Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Before I raise questions on the Order of Business, I wish to point out to the Minister representing the Government that this side of the House co-operates with the Government in bringing forward legislation in an urgent manner. However, the National Oil Reserves Agency Bill was only published on Friday, it was received by most Deputies on Tuesday and is now to be debated on Thursday. We had a convention that Deputies would be given a reasonable period to prepare responses to Bills. We should revert to the proper practices we were observing in the past. This Bill could not be construed as emergency legislation.

I wish to raise a number of questions on the Order of Business. For the past number of days Deputy Kenny has asked the number of people who are awaiting trial under sections 1 and 2 of the 1935 Act, which have been deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. We have not yet heard how many such cases await trial or whether the decision jeopardises any of them. I am anxious to know whether the Minister has obtained that information for the House.

The Government deemed No. 54 on the list of proposed legislation, the register of persons who are considered unsafe to work with children Bill, a significant priority but it appears that the heads thereof have not yet been presented to it. What does significant priority mean if this is not coming to Government and if the Taoiseach cannot indicate the stage of preparation it has reached?

We do not have the legislative basis for the scheme in respect of the hepatitis C and HIV compensation tribunal (amendment) Bill, which the Tánaiste announced 16 months ago, in February 2005. It is unacceptable that people infected by the State, who have waited nine years for this legislation, received firm promises 16 months ago but have seen no solid progress.

The Government indicated that it would introduce orders, secondary legislation, to provide that doctors and other medical professionals would display prices in their surgeries. The Competition Authority is now taking action on allegations of price-fixing or lack of transparency in the medical profession. What is the position regarding the promised order that was intended to deal with this matter in advance?

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