Dail legislation arising from the Belfast Agreement is to get drafting priority which may push back the publication dates of other Bills.
The Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, yesterday confirmed that the heads of Bills relating to the establishment of the proposed Human Rights Commission and to Irish nationality and citizenship were under preparation in the Department of Justice. It is hoped these two Bills will be published this year.
At least six other pieces of legislation governing changes to the operation of government departments in the wake of the establishment of the North-South bodies will also be necessary after agreement is reached on the areas of co-operation.
Details of the Government's legislative programme were released yesterday as the Dail prepares to resume tomorrow after a three-month summer recess. Mr Brennan said the Government intends to publish 18 Bills during the autumn session but other Bills at an advanced stage may also become available for publication.
Another Bill expected to be published by the Department of Justice before the end of December is designed to tighten existing legislation which defines the possession of criminal assets that may have been frozen or seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
Legislation carrying tough penalties for involvement in trafficking and employing illegal immigrants is also due for publication before the end of the year. The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, earlier this year promised to introduce measures aimed at countering the flow of asylum-seekers after groups of Romanian refugees were discovered in trucks aboard ferries docking in Rosslare, Co Wexford.
Eleven Bills are currently before the Dail and will be first on the agenda of business for the new session. The texts of a further 16 pieces of legislation are being drafted and the Government has promised another 67 Bills, the heads of which have yet to be approved.
Within hours of the Dail's resumption, Fine Gael will tackle the Government on the current problems in agriculture, focusing on the difficulties farmers are experiencing over livestock prices and fodder shortages.
The party will use its Private Member's time to table a motion asking the Government to act urgently to assist the farming community.