Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 December 2025
377. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the average time over the past six years it has taken to produce a stamped final bill in his Department from the time when his Department has received government approval for the general scheme and the heads of a bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70271/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated average time taken as calculated from the date of decision of the Government to approve the drafting of each Bill based on its General Scheme, to the date on which the final Bill was published is estimated at 50 weeks. This is based on 18 pieces of legislation which where approved for drafting, and completed drafting in the period 2019 - 2025. It does not include legislation approved for drafting prior to 2019 which was completed during the 6 year period. It also does not include timelines on Bills which were approved for drafting in the time period but where drafting is still underway.
Legislative proposals are rarely similar or comparable on a like by like basis. Accordingly Bills will vary in complexity and in the drafting and legal resources required to progress from a General Scheme to a stamped copy. In the period in question, the time from Government approval to draft to publication by my Department ranged from 7 to 170 weeks. In addition, I note the period in question spans the period of the COVID-19 pandemic which had a significant impact in terms of resources available to my Department and in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and Attorney Generals' Office but which also necessitated drafting of new and urgent legislation.
