merrion street

Minister Shatter said 'Fianna Fáil Justice Spokesperson Dara Calleary is mistaken in what he says about the proposed Personal Insolvency Bill.  Throughout I stated that Heads of the Bill would be first published to facilitate the Joint Oireachtas Justice Committee forming a preliminary view on the proposed Bill.  The Heads of the Bill will shortly be considered by Cabinet and should be published within the next 10 days or so.  

Under the programme agreed with the EU/IMF/ECB by the previous Government, the Bill in its final legislative form was to be published by the 31 March next.  The Troika have now stated that they are agreeable that an extra month be given for finalising the Bill.  

I welcome this decision as it will afford the Joint Oireachtas Committee, of which the Deputy is a member, some additional time to consider the detailed and comprehensive Heads of the Bill once agreed by Cabinet and will also afford some additional time to Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General’s Office to complete the Bill for debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas.'