We are living in strange political times – the Green party had announced its withdrawal from the coalition in January but seem have rowed back from that position to remain in government until the legislation associated with the bailout and the December 2010 Budget is enacted. There seem to be various statements and predictions from Fianna Fail as to the date of a general election though March 2010 seems to reflect the broad census of opinion. The prediction on here was that it might be later and indeed may roll over in 2012, though on the other hand events this week seem to have prompted a potential heave later today which would presumably put an immediate end to this government. Strange times indeed.
And yesterday in a departure from usual practice in publishing a legislative programme for the current Dail session, the one that started yesterday, the Government Chief Whip John Curran made a statement on the legislative priorities ahead. His statement in full is available here. He referred to 20 specific bills (not 21 as reported in the Irish Times) and these bills are:
Legislation for publication:
(1) Criminal Justice Bill (White Collar Crime)
(2) Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill
(3) Electoral (Amendment) Bill (Corporate Donations)
(4) NAMA Amendment Bill
(5) Patents (Amendment) Bill
Legislation published
(6) Environment Misc Provisions Bill PUBLISHED
(7) Climate Change Response Bill PUBLISHED
Legislation commenced in the Oireachtas
(8) Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2010 REPORT STAGE DÁIL
(9) Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill 2010 (Vagrancy) REPORT STAGE DÁIL
(10) Communications Regulation Postal Services Bill (Seanad) 2nd STAGE DÁIL
(11) Nurses and Midwives Bill 2010 REPORT STAGE DÁIL
(12) Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009 (Seanad) REPORT STAGE DÁIL
(13) Welfare of Greyhounds Bill 2010 (Seanad) 2nd STAGE Seanad
(14) Criminal Law (Defence and the Dwelling) Bill At Committee Stage DÁIL
(15) Construction Contracts Bill 2010 At Committee Stage Seanad
(16) Multi-Units Development Bill 2009 – To Consider Dáil Amendments
(17) Student Support Bill 2008 – 2nd Stage SEANAD
In addition according to Minister Curran, “the Government partners are committed to the full enactment of the Finance Bill and other Budget related pieces of legislation including the Public Service Pensions pieces of legislation including”
(18) Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) Bill,
(19) Betting (Amendment) Bill
(20) Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
The above may not be exhaustive. The NAMA Amendment bill is interesting and Minister Curran goes on to explain that the bill will “fulfill certain conditions relating to deleveraging of the banks as required under the Programme of Financial Support to Ireland by making provision for the transfer of sub €20m land and development loans from AIB and BOI to NAMA” This is interesting because NAMA doesn’t need legislative permission to acquire sub €20m AIB and BOI loans in the same way legislation wasn’t needed in September 2010 when the Minister announced the raising of the AIB and BoI thresholds from €5m to €20m. So what will the amendment contain? Will it require EU approval?
More predictably there is no word whatsoever about the Property Services (Regulation) Bill which was to give effect to a House Price Database. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 10th August, 2010 committed to introducing legislation to give effect to the HPD. It looks as if it will not happen any time soon.
