Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Finance the publication date of the Finance (No. 3) Bill 2011. [14236/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Finance (No. 3) Bill 2011 will be published on Thursday 9 June 2011. It will provide for the necessary taxation changes to the various Taxation Acts arising from the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. I expect the Bill to be enacted before the summer.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will introduce legislation to regulate the construction sector to ensure that subcontractors are treated in a fair manner and that they are paid in a timely fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9058/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce new legislation to protect small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that the Construction Contracts Bill 2010 was introduced by Senator Feargal Quinn and passed Committee and remaining Stages in the Seanad on 8 March 2011. It is now before the Dáil. I understand that the Seanad debate highlighted a number of matters relating to the Bill that require further consideration and acknowledged that the regulatory impact of such a piece of legislation needs to be fully assessed. This work is currently taking place.

My colleague Minister of State Brian Hayes at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is now examining the Senator's Bill and a decision will be taken on how best to proceed. It is important that a solution to the problem of non-payment in the construction sector must not place an unnecessary regulatory or cost burden on the parties to the dispute, other parties involved in the project, or the State.