Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will revert to the Deputies with an answer on the issue they raise. Before I can issue a money message, I need to know how much it would cost the taxpayer. As the budget has been done for next year, we do not have substantial amounts of unallocated money. I cannot issue money messages for money that is not available to spend.

I acknowledge, however, that we have a problem with the amount of Private Members' legislation coming through the House and, quite frankly, the quality of some of this legislation. What is required in that regard is that we embrace new politics. Mr. Aidan Dunning, a former Secretary General and independent person, prepared a report on how we can improve the processes by which the House is supposed to work, make new politics work and ensure Private Members' legislation coming through the House is of quality and can progress and be enacted. Unfortunately, we do not have all-party agreement on implementing Mr. Dunning's report. If we had agreement on it, I believe we could pass some of these Bills.

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