Bills
367 bills tracked. What do the stages mean?
Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2026
11 Jun 2026 Second Stage Current Mattie McGrath
- Prohibits sulky-racing on public roads under local authority jurisdiction without lawful permission; defines sulky-racing as racing horse-drawn vehicles on such roads.
- Makes it illegal to organise, cause, or permit sulky-racing or use of stimulated animals in racing; breaches carry fines up to €5,000 or imprisonment up to six years.
- Grants local authorities enforcement powers and allows fixed penalty notices; addresses safety risks to public, motorists, children, and animal welfare concerns from road racing.
Electoral (Amendment) (Voting Age) Bill 2026
11 Jun 2026 Second Stage Current Joanne Collins
- Lowers voting age for European Parliament elections from 18 to 16 years by amending Electoral Act 1992 section 9.
- Lowers voting age for local government elections from 18 to 16 years by amending Electoral Act 1992 section 10.
- Allows 16-year-olds to register as electors in both European Parliament and local government elections.
Comptroller and Auditor General (Due Diligence Complicity Audit) (Amendment) Bill 2026
13 May 2026 Second Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Amends the Comptroller and Auditor General Act 1993 to require a special due diligence audit of Ireland's relations with Israel within one year, covering aid, assistance, and all cultural, diplomatic, economic, financial, political and military dealings.
- Audit must follow UN Commission of Inquiry's legal analysis on International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion regarding unlawful occupation and breaches of international law, with findings and compliance recommendations reported to the Oireachtas.
- Empowers the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to request similar due diligence audits of other states believed responsible for unlawful occupation or serious breaches of international law including genocide.
National Minimum Wage (Equal Pay for Apprentices and Young Workers) Bill 2026
13 May 2026 Second Stage Current Paul Murphy
- Deletes apprentice exemption from National Minimum Wage Act 2000, making apprentices subject to minimum wage requirements.
- Removes reduced minimum wage rates for workers under 20 years old by deleting section 15 of the 2000 Act.
- Requires all apprentices and young workers to be paid 100% of the national minimum wage regardless of age or status.
Health (Abolition of Three Day Wait Rule) (Amendment) Bill 2026
8 May 2026 Second Stage Current David Cullinane
- Removes mandatory three-day waiting period before accessing termination of pregnancy under section 12 of the 2018 Act.
- Deletes references to three-day wait requirement in pregnancy certification processes under section 12.
- Comes into force on date appointed by Minister for Health.
Work Life Balance Bill 2026
8 May 2026 Second Stage Current Sinéad Gibney
- Employees gain day-one right to request flexible and remote working; employers must approve or reject within 4 weeks based only on specified business grounds, replacing current discretionary refusal rules.
- Repeals Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and Part IIA of Parental Leave Act 1998; amends redundancy, dismissal, and working time laws to protect flexible work arrangements.
- Protects employees from penalisation for requesting flexible work; disputes resolved via adjudication officer or Labour Court with remedies including compliance directions and compensation.
Residential Tenancies (Temporary Prohibition of Termination Notices) Bill 2026
7 May 2026 Second Stage Current Conor Sheehan
- Bans no-fault termination notices under Residential Tenancies Act 2004 for 3 years, except for breach of tenant obligations or non-payment of rent.
- Declares the 3-year period an emergency period, activating the same legal protections that applied during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Responds to 41% rise in termination notices in late 2025 and rents doubling over 10 years by temporarily preventing landlord no-fault evictions.
Local Government (Cities) Bill 2026
29 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Joanna Byrne
- Renames the municipal district containing Drogheda Urban to 'Municipal District of Drogheda City' in English and provides Irish language equivalent.
- Creates a process allowing towns with 45,000+ population density of 1,500/km² to apply for city status via council petition and ministerial approval.
- Amends Local Government Act 2001 to establish criteria, procedures and ministerial discretion for granting city status to qualifying specified towns.
Gender Recognition (Amendment) (Prisons) Bill 2025
28 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Peadar Tóibín
- Amends Gender Recognition Act 2015 to clarify that a gender recognition certificate does not change how prisoners are classified for prison single-sex accommodation rules.
- Ensures Prison Rules 2007 Rule 52(1) on male/female prisoner separation applies regardless of whether a gender recognition certificate was issued before or after this Bill passes.
- Applies retroactively to all existing and future gender recognition certificates and all periods of imprisonment, whether started before or after the Bill's passage.
Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2026
28 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Joe Neville
- Exempts non-profit early childhood care and education providers from business rates, including after-care and part-time provision.
- Exempts for-profit early childhood providers receiving Core Funding and capping fees at ECCE programme rates from business rates.
- Exempts childminders offering services from their home (mixed-use dwelling) from business rates on that portion.
Child Maintenance Bill 2026
27 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Pauline Tully
- Revenue Commissioners will administratively assess child maintenance liabilities using standard formulae set by the Minister for Justice, determining who pays and receives, before court applications are generally permitted.
- Assessments become binding only if all parties accept them; rejection triggers court proceedings under existing law. Assessments can be updated for changed circumstances.
- Revenue Commissioners calculate liability by comparing each parent's income percentage against care cost percentage, applying deductions for living allowance, dependent children, and multiple child maintenance groups.
