Bills
1,049 bills tracked.
Gas (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Dissolves Ervia and transfers its functions, assets, liabilities, records, and staff to Gas Networks Ireland.
- Amends Gas Act 1976 and Gas Regulation Act 2013 to reflect the organizational restructuring and update gas regulation.
- Amends Freedom of Information Act 2014 and makes related changes to support the transition.
Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates an elected mayor position for Limerick City and County Council with specific powers and governance responsibilities.
- Allows other councils to hold public votes on creating mayor positions, requiring electoral law amendments to enable the elections.
- Expands affordable housing eligibility, requires consulting the Public Appointments Service on local government job qualifications, and repeals prior mayoral provisions.
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Changes court procedures for sexual offence trials: how evidence is presented, questions asked, public access, verdicts announced, and protects complainant anonymity.
- Creates operational committee to identify human trafficking victims, provide support services, and protect certain people from deportation.
- Updates laws on child sexual abuse material and trafficking prosecutions to align with international child protection conventions.
Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates protected zones around healthcare premises where certain conduct is prohibited to prevent interference with termination of pregnancy services.
- Establishes enforcement mechanisms and criminal offences for people who engage in prohibited conduct within these safe access zones.
- Applies to areas in and adjacent to specific healthcare premises providing termination of pregnancy services.
Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Fossil fuel companies pay temporary tax on 2022-2023 profits to address high energy prices, following EU rules.
- Revenue Commissioners collect and enforce the contribution; companies must meet reporting obligations and can deduct it from corporation tax.
- Changes tax laws to calculate contribution, update appeals procedures, and implement EU Regulation 2022/1854 requirements.
Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Retailers must obtain licenses to sell tobacco and nicotine inhaling products. A register of all issued licenses will be maintained.
- Amends the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 to add licensing requirements and enforcement powers for tobacco and nicotine product sales.
- Creates new offences for selling these products without a license. Updates related laws and removes outdated regulations.
Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Temporarily modifies how section 292 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 applies to child benefit payments.
- Specific changes to section 292's effect and duration are not detailed in the title; full bill text needed for practical impact.
- Includes related provisions beyond the main amendment; scope of 'related matters' unclear from title alone.
Control of Exports Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Controls export of dual-use items (civil or military use) and military items; requires licenses for brokering services and technical assistance related to these goods.
- Replaces the 2008 Control of Exports Act; implements EU rules on export controls, including transit restrictions and information sharing between authorities.
- Minister grants export authorizations; creates appeals panel for license decisions, with confidentiality protections given the sensitive national security nature of appeals.
Courts Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Increases number of judges across Court of Appeal, High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court to handle more cases.
- Amends three court laws (1961 and 1995 acts) to allow these additional judicial appointments and related administration.
- Adds judges to reduce backlogs and improve case processing across Ireland's four main court levels.
Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Allows representative groups to bring collective legal actions on behalf of consumers harmed by the same illegal practices.
- Implements EU Directive 2020/1828, replacing the previous 2009/22/EC directive with updated consumer protection rules.
- Enables consumers to seek redress without individual claims, covering breaches of consumer rights and unfair trading practices.
Health (Amendment) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Removes section 53C from the Health Act 1970, which previously regulated a specific health provision or requirement.
- The bill's exact practical effect is unclear—the long title doesn't specify what section 53C required or why its removal matters.
- Allows any related health regulations or processes dependent on section 53C to change, but details aren't provided in available information.
Finance Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Introduces new taxes, removes old ones, and adjusts tax rates and stamp duties across the economy.
- Fixes rules for the Temporary Business Support Scheme and adds financial support for certain economic sectors.
- Makes technical changes to the Finance Act 2022 and sets rules for how taxes are collected and enforced.
Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Amends EPA Act 1992 to allow alternative environmental assessment process for emergency electricity generation projects instead of standard Part IV licensing assessment.
- Requires Minister to coordinate alternative assessment with habitat protection assessment under EU nature conservation rules; public must access assessment information.
