Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Of course it will be the case that any agency set up for this or any other purpose must act with due legal authority. Therefore, whatever powers are required for it will have to be obtained in this House and elsewhere. That goes without saying.

What I have been speaking about here is that in order for the work to begin and for the implementation plan to be drawn up, they must run in parallel with the legal work that must be undertaken by the Attorney General's office and the Department of Finance regarding the legal apparatus required for the setting up of the agency. It is only when the heads of the Bill are prepared and brought to Cabinet that we will be able to indicate how soon this will be legislated for. It is a priority in the Department.

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