Bills
359 bills tracked. What do the stages mean?
Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Rebecca Moynihan
- Blocks planning applications to change student accommodation use to permanent residential housing or tourist accommodation for 15 years after development completion.
- Applies to all student accommodation, whether purpose-built or converted, excluding permanent homes and hotel-like facilities during academic terms.
- Prevents planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála from granting such change-of-use applications during the 15-year restriction period.
Local Government (Use of CCTV in Prosecution of Offences) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Grants local authorities statutory power to install, operate and use CCTV in public places to prevent, investigate, detect and prosecute offences they are authorised to prosecute.
- Requires Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue guidelines on CCTV operation and data processing; local authorities must comply with these guidelines.
- Establishes legal basis for local authorities' processing of personal data (including images of identifiable individuals) captured by CCTV, as required by EU Law Enforcement Directive.
Student Nurses (Pay) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Annie Hoey
- Deems student nurse work during training as 'working time' under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, entitling them to paid wages.
- Training providers must pay student nurses at least the rate paid to Health Service Executive health care assistants, unless more favourable terms apply.
- Applies to student nurses enrolled in first-time registration courses with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland working for HSE or approved providers.
National Screening Advisory Committee Bill 2020
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Gerard P. Craughwell
- Establishes National Screening Advisory Committee on statutory basis to advise Minister on all screening programmes, replacing previous non-statutory arrangement.
- Requires Committee to report within 6 months on expanding newborn bloodspot screening conditions tested, then annually thereafter with parliamentary disclosure.
- Mandates Minister to publicly explain reasons for rejecting Committee recommendations within one month, implementing Scally Report transparency requirements.
Public Authorities and Utility Undertakings (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2019
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Alice-Mary Higgins
- Implements EU directives on public procurement by setting contract award criteria beyond lowest price, including social considerations and quality.
- Allows public bodies to depart from best price-quality ratio under defined procedures and requires human rights protections for state contractors.
- Mandates government guidelines on social considerations in contracts and annual reporting to parliament on procurement matters.
Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Ged Nash
- Allows minors born in Ireland to apply for Irish citizenship certificates without waiting until age 18.
- Amends naturalisation law to streamline the process for children born on the island of Ireland.
- Bill did not progress beyond Second Stage and is no longer active in the legislature.
Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Rose Conway-Walsh
- Bans conversion therapy—practices claiming to change sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
- Treats conversion therapy as deceptive and harmful; establishes legal prohibition on this practice.
- Bill lapsed in parliament; did not become law. Current legal status of conversion therapy in Ireland unclear from this bill alone.
Gender Recognition (Amendment) Bill 2017
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed David P.B. Norris
- Allows people aged 16+ to obtain Gender Recognition Certificates using the same process as adults (18+), removing the requirement for court orders, parental consent, and medical professional intervention for this age group.
- Removes the minimum age requirement for people under 16 to obtain Gender Recognition Certificates through court exemption orders, and removes mandatory medical certification as a condition for court approval.
- Requires courts considering applications from under-16s to prioritise the child's best interests, can override parental consent refusal if it conflicts with the child's welfare, and must consider the child's own views.
Convictions for Certain Sexual Offences (Apology and Exoneration) Bill 2016
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Provides formal apology and exoneration to persons convicted under repealed laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults.
- Acknowledges historic prosecutions were improperly discriminatory and violated human dignity, privacy and autonomy; applies to convictions from 1634 to 1993.
- Does not create statutory rights, legal causes of action, or financial liability; excludes cases involving persons under 17 or lacking capacity to consent.
Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Lynn Ruane
- Lowers voting age to 16 for European Parliament and local government elections only.
- Allows 16-year-olds to register as electors for these two election types.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not become law.
Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Amends Maternity Protection Act 1994 to allow postponement of maternity leave if mother diagnosed with cancer or serious illness during pregnancy.
- New legal section inserted defining cancer and other serious illness, enabling mothers to defer maternity leave entitlements.
- Bill also permits postponement of additional maternity leave for affected mothers, protecting leave eligibility for later use.
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Sex for Rent) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Makes it a criminal offence for landlords to seek sex from tenants instead of rent or to advertise such arrangements.
- Amends section 19 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to create this new offence.
- Applies to advertisements on social media and other platforms offering or requesting sex in exchange for housing.
Eviction Ban Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Richard Boyd Barrett
- Bans landlords from serving eviction notices during a 12-month emergency period, except for serious property damage, anti-social behaviour, or insurance issues.
