Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

In May, an international conference will take place in Croke Park on the banning of cluster munitions, an issue we discussed last week in a Private Members' motion on the Fine Gael Party private Bill. Legislation is promised on the issue in the Government programme, but if we are to influence the conference, as we did in the case of the landmines legislation in 1996, it would be useful if the Government published heads of legislation before the conference. This would be preferable to chairing the conference and then publishing the legislation when a weak text may emerge.

It has been pointed out to me that it is not even necessary to legislate but that the Government could, by statutory instrument, extend the landmine legislation and, through that, quickly lay down a template that would lead to the best possible outcome on the banning of cluster munitions. Will the Government consider taking such a measure between now and the conference in May?

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