Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The question deals with the Taoiseach's legislative priorities for 2009. Why is there so little proposed legislation from the Government, with only one piece of legislation to come from the Taoiseach's Department? Last year we had 25 pieces of legislation enacted, the lowest number of enactments for the past decade. We are now more than half way into the current Dáil session. We were promised that some 18 pieces of legislation would be published this session, but only one of those, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Bill, has been published.

Can the Taoiseach tell the House why the Government is bringing forward so little legislation? Why are important pieces of legislation which many of us have been seeking, such as the legislation to regulate the operation of management companies which affect tens of thousands of tenants in private rented accommodation and people who have bought apartments, taking so long? We have been seeking electronic surveillance legislation, which might assist in dealing with the crime problem. We were promised we would have at least the heads of a civil unions Bill by this time last year. What is delaying the legislation and why are Ministers so slow in bringing forward the legislation promised by this Government?

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