Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am more resilient that he thinks.

The legislative priorities for the Government in the current session are as per the A list which was published in September 2008. Five of those Bills have been published and a further three that were not on the list were published. We will review the priorities for the next session in the normal course and a new list will be published in January. The focus from now to 2012 must be in implementing the programme for Government as resources allow. A number of consolidation and restatement projects are continuing.

On a general level, I take the point made by the Deputy. Legislative priorities change according as needs arise. I cannot explain each on a personal basis and it is beyond the remit of the question. However, I am sure that if one were to put down questions for Ministers one might glean why the journey for any particular legislation is so long and meandering. In many respects, the reason is that Ministers and Government and Opposition parties have identified other priorities beyond those mentioned.

There is also the fact that drafting legislation is a highly specialised craft. This bedevils consecutive Governments and I know the matter has been worked on by Governments anxious to improve performance in this area. The training and upskilling of people from within the system requires continuing effort. As Deputies know, there are many people who have retired from the service and that without their continuing effort beyond retirement we would be left in a very difficult situation regarding some of these issues.

However, it is a point. I can ask the Chief Whip to come back to me on the present state of play concerning drafters of legislation in the system.

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