Bills
1,078 bills tracked. What do the stages mean?
Short-term Lettings Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Kevin Humphreys
- Classifies short-term dwelling rentals as commercial use, changing their legal status and planning implications.
- Requires property service providers handling short-term lettings to register under Property Services Regulation Act 2011.
- Mandates short-term letting service providers give planning authorities information on request about their operations.
Local Government Accountability Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Gerard P. Craughwell
- Minister can publish guidelines requiring local authority staff to respond fully to councillor queries within 14 days, with acknowledgement within 7 working days.
- Creates binding obligation on local authority staff to reply to councillor representations made on behalf of constituents or community groups.
- Minister can publish quarterly league tables comparing local authority response times to encourage consistency and competition across councils.
Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020
2 Apr 2020 Enacted
- Suspends residential tenancy terminations and rent increases for initial 3-month period, extendable by government order.
- Enables simplified re-registration of retired health professionals (doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, etc.) to address Covid-19 workforce needs.
- Introduces temporary wage subsidy scheme operated by Revenue Commissioners, with government contributing to eligible employers' wage costs for employees.
Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020
30 Mar 2020 Enacted
- Amends Health Act 1947 to allow Minister to make regulations restricting travel, prohibiting events, and closing premises to slow Covid-19 spread.
- Enables medical officers of health to order detention and isolation of persons suspected as infection sources who refuse voluntary self-isolation.
- Extends illness benefit to self-employed and diagnosed/self-isolating Covid-19 persons; reduces jobseeker waiting periods from three days to zero during emergency.
Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017
19 Feb 2020 Fifth Stage Lapsed
- Establishes Judicial Appointments Commission with 5 committees to select and recommend candidates for judicial office based on merit, with committees including judges, lawyers, and lay members.
- Dissolves Judicial Appointments Advisory Board and repeals existing judicial appointments provisions in Courts and Court Officers Act 1995, replacing them with new merit-based selection process.
- Amends qualification requirements allowing District Court judges to qualify for High Court and legal academics with 12+ years standing plus 4 years practice to qualify for judicial appointment.
Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jonathan O'Brien
- Adds gender identity as a protected characteristic in employment discrimination law alongside existing protections.
- Extends discrimination protections to cover civil status, gender identity, and sexual orientation in employment and vocational training.
- Amends Employment Equality Acts 1998–2011 to broaden who cannot be discriminated against in hiring, training, and professional bodies.
Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) (Amendment) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Allows credit institutions that received state support under 2008 Act to reduce pension payments to certain employees.
- Applies only to institutions covered by Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008, primarily banks that got bailouts.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never progressed to debate or voting; no law enacted.
Mortgage Resolution Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Creates a Mortgage Resolution Office to handle non-judicial processes for mortgages on family homes.
- Establishes an independent appeals system so people can challenge Mortgage Resolution Office decisions.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never became law.
Regulation of Moneylenders Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Requires Central Bank to regulate all licensed moneylenders' loans equally, regardless of loan terms or conditions.
- Aims to strengthen oversight of moneylending sector through expanded Central Bank authority and enforcement powers.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed; no provisions currently in force.
Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Extends Financial Services Ombudsman's authority to investigate complaints about faulty financial products within three years of customer discovering the defect.
- Amends Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2004 to change complaint time limits for product defects.
- Bill lapsed without becoming law; did not progress beyond First Stage in Dáil Éireann.
Financial Services (Protection of Deposits) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Prevents charging a levy on deposits already protected by the deposit guarantee scheme.
- Protects covered deposits from additional financial charges or contributions.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never progressed to debate or enactment.
Pensions (Traceability of Assets) (Amendment) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Creates a system for pension scheme members to access a complete list of all their approved pension schemes in one place.
- Allows beneficiaries and estates to find pension entitlements from all schemes, simplifying benefit claims and inheritance.
- Bill lapsed before becoming law; did not progress beyond initial introduction in the Dáil.
Environment and Public Health (Wind Turbines)(No. 2) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mick Wallace
- Sets mandatory noise limits for wind turbines based on 1999 WHO standards (30 dB in bedrooms), replacing outdated 1980 standards, and requires compliance with low-frequency noise and amplitude modulation standards.