Life Annuity (Ireland) Bill 2026
22 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Catherine Ardagh
- Establishes regulated framework for Life Annuity agreements allowing older homeowners to receive lump sums or regular payments while retaining lifetime residence rights in their homes.
- Introduces consumer protections: mandatory independent legal and financial advice, statutory cooling-off period, standardised disclosure, and Central Bank regulatory oversight of commercial operators.
- Distributes longevity risk between purchaser and vendor as alternative to existing high-interest equity release products; ensures vendor's residence rights are legally enforceable and registered.
Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025
17 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current
- Reduces waiting period for final asset disposal from 7 years to 2 years after court determines property is crime proceeds.
- Automatically appoints a receiver when court finds assets are crime proceeds, preventing criminal benefit from property pending disposal.
- Allows Criminal Assets Bureau officers to freeze financial accounts for 7 days immediately, or obtain court orders for up to 90 days, to prevent fund dissipation during investigations.
Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2026
27 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Rory Hearne
- Proposes a constitutional amendment to add a right to housing in Ireland's constitution.
- Currently at Second Stage of legislative process; specific amendment text and scope not detailed in provided information.
- Sponsored by Rory Hearne; practical effects of amendment depend on final wording and passage through remaining stages.
Planning and Development (Material Interest) Bill 2026
25 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Peadar Tóibín
- Objections to planning permission become ineffective unless made by someone with material interest in the development, with exceptions for State authorities and public bodies.
- Personal information submitted solely to prove material interest is kept private and not disclosed to the public by planning authorities or An Coimisiún Pleanála.
- Bill amends Planning and Development Act 2024 and Act 2000 to apply the material interest requirement to submissions, observations, and appeals against planning decisions.
Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) (Work Equipment) Bill 2026
20 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current PJ Murphy
- Adds mandatory minimum sentence for adults convicted of theft of work equipment under Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
- Applies to theft and certain related offences involving tools and supplies used in one's business.
- Bill commences on date specified in Section 2; sponsored by Senators Murphy, Duffy, and Kennelly.
Antarctic Treaty (Accension and Implementation) Bill 2026
20 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Malcolm Byrne
- Enables Ireland to formally accede to the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and Madrid Protocol (1991), establishing legal framework for implementing international Antarctic obligations.
- Creates permit system requiring Irish citizens and bodies to obtain approval for Antarctic activities (scientific, tourism, construction); Minister assesses environmental impact and may impose conditions.
- Designates Minister for Foreign Affairs as responsible authority for Antarctic Treaty matters; grants inspection powers and enforcement authority; prohibits mineral extraction except scientific research.
Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018
20 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Lynn Ruane
- Expands convictions eligible to become 'spent' (non-disclosable): custodial sentences up to 24 months, non-custodial up to 48 months.
- Introduces proportional rehabilitative periods based on sentence length; shorter periods for adults aged 18–24.
- Increases maximum spent convictions from one to two (three for young adults); requires ministerial review after two years.
Housing Loans Regulations (Fresh Start - Buyout) (Amendment) Bill 2026
19 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Eoin Ó Broin
- Amends Housing Loans Regulations 2021 to allow people staying in family home after divorce/separation to get local authority housing loans to buyout ex-partner's share.
- Extends eligibility criteria in Regulation 7 to include those retaining ownership post-divorce/separation who need mortgage finance for buyout purposes.
- Enables divorced or legally separated individuals to access housing loan funding from local authorities specifically for acquiring their former partner's property interest.
Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021
16 Mar 2026 Second Stage Defeated Alice-Mary Higgins
- Implements EU public procurement directive to set contract award criteria, emphasizing quality-price balance and social considerations in government contracts.
- Requires human rights protections apply to public contracts above a set spending threshold and mandates annual reporting to parliament.
- Provides guidelines on social factors in procurement and establishes process to justify departures from best value-for-money approach.
Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Standing Charges) Bill 2026
6 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Darren O'Rourke
- Amends Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to give CRU legal power to monitor and regulate standing charges on electricity and gas bills.
- Requires utility companies to seek CRU approval before increasing standing charges and limits them to covering fixed connection costs only.
- Empowers CRU to investigate suppliers using standing charges to boost profits and order excessive rates reduced to cost-recovery levels.
Irish Language Name and Address of the Person (Length Accent) Bill 2026
6 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Protects accuracy of Irish language names and addresses, including proper vowel accents, in official records under Data Protection Act 2018.
- Requires regulators to ensure businesses respect customers' Irish names and addresses by January 1, 2030.
- Amends national postcode system contract rules to align with Irish language name and address standards.
Official Languages (Right to Use the Irish Language) (Amendment) Bill 2026
5 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Amends the Official Languages Act 2003 to protect citizens' right to communicate in Irish without infringement or obstruction.
- Amends the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 to ensure Irish-language communication rights apply online and in media contexts.
- Specific enforcement mechanisms or penalties not detailed in the long title; further information requires examination of bill text.
Repeal of Exempted Development Regulations Bill 2026
27 Feb 2026 Second Stage Current Eoin Ó Broin
- Repeals two 2022–2023 regulations that exempted certain temporary accommodation buildings for international protection seekers from planning permission requirements.
- Removes exempted development status previously extended to 2028, requiring future accommodation facilities to obtain standard planning permission.
- Allows state agency to apply for planning retention permission for existing exempted accommodation to continue operating legally.