- Implements EU environmental assessment directive flexibility for emergency electricity projects designated under 2022 emergency generation law.
Court Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- People in court cases can seek a declaration if proceedings take unreasonably long, and may claim compensation in certain cases.
- A Chief Court Delays Assessor and Court Delays Assessors will be appointed to review delay complaints and assess compensation claims.
- The Circuit Court can hear applications for delay declarations and compensation under this Act in specified circumstances.
Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Establishes new rules for veterinary medicines and medicated animal feed, replacing the 1993 Animal Remedies Act with updated regulations.
- Creates a national database to record all veterinary prescriptions, allowing tracking of medicine use in animals.
- Updates the 1955 Fertilisers Act to modernise requirements for fertilisers, feeding stuffs, and mineral mixtures for agriculture.
Civil Defence Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Minister for Defence gets formal powers to manage civil defence; local authorities must take on civil defence responsibilities under new framework.
- Creates register of civil defence volunteers; establishes civil defence officers role; allows government to fund civil defence activities and set codes of practice.
- Repeals previous civil defence laws and provides transition arrangements to implement this new Act.
Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates new criminal offences for engaging children in illegal activities, with penalties for adults who recruit or direct minors to commit crimes.
- Amends the Bail Act 1997 to adjust bail conditions and procedures for those accused of child exploitation offences.
- Introduces protective measures and related provisions to prevent child involvement in criminal conduct.
Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates a Board to oversee An Garda Síochána and establishes new oversight bodies: a Police Ombudsman office, a Policing and Community Safety Authority, and an Independent Examiner of Security Legislation.
- Protects the Garda Commissioner's independence in performing duties and sets new procedures for appointing members and staff to An Garda Síochána.
- Establishes community safety partnerships and a National Office for Community Safety to improve public safety through collaboration between government departments, public bodies, and local communities.
Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Replaces 1930–2014 National Monuments Acts with new protections for historic and archaeological heritage, including environmental impact assessment requirements for monument works.
- Implements the Valletta Convention and EU Directives (EIA and Habitats) to regulate activities affecting monuments and their surroundings.
- Updates seven separate Acts including Planning and Development, Foreshore, and Maritime Area Planning, with miscellaneous amendments to align heritage protection laws.
Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Requires Ireland to prepare plans for oil emergencies and allows temporary exemptions from blending oil with renewable fuels during shortages.
- Creates a Petroleum Register to track fuel supplies and lets the environment minister divert fuel to critical services during shortages.
- Transfers renewable transport fuel responsibilities from environment minister to transport minister; expands renewable fuel supply requirements across the state.
Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Bill 2019
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Health providers must openly disclose certain incidents to patients and apologize if appropriate. Legal protections prevent disclosure statements and apologies being used against providers in court.
- Healthcare incidents must be notified to specified persons. Independent reviews of serious incidents are mandatory, with results disclosed to affected patients.
- Clinical audit procedures and data are regulated. Private hospitals must meet same standards as public hospitals; Minister can designate private services as prescribed health services.
Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Reviews bog habitats and their protection under Irish wildlife law.
- Updates procedures for creating, changing, and canceling natural heritage area orders.
- Establishes new biodiversity arrangements and amends the 2000 Wildlife Act accordingly.
Taisceadán (Valuable Property Register) Bill 2019
17 Apr 2023 First Stage Defeated Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Creates Taisceadán, a register of personal property items managed by Irish police to help identify stolen or lost items.
- Supports crime investigation and helps return property to rightful owners through centralized item documentation system.
- Bill was defeated at First Stage; did not progress to further legislative consideration.
Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill 2019
17 Feb 2023 Enacted
- Allows EU Member States to recognize and enforce supervision measures (like probation) imposed by other EU countries as alternatives to holding suspects in jail.
- Implements EU Framework Decision 2009/829/JHA into Irish law, enabling cross-border enforcement of non-custodial supervision orders.
- Streamlines judicial cooperation by letting courts accept supervision decisions from other EU states without re-examination of the underlying case.