- Establishes minimum setback distances between turbines and homes (500–2,000 metres) based on turbine height, and requires shadow flicker protection to prevent shadows passing over dwellings.
- Mandates public consultation: applicants must distribute environmental information to nearby residents, advertise public meetings in local media, and submit meeting reports to planning authorities.
Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2014
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Amends Local Property Tax Acts to delay Revenue deductions until the tax year they relate to, preventing earlier withholding.
- Affects how and when the Revenue Commissioners can collect local property tax payments from taxpayers.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never became law. Scope of properties or amounts affected not specified in title.
Equality (Amendment) Bill 2014
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Richard Boyd Barrett
- Amends employment and public services equality laws from 1998 and 2000, but specific changes not detailed in available information.
- Sponsored by Richard Boyd Barrett; bill did not progress beyond initial presentation stage.
- Status: Lapsed—bill expired without becoming law; full scope of proposed amendments unclear.
Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014
19 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Mick Wallace
- Strengthens Ombudsman Commission independence by widening complaint admissibility criteria (time limits, breach of new Code of Service), requiring mandatory supervision of all investigations, and removing serving Gardaí from its staff.
- Establishes Garda Síochána Independent Board with 16 members to oversee policing, human rights-proof policies, conduct five-yearly reviews, and appoint/remove Garda Commissioners—reducing ministerial control.
- Removes Commissioner's direct accountability to Minister, eliminates ministerial directives to Commissioner, and transfers control of policing plans and strategic decisions from Minister to the Board.
Housing (Homeless Prevention) Bill 2014
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Maureen O'Sullivan
- Amends Housing Act 1988 section 2 to redefine 'homelessness' to include 'being at risk of becoming homeless', shifting focus toward prevention.
- Amends Housing Act 1988 section 10 to enable local authorities to fund approved bodies delivering housing advice, advocacy, and tenancy support services.
- Removes legislative restrictions preventing cross-sectoral cooperation between local authorities, agencies, and frontline organisations on homelessness prevention.
Health (Amendment) Bill 2014
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Fergus O'Dowd
- Allows HIQA to investigate complaints about care safety and quality at designated centres without needing a formal complaint process.
- Expands HIQA's investigative powers to cover unsolicited communications expressing concerns about services provided by healthcare executives and registered providers.
- Applies to designated centres and their registered providers, affecting oversight of residential care facilities and service quality standards.
Fiscal Responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Expands the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council's role to analyse political parties' policy proposals for fiscal impact.
- Amends the 2012 Fiscal Responsibility Act to give the Council new powers to assess party economic policies.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific scope and implementation details not available from title alone.
Disability (Amendment) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mattie McGrath
- Bans misleading language about unborn babies with disabilities, particularly the term 'incompatible with life'.
- Requires government ministers to plan and provide services for people with disabilities within available resources.
- Aims to promote equality for people with disabilities and related matters. (Bill lapsed; not enacted.)
Coroners Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Clare Daly
- Creates new Coroner Service to replace existing coroner system and updates laws governing coroner investigations and inquests.
- Allows ongoing inquests from 1962 Act to continue; transfers old coroner records to new Service; repeals outdated provisions.
- Bill lapsed at Second Stage; status unclear whether provisions were enacted separately or remain unreformed.
Central Bank (Code of Conduct) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Prevents courts from ordering repossession of a borrower's main home if their lender hasn't followed the relevant code of practice.
- Applies to cases where lenders violate Central Bank codes governing mortgage lending and borrower protections.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; current status unknown—no information on whether similar provisions became law elsewhere.
Ramming of Garda Vehicles Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Brendan Griffin
- Creates a criminal offence for deliberately ramming a Garda vehicle with prison sentences as punishment.
- Aims to deter attacks on police vehicles and officers during law enforcement operations.
- Bill did not complete parliamentary process and lapsed without becoming law.
Education (Amendment) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Jim Daly
- Creates Education Ombudsman to handle appeals against school and teacher decisions.
- Allows parents/students to lodge complaints about schools and teacher conduct with ombudsman.
- Amends Education Act 1998 to establish formal investigation and reporting processes.