Bills that fell with dissolution of Dail

A bill to fine airline and ferry companies found carrying illegal immigrants is among the legislation that died with the dissolution of the 28th Dáil this week.

The Immigration Bill, 2002, was flagged by the Government on several occasions, with the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, announcing its imminent introduction in November 1999 and again in November 2000.

However, the Bill and 37 other pieces of unenacted legislation that had not completed their journey through the Oireachtas died as the Taoiseach called an election this week.

The Bills can be reintroduced by the next government in a similar or amended form, but their fate is likely to depend on the composition of the new administration.

Another of Mr O'Donoghue's measures to lapse was the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Bill. This legislation, drawn up following controversy surrounding the temporary release of four men who killed Garda Jerry McCabe, aimed to tighten regulations governing the release of prisoners.

A long-delayed Bill proposing to amend the Constitution has been further delayed. The Twenty-Second Amendment of the Constitution Bill was drawn up in the wake of the Sheedy affair and aimed to regulate judicial conduct. The matter was about to be put before the electorate in a referendum in June 2001, but was withdrawn after the Government and Opposition failed to reach agreement on its content. The Bill was at committee stage last week when the Dáil was dissolved.

Some of the legislation had already ground to a halt in the Oireachtas. The Disability and the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bills had effectively been dropped by the Government after they were criticised by disability groups.

The Arts Bill, which proposed a restructuring of the Arts Council, also fell, but since it was published only earlier this month there was little prospect of it passing through the Oireachtas before the election was called.

Other Bills that died this week include legislation to regulate "bouncers" and the private security industry, new measures to deal with piracy outside Ireland's coastal waters and proposals to improve rail safety.

A number of private members' Bills were also affected, including proposals to ban ticket touts, protect whistleblowers and restrict smoking in public places.

One piece of legislation that was rushed through the Houses this week was the Ombudsman for Children Bill, which establishes an office to promote the rights of children and to investigate complaints against public bodies.