Politics

Government will introduce legislation to reform Coroners’ Courts

Government chief whip Joe McHugh publishes Government’s legislative programme

Joe McHugh: “As law-makers in a democracy we are duty-bound to pass laws which better lives, and I think that’s something most politicians can agree on”

Sarah Bardon
Tue Sep 19 2017 - 20:00

The Government will introduce new legislation to reform the Coroners’ Courts and prioritise reforms to judicial appointments this Dáil term.

Government chief whip Joe McHugh published the Government’s legislative programme on Tuesday, including 28 Bills for priority publication.

Mr McHugh said the Public Health Alcohol Bill, to introduce reforms to the sale of alcohol, the Domestic Violence Bill, the Technological Universities Bill and the Judicial Appointments Bill remained key Government commitments.

In addition, legislation to introduce motor insurance reforms, laws to address zero-hour contracts and legislation to increase the number of TDs would be progressed by the Dáil.

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Mr McHugh said: “There are many priorities for Government from across the different departments. I know a minority Government faces its own challenges, but many of the proposals will have broad support across most of the parties and I am optimistic for the months ahead.

“As law-makers in a democracy we are duty-bound to pass laws which better lives, and I think that’s something most politicians can agree on.”

Various pieces of legislation including giving the Garda Síochána representative associations access to workplace relations, to introduce tougher restrictions on the sale of tobacco, and to allow an adopted person to have access to information and tracing services are also to be brought forward.

The legislative programme also commits to providing for a referendum on removing the crime of blasphemy from the Constitution.

The chief whip said the Government had passed 44 Acts and published 49 Bills in the last Dáil term.

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