Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I said on Committee Stage that it is a normal feature of most legislation that there is flexibility for the Minister to commence all or part of the Bill as appropriate. The Minister indicated during the committee deliberations that he had given a commitment both inside the House and elsewhere to commence this Bill as soon as possible. Thousands of citizens are interested in its progress and wish to avail of its provisions as quickly as possible. Some, as I have indicated, may not be in the best of health and wish to regularise their arrangements, which may have been in place for many years, while they are still able to do so. There is an imperative on this House to conclude its deliberations on this matter, and on the Minister to make the appropriate commencement orders as soon as is practicable.

The Minister indicated that two other Departments, the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Protection, are working in tandem on drawing up taxation measures and social welfare provisions to mirror the new regime. I understand from the Minister's Committee Stage contribution that they are doing so on the basis of the Bill as published. Will the Minister indicate what progress those two Departments have made? We must have an assurance that once the Oireachtas has completed its deliberation and the Bill is sent to the President for signature, there will be no further delays arising from the inaction of other Departments in bringing the relevant provisions into effect.

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