asked the Minister for Justice the proposals he has in relation to bail; and when he proposes to introduce them.

I hope to bring this matter before the Government before long. Until the matter has been considered by the Government I am not in a position to say what may be proposed.

May I take it the Minister has no idea at the moment as to what plans are in mind in this area?

Of course I have but the Deputy must surely understand that, when I am ready, I will bring the matter before the Government and the Government will make a decision on it. I am not in the business, as I said before, of giving personal opinions. I am not here in that capacity.

Does the Minister accept that, in the light of the Taoiseach's speech in Templemore, it appears some ideas must be in the mind of the Taoiseach and the Minister as to what they propose to do in this area?

A number of considerations are being examined and, when they have been examined, the Government will be asked to make a decision and that decision will be made known and can then be debated.

Can the Minister advise as to when this examination will be completed?

I cannot give a date for that.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister not be prepared to deal with this important question of bail in isolation as something that needs urgent attention and cannot wait until an in-depth study of the whole criminal code has become available?

The question asked by Deputy O'Keeffe referred only to bail and I have dealt with bail in reply to the question and the supplementaries.

(Cavan-Monaghan): I understood the Minister to say he had a whole lot of things to deal with and he would deal with this in his own good time and I want to ask him does he think that is good enough?

Question No. 16.