Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are 5 Billsfrom Department of Finance included in the Priority sections of the Government Legislation Programme 2024.

The following 3 Bills were prioritized for publication:

1.Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill:

· The intent of this proposed Bill is to provide for the establishment of the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.

· The Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Report was received on 25 January 2024.

· Estimated date for Cabinet approval of the publication of the Bill is in February 2024.

2.Motor Insurance Insolvency Compensation Bill 2023:

· This purpose of this proposed Bill is to transpose Articles 10a and 25a of the revised EU Motor Insurance Directive (Directive 103/2009/EC) as amended by Directive (2021/2118).

· Heads of Bill were approved in November 2023. Pre-Legislative Scrutiny was waived on 11 December 2023.

· The Heads of Bill are currently with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for drafting of the Bill.

3.Credit Review Service Bill:

· The Credit Review Service Bill provides for the establishment of the Credit Review Service as a body corporate, with the Head of the Service being the Credit Reviewer. This proposed Bill aims to codify the Service’s current practices.

· As regards the current status, a drafter from the Office of the Attorney General (OPC) was appointed to draft the legislation. Department officials are working with the drafter on advancing the bill.

The following 2 Bills were prioritized for drafting:

1.Finance (Tax Appeals) Bill:

·The intent of this proposed Bill is to provide for the appointment of non-temporary Commissioners with different tiers of responsibility and to make various technical amendments to the appeals process, taking into account the 2021 Supreme Court judgement in respect of the Zalewski v Workplace Relations Commission.

· The Heads of Bill have been drafted, and my Department is presently engaging with the Tax Appeals Commission and Revenue in respect of the proposed changes made by the Bill. We expect to bring the General Scheme to Government to request approval to draft a Bill in the coming weeks.

2.Access to Cash Bill:

·The aim of this proposed Bill isto preserve access to cash at December 2022 levels. The Bill will also look at the resilience of the cash system and the manner in which cash travels around the system in Ireland. This involves two main elements – the regulation of ATM operators and the regulation of Cash in Transit (CIT) companies.

· Heads of Bill were approved at Cabinet on 23.01.24. A Letter has been sent to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to request priority drafting.

There are four Department of Finance Bills included in the All Other Legislation section of the Government Legislation Programme 2024. These are the following: The Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 (Amendment) Bill; the Customs Acts 2015 (Amendment) Bill; the Restrictive Measures Bill, and; the Taxation and Certain Other Matters (International Mutual Assistance) Bill.