Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share the Deputy's opinion that it is important legislation that will enable us to ratify the UN convention. We are working urgently on a small number of outstanding issues that involve a number of Departments, primarily the Department of Health. It is necessary to set up an agency to deal with the new capacity legislation. There is an agreement that the agency will be under the Department of Health. That Department is addressing issues with the Office of the Attorney General and my Department. I hope that they can be resolved in the coming days and that we will be in a position to publish the legislation before Christmas. Of course, it then depends on whether there is time to debate it in the House. Reaching it as soon as possible is a priority. Detailed work is under way. We are trying to finalise difficult legislative issues, but they are receiving urgent attention.

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