Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

My Department has one item of legislation on the A list, the statute law revision Bill, which will be published this session. The Bill will continue the process of modernising the Statute Book by repealing over 3,000 ancient statutes dating from between 1200 and 6 December 1922 that are now redundant or obsolete. The Bill will also positively retain in the region of 1,350 statutes from the same period, as they are not proposed for repeal at present. Ultimately, it is the intention that all legislation predating the foundation of the State should be repealed. Where we need to keep the provisions of any pre-1922 legislation, it is intended that they will be re-enacted in a more modern form.

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