Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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73. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of pieces of legislation that were submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by his Department since 2011; his plans to allow pre-legislative scrutiny for any upcoming pieces of legislation from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12413/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Following changes to Standing Orders (agreed by the Dáil on 17 October 2013), Ministers are now required, except in exceptional circumstances, to bring the general scheme or draft heads of a Bill to a Select Committee for consideration.

Committees are empowered to consider the draft Heads of Bills but they are not required to do soit is the Committee's prerogative to decide on a case by case basis whether it wishes to engage in pre-legislative scrutiny on any particular Bill.

The table below provides details of the Bills initiated by the Department of Finance since 2011 on which the Committee held a pre-legislative scrutiny hearing.

The Central Bank Bill 2014 underwent Pre-legislative Scrutiny on 26 March 2014. The European Stability Mechanism (Amendment) Bill 2014 underwent Pre-legislative Scrutiny on 24 September 2014. The Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill underwent Pre-legislative scrutiny on 3 December 2014.

A pre-legislative scrutiny hearing was also held on 27 January 2015 and 25 February 2015 in relation to the Finance (Tax Appeals Commission) legislation. This proposed legislation has not yet been published as a Bill.

Future legislation will be submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny as a general rule, in accordance with Standing Order requirements. Finance Bills are exempt from pre-legislative scrutiny.