Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The House faces into a second week in which the Government will engage in back-slapping and we will not debate substantive legislation. Last June, on the Order of Business, the Taoiseach informed me that the heads of the children first Bill had been passed by the Cabinet and the only reason the legislation had not reached the floor of the House was that legislative pressures were preventing it from being introduced in the House before the summer. He promised that the Bill would be dealt with after the summer recess. The autumn session has come and gone and we are in the month of March. Despite repeated promises to introduce it, the legislation is still awaited. Will the Tánaiste give a clear and definitive timeframe for the introduction of the Bill?

The information and tracing Bill has been repeatedly promised by the Government. When will this important legislation come before the House?

Statements on social housing have been scheduled for tomorrow. Would it not be more appropriate for the Government to introduce the promised housing (miscellaneous provisions) Bill to deal with the many anomalies in the sector and the problems many people are experiencing as they seek to be placed on the social housing waiting list?

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