Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Will the Tánaiste indicate when it is intended to move Second Stage of the betting (amendment) Bill, which is on the pink sheets. It is an imminent promise. This relates to the regulation of the betting industry and it will bring about necessary changes.

Other legislation promised for some time and regarded as urgently required includes the collective investment schemes consolidation Bill. This has been referred to as necessary legislation in recent times. When is it likely to come before the House? Have the heads been discussed and to what extent?

There are two final points. Apropos of the points made by Deputy O'Dea and the Tánaiste, the criminal justice (victims rights) Bill was promised and it is in the C section. Its purpose is to strengthen the rights of victims of crime and of their families and to give effect to the proposed EU directive. As a result of recent court cases wherein victims have been prosecuted as well, this is appropriate legislation to bring forward now.

A final tranche of legislation is urgently required. I am sorry for delaying the Order of Business with this but, unfortunately, all this legislation was promised when I was sitting on the far side of the House. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill is to implement the recommendations of the second interim report of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children to protect vulnerable persons against sexual exploitation and abuse.

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