The legislation is a necessary instrument to give effect to the core policy decisions in this area. At present, the employment permit system is run on foot of an order under Article 4 of the Aliens Order, 1946. The Government's legal advice is that this would not provide a sufficiently robust statutory basis for introducing the measures contained in the Bill being discussed. Any legislation to underpin the national measures we propose to introduce for the transitional period must be enacted before 16 April 2003, the date for the signing of the accession treaty. Otherwise, there is a danger that such measures might be held to constitute a more restrictive regime than was in place at the time of the signing of the treaty. This would be contrary to the provisions of the accession treaty. This is the reason this Bill is being put to the House at this time and it is in the public interest that it be enacted before 16 April.