THE Irish Statute Book, comprising all the laws enacted by the Oireachtas over the last 75 years, is to be put onto a standard CD ROM disk. The statute book runs to more than 35,000 pages and occupies about 4.5 metres of shelf space.
The Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, has allocated £750,000 towards the project. He said the project represents a recognition by the State of its obligation to make the laws, including the statutory instruments, as accessible as possible, not just to the legal professions but to the public as well, Mr Quinn said.
"The project also is a good investment by the State, where one of the primary requirements of incoming investors is ready access to all legislation, including financial, in electronic format."
The Union of Students in Ireland welcomed the project.