Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together.

My Department has one legislative matter for the current Oireachtas session. The National Economic and Social Development Office Bill 2002 has completed all stages in the Dáil. The Bill commenced Committee Stage in the Seanad and this is due to resume on Thursday, 15 June.

My Department will soon be bringing the text of the statute law revision (pre-union) Bill to Government, with a view to publishing it in autumn. This Bill will continue the process of modernising the Statute Book by repealing over 2,000 ancient statutes, dating from prior to 1801, which are now redundant or obsolete. The Bill will also retain a further 300 or so statutes from the same period that are not proposed for repeal at present.

See this speech in context