Bills
1,098 bills tracked. What do the stages mean?
Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Daly
- Allows health professionals in publicly-funded health organisations to voluntarily defer mandatory retirement age, if both employee and employer agree in writing.
- Extension periods proposed as up to two years initially, renewable once for another two years, with both parties' ongoing consent required throughout.
- Excludes those who previously took early or voluntary retirement; preserves employees' existing conditions of employment except the mandatory retirement clause.
National Anthem Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mark Daly
- Confirms 'Amhrán na bhFiann' ('The Soldier's Song') choral refrain as Ireland's official National Anthem, with or without lyrics.
- Creates an Irish Sign Language version of the National Anthem to ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens can access it.
- Defines the Presidential Salute as the first 4 bars plus last 4 bars of the National Anthem's music.
Public Sector (Plain Language) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Requires public sector bodies to write documents in plain language to make information and services more accessible to citizens.
- Applies to published documents; specific implementation details and which bodies are covered are not detailed in the long title.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed; no legislative effect.
Property Services (Advertisement of Unfit Lettings) (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Fintan Warfield
- Amends 2011 Property Services law to allow removal of ads for rental properties that don't meet fitness standards.
- Gives authorities power to take down advertisements of unfit lettings; details of enforcement mechanism not specified in title.
- Bill lapsed during parliamentary process; not enacted into law.
National Asset Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Bill allows NAMA and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to fund social and affordable housing to stabilize the housing system.
- Amends the 2009 NAMA Act and 2014 Treasury Management Act to give these agencies new housing investment powers.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to debate or voting in the Oireachtas.
Health and Safety (Carbon Monoxide) Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Diarmuid Wilson
- Requires all landlords—including local authorities and housing bodies—to arrange annual servicing of heat-producing carbon monoxide appliances in rental properties and keep records.
- Landlords must provide tenants with certification of service within 7 working days on request; tenants must allow access for work and may submit private service records instead.
- Breaches incur fines up to €5,000 or 6 months imprisonment; additional €250 daily fines for continuing contraventions. Minister sets enforcement rules within 60 days of passage.
Electoral (Amendment) (Voting Rights for Residents) Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Máire Devine
- Amends Electoral Act 1992 to let adults legally resident in Ireland for five years vote in Dáil and European elections, regardless of citizenship.
- Extends voting rights to non-citizens meeting residency requirement; changes who can participate in Irish parliamentary and EU elections.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage introduction and has lapsed without becoming law.
Health (Exemption of Charges for Involuntary Psychiatric Patients) (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Máire Devine
- Amends Health Act 1970 to remove in-patient fees for people detained involuntarily in psychiatric hospitals.
- Involuntary patients would not pay charges; applies only to those held under mental health detention orders.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed; never became law.
Civil Liability (Capping of General Damages) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Neale Richmond
- Sets a maximum limit on compensation awards for general damages in personal injury claims.
- Regulations establishing the cap amount require approval from both Houses of Parliament.
- Requires periodic review of the Act's operation and effects on injured claimants.
Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 Fifth Stage Lapsed
- Replaces 'custodian' with 'depositary' throughout the 1994 Act and updates valuation language to align with EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive.
- Permits limited partners to sit on boards and committees without losing liability protection, and allows umbrella fund structures with separate sub-funds ring-fenced from each other.
- Updates Central Bank record-keeping requirements, clarifies partnership agreement amendment procedures, and transfers ministerial responsibility from Enterprise to Finance.
Statistics (1926 Census Release) Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Amends Statistics Act 1993 to release 1926 Census records to the public immediately, bypassing the standard 100-year closure rule that applies to all other post-1926 censuses.
- Gives 1926 Census special heritage status due to its historical significance covering Ireland's independence, Civil War, and cultural transition period (1911–1926).
- Allows Minister to set conditions by regulation for electronic public access to 1926 Census returns for genealogical, historical, and family history research purposes.
Criminal Justice (Judicial Discretion) (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Marie-Louise O'Donnell
- Amends the Criminal Justice Act 1990, section 2. Specific changes to judicial discretion powers not detailed in available bill information.
- Bill lapsed before completion. Never progressed beyond First Stage in Oireachtas, so not enacted into law.
- Sponsor: Marie-Louise O'Donnell. Related matters mentioned but substance of amendments unclear from title alone.
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Máire Devine
- Amends 2015 Assisted Decision-Making Act to clarify how it applies to people treated under mental health and insanity laws.
- Aims to strengthen mental health service provision and protect rights of patients detained under Mental Health Act 2001.
- Bill lapsed during legislative process; specific amendments and practical changes not detailed in available information.
Courts Service (Amendment) Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Diarmuid Wilson
- Prohibits Courts Service from investing in tobacco companies; currently holds approximately €1.675 billion for wards of court and children under 18.
- Requires Courts Service to notify in writing all families whose money was invested in tobacco industry that these investments will cease.
- Aligns Ireland's courts investments with tobacco-free Ireland 2025 objective and WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control commitments.
Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Frankie Feighan
- Makes it illegal for drivers to operate vehicles with unrestrained dogs; dogs must be restrained, in enclosed crates, or in enclosed vehicle areas (exceptions: Garda, Defence Forces, Customs officers on duty; guide dogs; livestock herding transport).
- Applies to 'relevant vehicles' in public places; penalties imposed as class E fines on summary conviction.
- Aims to reduce road safety risks: unrestrained dogs distract drivers and become projectiles in collisions, causing injury or death to occupants, pedestrians, and animals.
Protection of Employment (Measures to Counter False Self-Employment) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 Committee Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Makes employment status a legal determination based on actual work conditions, not parties' labels or contract descriptions.
- Protects workers misclassified as self-employed by allowing Workplace Relations Commission to declare employment relationship and award up to 2 years compensation.
- Applies false self-employment test across tax, social welfare and employment law where worker performs same work as employee with subordination and no commercial risk.
Housing (Housing Assistance Payment Waiting Times) (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Catherine Ardagh
- Introduces 3-week statutory deadline for local authorities to process Housing Assistance Payment applications; currently no timeframe exists.
- Halves social housing assessment processing time by setting new 3-week deadline under Housing Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2009.
- Revokes existing 12-week processing timeframe regulation to replace with faster assessment times; no additional exchequer costs anticipated.
Arts (Dignity at Work) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Allows Arts Council to require funded organisations comply with employment laws as a condition of receiving grants.
- Amends the 2003 Arts Act to give Council power to enforce workplace rights standards among funded arts bodies.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to debate or vote in the Oireachtas.
Harmful Plastics (Prohibition) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Lorraine Clifford-Lee
- Bans selling consumer goods packaging with harmful plastics and products containing microbeads.
- Encourages biodegradable materials in consumer product packaging through ministerial regulations.
- Allows EPA to monitor harmful plastic use in manufacturing, distribution, and sales.
Civil Liability (Schools) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Rónán Mullen
- Adds legal immunity for schools from negligence liability for student injuries on premises if adequate teacher supervision is in place and health/safety regulations are met.
- Protects teachers from liability when providing first aid, medical advice, or transporting injured students to hospital, except in cases of gross negligence or bad faith.
- Sets the standard of care expected from teachers as that of a prudent parent, codifying the approach generally applied by courts in school liability cases.
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.