THE GOVERNMENT has set out an ambitious target of enacting 21 Bills before the Dáil is dissolved, including five pieces of legislation that have yet to be published.
Government Chief Whip John Curran broke with tradition yesterday by not producing a legislative programme, which is normally announced at the beginning of each Dáil term.
Instead, he released a list of Bills that he said would be the Government’s legislative priorities between now and the dissolution of the Dáil, widely expected to take place towards the end of February.
Mr Curran went further by saying the list was “non-exhaustive”, suggesting that at least one further Bill may be added. It was speculated yesterday that there might be legislation to allow the holding of a referendum on children’s rights on the same day as the general election.
The priority list was signed off at yesterday’s meeting of the Cabinet. Besides the Finance Bill, among the other pieces of legislation that will get the highest priority are three Bills pushed by the Green Party: the Climate Change Response Bill, the Electoral Bill on Corporate Donations and the Dublin Mayoral Bill.
Four Bills giving effect to changes announced in the Budget will be published and moved in the Oireachtas. They are the Finance Bill, the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) Bill, the Betting (Amendment) Bill and the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
The Government will publish five new Bills over the coming weeks, including the Criminal Justice Bill (White Collar Crime), the Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill, the Electoral (Amendment) Bill (Corporate Donations) the Nama Amendment Bill and the Patents (Amendment) Bill.
Two which have been already published and will be moved in the Dáil and Seanad are a Miscellaneous Environment Bill and the Climate Change Response Bill.
A further 10 Bills, already before both Houses, will be progressed to enactment, said Mr Curran. They include the Mayoral Bill, a Vagrancy Act, greyhound welfare legislation and legislation for multi-unit developments.
Mr Curran would not say how many of the Bills would get through in the time available.
Fine Gael finance spokesman Michael Noonan said the programme demonstrated that the Government was playing for time.
“We do not need the Financial Bill for any legal purpose,” he said, saying that the budgetary measures have been adopted and the legislation involved did not have to be moved now.
Labour whip Emmet Stagg said if the Green Party reneged on its promise to call an election at the end of January, his party would be tabling a motion of no confidence.