Nursing Home Support Scheme Bill
Deputy Willie O'Dea asks if the Government will honour its commitment to send his Bill to committee after the promised six months expired. The Taoiseach says the Business Committee sent it back to the sponsor and it must be ordered through the Bills Office.
Just for clarification, the Taoiseach referred to Fianna Fáil leaving government in 2012 on several occasions. To the best of my recollection, we left in February 2011 as a result of an unfortunate general election, which did not enable us to stay around any longer.
I introduced the Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2016 in this House earlier this year. It passed Second Stage and I got a firm commitment from the Government that it would go to committee in six months. The six-month period expired on 26 July 2017. Is the Government going to adhere to its commitment to send this Bill to committee? If so, when?
Comment on this
I understand this was discussed at the Business Committee during the week. It agreed that it would go back to the sponsors. The sponsor would have to make contact with the Bills Office to have the Bill ordered. I am not sure if the Deputy has had a chance to get back to the Bills Office yet, but that is the plan.
The Deputy is quite correct that the change of government happened in 2011. The reason I used 2012 is because that was the first full year we had a new Government and the year in which we determined the budget.