Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I wish to raise three matters. As regards the issue raised by Deputy Bruton concerning child protection and the age of consent, an Oireachtas committee made a total of 61 recommendations on this area some time ago, none of which appears to have been implemented. Will the Tánaiste say what plans the Government has to implement those recommendations while the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children is still considering the more complicated issue of the promised amendment?

Yesterday, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform published new proposals to tighten the law as regards the sale and abuse of alcohol. They are obviously welcome and I should like if the Tánaiste could indicate when those proposals might be brought before the House. I also want to ask about legislation already enacted, but which has not been implemented, including provisions for the traceability of drink, particularly drink sold in off-licences, and plans to have such stock labelled so that it can be traced. Then there is the legislation enacted to allow for on-the-spot fines for drunken behaviour in public places, which has not been implemented either. When will the Government implement the legislation that has already been enacted?

The third matter relates to the appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which I have raised before, and Deputy Burton raised it with the Taoiseach on Tuesday. The Comptroller and Auditor General is due to retire on 14 May. His replacement has to be nominated and approved by this House for appointment by the President. To date, my party has not been informed as regards the plans or procedures the Government intends to apply to the proposal for a new Comptroller and Auditor General. We have not been consulted although we have raised the matter here a couple of times before this. I should like to know what is happening. We do not want to find ourselves simply being presented with a fait accompli here some morning. This is an important constitutional office dealing with oversight of Government spending and the country's money. Obviously, it has a critical role as regards the waste of public expenditure, as well. We have not been consulted on this to date and we want to be. Will the Tánaiste please tell the House what plans there are in this regard?

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