Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Many issues were raised. The issue of sovereign bonds was something that was introduced in the budget and we want to proceed with it immediately. That is why it is being discussed today.

On internships, many people, including some Deputies present, approached me and asked why an employer could not pay people who were willing to work for social welfare a few bob. It seemed like a simple idea. When we examined the issue, we found a number of legal issues had to be addressed. It is amazing that everybody wants everything done in a hurry but when one starts doing things in a hurry they ask one to do things slowly.

The internship program will be monitored by FÁS. People will be trained and FÁS will examine the abilities of the people concerned and make sure that the training is appropriate. It is not a question of us offering cheap labour; it will not work like that and there will be a large training element to the programme.

On civil partnerships,the legislation is due to come into force in January and we need the provisions in order that we can commence the social welfare provisions in parallel with that.

On public office holders, there would be an outcry if we did not put the PRSI provisions in place in parallel with all of the other impositions. People would say we were feathering our own nests. That is the reason that measure has to be passed. There is a good reason for each measure.

I would like to make a general point. This is the third Bill this year from my Department. There is an impression that there are limitless resources in Departments. Legislation is very detailed and I can confirm that the officials in my Department have burned the midnight oil to prepare the Bill, as Deputies will know because they received the information late last night. There have been months of work and they also have to prepare statutory instruments. The officials have worked as fast as they can.

We are introducing more Bills and making changes and the House in general has been putting pressure on us to bring in more reform and move forward faster. To a certain extent, we are victims of our own success in that we can introduce many important changes, which are needed, by 1 January.

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