- Extends any termination notices already served with end dates during the emergency period until after the emergency period ends.
- Allows government to renew the ban beyond 12 months if the Minister for Housing deems it in public interest due to cost-of-living and housing crises.
Dereliction and Building Regeneration Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Steven Matthews
- Expands derelict building definition to include boarded-up, damaged, or disconnected properties; requires online register publication and modern notice methods.
- Establishes 'Town Centre First' fast-track planning and building approval process for converting vacant upper floors and commercial spaces to residential use.
- Creates national Town Centre First Partnership office to guide local authorities on refurbishment of existing buildings with tailored technical guidance on fire safety and access.
Short-term Lettings Enforcement Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Makes it illegal for estate agents and online platforms to advertise short-term lettings in rent pressure zones that don't comply with 2019 planning exemption regulations.
- Empowers Housing Minister to issue spot fines against non-compliant advertisers, agents, and online platforms offering illegal short-term lettings.
- Adds new enforcement offence to Planning and Development Act 2000 targeting properties advertised for short-term rent without proper planning compliance.
Local Government and Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Carrigaline Rent Pressure Zone) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Designates entire Carrigaline local electoral area as a rent pressure zone under the Local Government Act 2019.
- Requires Minister to prescribe full local electoral area as rent pressure zone if substantial portion already qualifies and conditions are met.
- Amends Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to create statutory obligation for Minister to extend rent pressure zone coverage area-wide.
Green Hydrogen Strategy Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Darren O'Rourke
- Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications must draft and publish a national hydrogen strategy within six months of the Act passing.
- Minister must consult relevant stakeholders during strategy preparation on topics the strategy should address.
- Bill establishes definitions and commencement provisions for the hydrogen strategy requirement.
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Extension of Notice Periods) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Amends Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to automatically extend notice periods by three months when a local authority certifies a tenant as at-risk of homelessness.
- Local authority must certify tenant cannot secure alternative accommodation and will become homeless upon quitting the dwelling to trigger the extension.
- Aims to give tenants time to find housing and allow local authorities to provide homelessness prevention support before emergency accommodation entry.
Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Marc MacSharry
- Requires sellers to compile and advertise a standardized legal document pack with properties, containing key information to give buyers upfront access to conveyancing details.
- Aims to reduce property transaction times, costs, and fallen-through sales by front-loading legal information rather than handling it after sale agreement.
- Applies when sellers list properties for sale; pack covers exceptions and includes enforcement provisions aligned with existing conveyancing and property registration laws.
Education (Health, Relationships and Sex Education) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Gary Gannon
- Makes evidence-informed health and relationships/sex education a mandatory function of state-funded schools.
- Requires schools to teach health education only per curriculum prescribed by the Minister.
- Expands school inspectors' role to evaluate teaching of health and relationships/sex education; curriculum reviewed every 5 years.
Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Marian Harkin
- Amends Credit Union Act 1997 to allow credit unions to provide additional financial services to members for mutual benefit, subject to board approval and required regulatory authorizations.
- Establishes a Credit Union Policy Committee to review Central Bank policies, provide feedback during policy development, and represent stakeholder interests in the credit union sector.
- Requires Central Bank to protect community-based and volunteer ethos of credit unions when regulating them, and requires Minister for Finance consent for minimum reserve requirements.
Workplace Ventilation (Covid-19) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Paul Murphy
- Amends Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to require employers ensure sufficient fresh air in enclosed workplaces, defined by CO2 levels as emergency Covid-19 measure.
- Gives employees right to request HSA inspection of workplace ventilation; inspectors measure CO2 and issue improvement notices above 900 ppm or prohibition notices above 1,500 ppm.
- Requires Minister review Act within 3 months of coming into force.
Housing (Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Pauline Tully
- Requires local authorities to decide on housing adaptation grant applications within four weeks where possible.
- Establishes powers for the Minister to make regulations governing the housing adaptation grant scheme.
- Aims to improve access to housing adaptation grants for people with disabilities through streamlined processes.
Education (Voluntary Contributions) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Minister must make regulations requiring schools to clearly state contributions are voluntary, prevent differential treatment of students, and limit contact to parents once yearly.
- Schools must publish annual totals of voluntary contributions collected and detailed spending, with Department publishing this anonymously online.
- Minister may request Comptroller and Auditor General reports on whether exchequer funding alone covers school operating costs; collections prohibited once funding deemed sufficient.