Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

101. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the Bills he will reinitiate relevant to his Department from the previous Dáil; the Bills he will introduce in the coming sessions; when he will introduce each Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15199/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for Government sets out the key priorities for the Government for its term in office.

There are no Department of Social Protection Bills from the previous Dáil to be re-initiated.

My Department's normal legislative cycle involves the enactment of two or more Social Welfare Bills each year:

- a Bill, usually in December each year, whose primary focus is to implement the social welfare changes announced in the October Budget - it is usual for this Bill to be enacted before the Christmas recess; and

- a Bill, usually in early Summer each year, to provide a legal basis within the social welfare code for policy, administrative and operational changes (and Budget measures, if required) - it is anticipated that any measures of this nature will be included with the Social Welfare Bill incorporating Budget changes.

My Department is also responsible for a number of other areas of legislation including civil registration and occupational and private pensions.

My Department is working closely with the Department of Justice and Equality on the Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill, which provides for the introduction of an entitlement of two weeks paternity leave and the associated social welfare payment of paternity benefit. This Bill is being brought forward as a priority Bill by the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. These provisions are due to be in place from September 2016, as announced in Budget 2016.

Once a Bill has been published it is a matter for the Oireachtas to determine the timing of the Bill through the Houses.