David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a standard commencement provision which I have been advised by senior officials in my Department and the Office of the Attorney General is required as a matter of good legislative and drafting practice. I assure Senators that the Minister and I will not delay in commencing the Bill once enacted and to this effect, my officials and the Office of the Attorney General are preparing a commencement order to be signed by the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, after the Bill is enacted.

A draft of the order has been prepared alongside the Government amendments. As I mentioned earlier, the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, will sign the order as soon as is possible following enactment. We plan that the order will be signed in mid-July, probably on 19 July, to allow the Bill to come into effect six weeks before the date on which the entitlement to leave comes into force. It is intended that the commencement order will enable the entitlement to additional leave to come into effect on 1 September 2019. Otherwise, there is a risk with the current provision, which provides that the Bill would come into effect three months after enactment. It is possible with that provision that the Bill might not come into force on 1 September if there were a delay in the Bill passing both Houses and subsequently being signed into law by the President. The proposed commencement provision allows for the Bill to come into force on a specified date. I will undertake to ensure that the commencement order is signed in good time to enable the Bill to come into effect on 1 September.