THE GOVERNMENT will publish Bills from the Department of Finance focusing on fiscal responsibility, credit union regulation and the European Stability Mechanism during the new Dáil term starting today.
In just over a year in office, 55 Bills had been published and 46 Acts of the Oireachtas passed by the Fine Gael-Labour Government, Chief Whip Paul Kehoe has said. He was announcing the legislative programme for the summer parliamentary session, approved at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
In the new term, the Department of Justice will publish proposed legislation on reforming the law on mental capacity, establishing a National Vetting Bureau and introducing a new system of personal insolvency.
Legislation will also be published on forestry, the Gaeltacht, residential tenancies and the price and supply of medical goods.
The Bill to amend the Constitution in order to abolish Seanad Éireann is not listed for publication in the summer session but in the category of “Bills in respect of which heads have yet to be approved by Government” with a note in the programme that states: “Publication Expected – 2012”.
The Gaeltacht Bill provides for a redefinition of the Gaeltacht on language planning criteria, to reduce the size of the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta and to dispense with Údarás na Gaeltachta elections.
The Civil Defence Board (Dissolution) Bill aims to repeal the Civil Defence Act 2002, to dissolve the Civil Defence Board and “transfer its functions, property, rights, liabilities and other responsibilities back to the Department of Defence”.
The Education and Training Boards Bill is intended to reduce the number of Vocational Education Committees from 33 to 16.
The Fiscal Responsibility (No 2) Bill provides for “the other fiscal control measures required under the EU-IMF Programme of Financial Support”.
The Health Service Executive Governance Bill provides for “the abolition of the HSE Board and to provide for replacement governance structures”.
The Criminal Justice (Withholding Information on Crimes against Children and Vulnerable Adults) Bill is intended to create a criminal offence of withholding information relating to the commission of a serious offence, including a sexual offence, against a person under 18 years or a vulnerable person.
Speaking after the Cabinet approved the programme, Mr Kehoe said: “Since taking office last year the Government’s main priorities have been economic recovery and job creation, this will continue to be the case.
“Progress is also being made on our programme for Government commitments across a number of areas.”
