Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The House seems to be in skittish mood this morning. I am not so sure I know why. Perhaps it is nervousness because Government Members do not know what will happen next. I ask about the much promised and oft raised in the House legislation relating to estate management companies. Has any progress taken place since it was raised by Labour Party, Fine Gael and other Members of the House in recent weeks?

The Tánaiste's Department has proposed legislation to consolidate and update collective investment schemes. It would be very appropriate to rush that legislation into the House. How urgent is the legislation and when does the Tánaiste expect to bring it into the House, in order to give an indication to the public as to the seriousness of the Government's intention in this area?

Sadly and tragically, as has often happened in the past, criminality seems to grow. The matter has been raised on all sides of the House in recent years without any response from Government. Tragically, in recent days a young garda died as a result of activity that was obviously of an illegal or criminal nature. There is a plethora of legislation that has been promised for some considerable time. Threats have been made as to when this legislation is likely to be introduced. As a former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, a Cheann Comhairle, you know that public confidence in the system is waning at an alarming rate. I ask once again when it is intended to introduce into the House one single piece of legislation. It would be possible to put all this promised legislation together in a consolidated Bill to allow us to put the criminals behind bars. Everybody in the country knows about it and wants something to be done. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been sitting on his hands since he came into office.

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