Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

As for the first question on when the new Department of children and youth affairs will be established, I draw Deputy Ó Caoláin's attention to the ministers and secretaries (amendment) Bill on the A list of promised legislation. This Bill will provide for the establishment of the Department of children and youth affairs and the new Department of public expenditure and reform. Obviously this Bill is being given priority because the Government is anxious to establish the aforementioned two Departments as quickly as possible and I expect the Bill will be before the House within a matter of weeks.

As for target dates for the publication of legislation, I am sure Deputy Ó Caoláin will recall that in the past, a practice existed whereby indicative dates were given for the publication of legislation but that those dates were then not met. Consequently, there often is considerable doubt as to whether those indicative dates will be met. In drawing up this legislative programme, the Government decided that the indicative dates that would be published therein would be dates the Government intends to meet. In cases in which it has not been possible to fix a date, that has been indicated in the legislative programme.

In respect of the Bills to which the Deputy refers, they are being furthered by the Minister for children. It is not intended that there will be a delay in their publication and when it is possible to provide a definitive date for publication, it will be given.

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