Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the time they put into the Bill which, as the Minister knows well, is a long time coming. While it is a technical Bill it is very important. It is important that there is consistency and absolute certainty in the courts in terms of the meanings we put on Acts of the Oireachtas. I stress to the Minister that when it comes to the issue of better regulation, line Departments and both Houses of the Oireachtas have a responsibility to ensure that Acts of the Oireachtas are understood, written in straightforward language and, when passed, that the information is transmitted in a consumer-friendly way. The State has not done that appropriately in recent years. The principal exampleof that is the revised statute. A commitment was given that we would see that published on a regular basis and it is not in a good condition. I ask the Minister of State to examine that issue. I thank the Minister of State and his officials.