Details of new Sexual Offences Bill to be revealed tonight

The Government is still trying to get all-party agreement on the detail of the new Sexual Offences Bill.

Government sources say it could now be close to 7pm when the exact details of the proposed bill are known.

The Dáil will sit at 10.30am tomorrow to debate the legislation, which should be passed into law by tomorrow evening.

Since 11.45am, the special sub-committee of Michael McDowell, Mary Harney, Brian Cowan, Brian Lenihan and the Government's legal advisor, the Attorney General Rory Brady, have been meeting behind closed doors.

The Taoiseach, who is in New York, has also been in regular contact throughout the day with the Tánaiste.

According to reports, in the main, the details of the bill have been agreed, but an unforeseen delay has arisen because of ongoing consultation with Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Féin and the independents on points requiring clarification.

Details of the bill should be revealed tonight but the bill itself won't be printed until tomorrow morning.