Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

On legislation, seven of the 14 Bills promised in September for this session have been published to date. Two of these are the Appropriation Bill 2005 and the Social Welfare Bill 2005, which are routine anyway. Fourteen Bills promised in the January 2003 programme for publication for 2003 have still not appeared. There appears to be a reluctance to forge ahead with the legislation, when one considers the number of statements we have had in this term alone. Nine different issues have been subjects of statements. We had just one in the same term last year.

Is there a trend where time is being filled by statements where legislation is not being prepared? Is this not a cause for review by the Government to ensure legislation is produced, so we can be more productive? As important as statements are, they do not concern the changing of decisions and the work in which we are primarily involved.

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