Bills
319 bills tracked. What do the stages mean?
Principles of Social Welfare Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 First Stage Defeated Seán Sherlock
- Creates a statement of principles to guide how social welfare laws are interpreted and administered by government agencies.
- Establishes a social welfare charter outlining rights to information, advocacy, and support for people applying for or receiving benefits.
- Requires government to promote awareness of social welfare entitlements and gives Citizens Information Board expanded powers to support applicants.
Mortgage Interest Rates Cap Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 First Stage Defeated Richard Boyd Barrett
- Bill would require Central Bank to set maximum 3% interest rate on mortgages for private homes.
- Would apply to mortgages used to buy residential properties; related measures also proposed but not detailed.
- Bill defeated at First Stage; did not progress to further debate or voting in Dáil.
Rent Reduction Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 First Stage Defeated Richard Boyd Barrett
- Amends Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to cap rents at maximum 25% of monthly household income.
- Establishes National Rent Authority to oversee and enforce new rent limits.
- Bill defeated at First Stage; did not progress to further debate or votes.
Electoral Reform (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 First Stage Withdrawn Lynn Ruane
- Amends Electoral Reform Act 2022 to require An Coimisiún Toghcháin to review Seanad electoral system, franchise rules, and voting age requirements.
- Amends Electoral Act 1997 to protect civil society organisations' freedom of association and expression, and provide free public transport on polling day.
- Bill withdrawn at First Stage; specific review timelines, franchise proposals, and transport implementation details not available from long title alone.
Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 First Stage Defeated Eoin Ó Broin
- Delays eviction notices set to end between bill passage and 31 January 2024, helping tenants find new homes during housing shortage.
- Phases evictions over time rather than all at once, reducing sudden pressure on housing services and support systems.
- Applies only to specific tenancies during emergency period; does not change general tenancy law or long-term protections.
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.
Planning and Development (Protect Social Housing) Bill 2020
31 Mar 2022 First Stage Defeated Chris Andrews
- Amends Planning and Development Act 2000 to change rules around social housing development permissions and related planning matters.
- Repeals section 97(3B) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, removing a specific provision from that section.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage; defeated and did not become law.
Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018
10 Jan 2022 First Stage Defeated David Cullinane
- Amends 1941 and 2001 labour laws to give authorised unions the right to have employer recognition for member representation in pay negotiations and disciplinary cases.
- Employers would be required to acknowledge and deal with union representatives on collective bargaining and worker disciplinary matters.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage introduction; was defeated and did not become law.
Planning and Development (Climate Measures) (Amendment) Bill 2019
17 Jun 2021 First Stage Withdrawn Bríd Smith
- Blocks oil, gas, and fossil fuel projects from getting special fast-track planning status for strategic infrastructure.
- Changes how people apply directly to the planning appeals board for major projects.
- Requires planning decisions to consider Ireland's climate commitments and goals.
Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Inclusive Budget Reform) Bill 2014
9 Jun 2021 First Stage Defeated Pearse Doherty
- Proposed constitutional amendment to reform Ireland's budget process, sponsored by Pearse Doherty in 2014.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage; defeated and did not become law.
- Specific constitutional changes intended are not detailed in the available title information provided.
Organisation of Working Time (Workers Rights and Bogus Self-Employment) (Amendment) Bill 2019
25 Feb 2021 First Stage Withdrawn Maurice Quinlivan
- Amends 1997 Act to ban falsely labeling employees as self-employed, protecting genuine employment status.
- Extends worker protections to Gardaí, Defence Forces, and trainee doctors; applies certain rights to self-employed.
- Bill withdrawn at First Stage; specific provisions and implementation details not available from title alone.
Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2018
17 Dec 2020 First Stage Defeated Mattie McGrath
- Proposes to ban sulky racing (horse-drawn cart racing) unless the organizer obtains legal permission beforehand.
- Aimed at stopping unauthorized sulky racing events on public roads or private land without proper licensing.
- Bill was defeated at First Stage in 2018; did not proceed to further debate or enactment.
Deportation Moratorium (Covid-19) Bill 2020
10 Dec 2020 First Stage Defeated Frances Black
- Proposed to ban deportations from Ireland during the Covid-19 public health emergency.
- Would have prevented removal of persons from the State while Covid-19 restrictions were in place.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and was defeated in the Oireachtas.
Ban on Rent Increases Bill 2020
4 Nov 2020 First Stage Defeated Eoin Ó Broin
- Freezes rent increases for all existing and new tenancies for three years by amending the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.
- Applies the freeze to both current tenants and new tenants entering leases during the three-year period.
- Bill was defeated at First Stage; did not progress through the legislative process.
Ministers and Ministers of State (Successors) Bill 2020
4 Nov 2020 First Stage Defeated Peadar Tóibín
- Ensures quick appointment of new Ministers after general elections when sitting Ministers lose Oireachtas seats.
- Applies to both Ministers and Ministers of State positions left vacant by electoral defeat.
- Bill defeated at First Stage; no law enacted from this proposal.
Ministerial Power (Repeal) (Ban Co-Living and Build to Rent) Bill 2020
3 Nov 2020 First Stage Defeated Eoin Ó Broin
- Removes ministerial power to issue planning guidelines on build-to-rent and shared accommodation housing.
- Repeals specific sections from the 2018 apartment design standards guidelines covering these housing types.
- Amends the Planning and Development Act 2000 to restrict minister's authority over these housing policies.
National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Victor Boyhan
- Creates National Housing Co-operative Society to help distressed homeowners by acquiring mortgages and converting them to rent-and-mortgage arrangements.
- Gives the society power to manage, rent, or sell mortgages on houses to assist occupants facing mortgage difficulties.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage in 2017; never progressed to debate or voting.
Industrial Relations (Collective Action) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Amends the 1990 Industrial Relations Act to allow collective action without exhausting all agreed dispute procedures first.
- Removes the legal requirement that workers must complete every step in company procedures before striking or taking industrial action.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; no record of passage into law. Practical effect unclear as not enacted.
National Anthem (Protection of Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Diarmuid Wilson
- Restores copyright protection for Ireland's national anthem under the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000.
- Amends copyright law to give the State control over how the anthem is used and reproduced.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage in 2016; no further legislative action taken.
Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Fintan Warfield
- Requires radio stations to broadcast a minimum percentage of Irish language music, amending the 2009 Broadcasting Act.
- Sets a quota for Irish-language works in music programming; specific percentage not detailed in long title.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to become law.
Charities (Human Rights) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Adds 'advancement of human rights' as a recognised charitable purpose under the Charities Act 2009.
- Removes 'advancement of religion' from the list of recognised charitable purposes for charity registration.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to legislative debate or enactment.
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.
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.