Bill, the annual Appropriation and Social Welfare Bill, the Veterinary Practice Bill, the Registration of Deeds and Title Bill and the Statute Law Revision Bill.
Labour TD Mr Emmet Stagg said: "The Abbotstown Sports Centre Authority Bill was originally promised for Autumn 2002, while the urgently needed Employment Permits Bill was originally promised for Spring 2003.
Mr Stagg said the government legislative programme is "poorly planned and badly executed" and "a programme of Dáil reform is needed that would expand the time available for the consideration of legislation".