Public Health Alcohol Bill timing
Róisín Shortall sought a timetable for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, but the chair limited her to one Bill. The Taoiseach said he wanted it through quickly, noted it had passed Seanad Committee Stage, and said it should conclude early next year if not before the recess.
I wish to raise two pieces of promised legislation, the first of which is the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015. There is concern there will be yet another long delay in the Seanad when consultation is taking place. Will the Taoiseach give an indication of the timescale to which he is working?
It was expected that this would be done and dusted by Christmas. Is that still a possibility or to what timescale is the Government working?
In respect of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill-----
Comment on this
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is very close to my heart. The Deputy and I are architects of it and I am very keen for it to pass through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible. It has completed Committee Stage in the Seanad. The Government anticipated it would complete all Stages in the Seanad and, hopefully, be introduced into the Dáil before the recess but, if that is not to be the case, we expect it to be concluded early next year. The Deputy will appreciate the Government has a majority in neither the Seanad nor the Dáil. If it did, much more would be done much more quickly.