asked the Minister for Labour the legislation pertaining to his Department which has been introduced and passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas since December 1982.

I assume that the Deputy's question refers only to statutes passed by the Oireachtas. During the period mentioned, the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Act, 1984, was passed.

Would the Minister accept that that kind of programme of legislation for three years is abysmal to say the very least?

No, I would not.

Would he accept that for a Department who have a Minister and a Minister of State to succeed in having only one Bill passed in three years hardly justifies their existence in any form?

It would be a mistake — some Deputies from the other side have expressed this view — to pass laws simply for the sake of passing them without giving due regard to the impact they may have particularly in the complex area of industrial relations and the labour market generally where the operation of those laws requires the consent of the social partners. This House would need to take some time on that and, if the Deputy is anxious about the legislative record of this Administration in this area, I assure him that he will have ample time to debate at length and to enact legislation in this area.

That is not to say that the Minister is going to give me the job. Regarding item No. 33 on today's Order Paper and the hours of work level, would the Minister confirm that the Government's intention is not to proceed with that Bill in the life of the present Dáil? If not, is the decision being made just to leave it there? I just want to know the position; I am not particularly anxious to have the Bill.

That seems to be another question.

No, it is legislation. It is a Bill on the Order Paper.

It is not clear whether the Deputy wants legislation, but this legislation is on the Order Paper and has completed its passage through the Seanad and is halfway through Second Stage. It will be proceeded with in accordance with the agreed procedure which is a matter for the Whips.

What Bills can we expect from the Minister's Department in the foreseeable future?

There is another question on that.

I am trying to establish under Question No. 6 that, if there has not been legislation in the past three years, perhaps some is about to descend on us pretty quickly.

The question on the Order Paper refers to legislation which has been enacted.

I take it that the last part will take a long time.

In order to help the House and the Deputy, if a question is put down to me asking what legislation we propose to introduce in the area of the Department of Labour, I will be happy to answer it.

There is a question already.