18 The Commission can also put forward proposals arising from its own awareness of important law reform issues or from suggestions received from the public, legal practitioners,  judges  or  Government  agencies.  However,  the  vast  majority  of projects  on  the  work  programme  in  recent  years  have  been  references  from Government.    Self-referred  topics  are  uncommon,  and  are  discussed  with  the Minister in advance before incorporation into the agreed work programme.   19 When Ministers and their agencies were asked to put forward possible projects for the work programme in May 2005, the response was disappointing.  As a result, it was agreed that a further cabinet office circular should be sent to new ministers after the election, with a view to adding further projects to the work programme for the second half of 2005/06.    20 Discussions  between  the  Minister,  Commission  and  officials  about  the  work programme  focus  on  the  appropriateness  of  particular  projects  in  terms  of  the agreed criteria, the capacity of the Commission to undertake them and their terms of reference.  Although some Ministers recognise the opportunity this provides for law reform in their portfolios, it is also true that the role of the Commission and the  distinctive  contribution  it  is  able  to  make  is  not  always  well  understood  by either Ministers or their departments.    21 As a result, although more work has been referred to the Commission in recent years  than  it  has  resources  to  undertake,  that  work  has  not  always  fitted  the recently agreed criteria for referral of projects to the Commission.  Instead, it has sometimes  been  work  that  departments  have  not  regarded  as  having  sufficient priority  to  place  on  their  own  work  programme.    To  the  extent  that  this  has occurred,   it   has   militated   against   the   chances   of   implementation   of   the Commission’s recommendations.    22 The  Law  Commission  provides  quarterly  reports  on  progress  with  the  work programme and the President has regular, but not usually frequent, meetings with the Minister during the year to discuss projects and any issues that may arise.  The President usually invites the Minister to visit the Law Commission and meet with the other commissioners and staff on a suitable occasion.      23 Law  Commission  reports  are  published  after  being  tabled  in  Parliament  by  the responsible Minister and the Government Response is tabled in Parliament within six months.    24     As  an  independent  agency,  the  Law  Commission  is  also  sometimes  asked  to contribute to select committees on topics where they have some expertise, or may choose to make a submission.  The President usually has contact with the Chairs of  the  Justice  Select  Committees  during the  year,  and  commissioners  and  select committee members have sometimes met together to discuss law reform generally or topics of mutual interest.