Social Welfare and Pensions Bill
Willie O'Dea complains that the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill is late and that Committee Stage is being scheduled before Second Stage. The Minister says the Bill is going to Cabinet and will be published, with Second Stage to follow as early as possible before the summer recess.
I ask the Taoiseach about the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. As he knows, it is customary that the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill would be taken in the first half of the year. We had the pre-legislative stage some weeks ago, but the Bill has not been published yet. There is no indication on the Order of Business for this week or the indicative order for next week that Second Stage will be debated in the House but, amazingly, Committee Stage to be taken by the joint committee is scheduled for this day week. I always thought the practice was to have Second Stage before Committee Stage. Have we reverted to having Committee Stage before Second Stage? Is this new politics?
Comment on this
We are proposing to bring the legislation to Cabinet in the morning and then it will be published. I have requested through the Whip's office that we schedule Second Stage at the earliest convenient time. Obviously, we will not have Committee Stage if we have not had Second Stage, but I expect-----
Comment on this
-----with the help of Deputy O'Dea and all the other parties in the House, that we might conclude all Stages before we recess for the summer. We certainly will be taking Second Stage.