Business & Regulation
Bills affecting companies, corporate governance, competition law and consumer protection.
152 bills tracked under this topic.
Media Regulation Bill 2026
12 Jun 2026 Second Stage Current
- Transfers media merger assessment functions from the Minister for Culture to Coimisiún na Meán, with expanded grounds including editorial independence and a 'call-in' power for mergers not meeting standard thresholds.
- Requires public authorities to publish annual state advertising expenditure data and distribute spending across diverse media providers; Coimisiún na Meán monitors compliance and produces annual reports.
- Mandates creation of a national media ownership database from information disclosed by media service providers; allows Coimisiún na Meán to request audience measurement transparency codes from broadcasters.
Public Health (Alcohol) (Amendment) Bill 2025
11 Jun 2026 First Stage Defeated Pádraig Rice
- Amends Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 to restrict advertising of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products that use branding, logos, or trademarks of regular-strength alcohol products.
- Prevents alcohol-free/low-alcohol products from displaying core branding features of regular alcohol brands to stop indirect promotion of alcoholic drinks.
- Updates definition of 'advertising' in principal Act and introduces new definition for 'alcohol-free or low-alcohol product'.
Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026
14 May 2026 First Stage Defeated Pa Daly
- CRU gains power to monitor and regulate hedging practices in energy markets and must report monthly on wholesale prices and supplier margins.
- CRU's anti-competitive behaviour powers expanded to match Competition Commission scope; must report quarterly on retail market functioning and price changes.
- CRU gains explicit consumer protection mandate to prevent unfair pricing and anti-competitive practices; Minister can issue energy affordability policy directions to CRU.
Life Annuity (Ireland) Bill 2026
22 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Catherine Ardagh
- Establishes regulated framework for Life Annuity agreements allowing older homeowners to receive lump sums or regular payments while retaining lifetime residence rights in their homes.
- Introduces consumer protections: mandatory independent legal and financial advice, statutory cooling-off period, standardised disclosure, and Central Bank regulatory oversight of commercial operators.
- Distributes longevity risk between purchaser and vendor as alternative to existing high-interest equity release products; ensures vendor's residence rights are legally enforceable and registered.
Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025
20 Mar 2026 Enacted
- Amends Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 to set a default 50-50 split of royalty payments between music performers and producers, minus administrative costs.
- Transfers dispute resolution from Controller of Intellectual Property to Circuit Court when performers and producers cannot agree on payment division.
- Expands copyright protections to nationals of countries party to WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty and Rome Convention for intellectual property compliance.
Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) (Work Equipment) Bill 2026
20 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current PJ Murphy
- Adds mandatory minimum sentence for adults convicted of theft of work equipment under Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
- Applies to theft and certain related offences involving tools and supplies used in one's business.
- Bill commences on date specified in Section 2; sponsored by Senators Murphy, Duffy, and Kennelly.
Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021
16 Mar 2026 Second Stage Defeated Alice-Mary Higgins
- Implements EU public procurement directive to set contract award criteria, emphasizing quality-price balance and social considerations in government contracts.
- Requires human rights protections apply to public contracts above a set spending threshold and mandates annual reporting to parliament.
- Provides guidelines on social factors in procurement and establishes process to justify departures from best value-for-money approach.
Online Safety (Recommender Algorithms) Bill 2026
23 Jan 2026 Second Stage Current Richard Boyd Barrett
- Bans video platforms from using recommender algorithms for users under 18 or whose age is unknown.
- Requires platforms to get explicit opt-in consent from adults before using algorithms based on profiling or sensitive personal data, with transparency and modification options.
- Directs Media Commission to update Online Safety Code to enforce these restrictions within 90 days of the law's enactment.
Agri-Food Regulator (Amendment) Bill 2026
21 Jan 2026 Second Stage Current Jennifer Whitmore
- Amends Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023 to give Agri-Food Regulator power to compel businesses to provide pricing, margin, and financial data.
- Replaces "seek" with "compel" in Section 12(3)(d), enabling Regulator to demand information from retailers currently refusing voluntary disclosure.
- Closes enforcement gap by authorizing Regulator to require prices, margins, accounting data, employment records, and supply chain throughput for transparency.
Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill 2025
19 Jan 2026 Second Stage Current Mark Ward
- Restricts nitrous oxide sales to licensed wholesalers and registered retailers only; unlicensed sales are offences.
- Bans selling nitrous oxide to under-18s for intoxication purposes; gardaí can seize containers from minors in public places.
- Allows gardaí to seize nitrous oxide in public when reasonably believed to be misused for intoxication, without criminalising possession.
Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2025
22 Dec 2025 Enacted
- Increases the Irish Film Board's maximum aggregate investment limit from €500 million to €840 million for film production and training.
- Applies to all investments, loans, grants and moneys the Board provides toward film-making costs and film-industry training.
- Amends the Irish Film Board Amendment Act 2018 to raise this spending ceiling.
Companies (Protection of Title: Accountant) Bill 2025
23 Oct 2025 Second Stage Current Malcolm Byrne
- Restricts use of title 'accountant' to members of recognised accountancy bodies approved by IAASA; prohibits unqualified individuals and non-compliant companies from using the designation.
- Creates offences with fines and imprisonment for misusing the 'accountant' title; designates IAASA to maintain register and enforce compliance.
- Amends Companies Act 2014 to formally protect 'accountant' as regulated professional title, aligning it with existing protections for 'auditor'.
Developer Profits Transparency Bill 2023
10 Oct 2025 First Stage Defeated Cian O'Callaghan
- Amends Affordable Housing Act 2021 to require property developers receiving State subsidies to publish annual financial statements.
- Aims to increase transparency about profits of companies getting State subsidies for home building.
- Makes changes to section 41 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 to implement the reporting requirement.
Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021
2 Oct 2025 Committee Stage Current Bríd Smith
- Extends time to dispute pension scheme changes from six months after retirement to six months from when the change was proposed.
- Allows retired workers' organisations to represent members in Workplace Relations Commission cases about pension scheme changes.
- Strengthens retired members' rights to stand for and be elected to pension scheme trustee boards.
Health (Amendment) Bill 2025
1 Oct 2025 Committee Stage Current
- Replaces annual Service Plan with Performance Delivery Plan; extends submission deadline from 21 to 28 days after budget allocation is determined.
- Requires HSE Board and CEO to maintain systems ensuring highest standards of budgetary management; CEO must report budget overruns to Board and Ministers with corrective action proposals for approval.
- Ministers for Health and Children, Disability, Equality issue separate strategic direction statements and annual priority statements to guide HSE Corporate and Performance Delivery Plans; both Ministers must approve plans jointly.
Transparency and Social Value in Public Procurement Bill 2024
27 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Mairéad Farrell
- Requires public bodies to submit annual reports to the Minister detailing procurement spending, including contract types, social clauses used, SME awards, contractor performance, cost overruns, and non-compliant spending.
- Minister must compile and publish aggregate annual reports on all public procurement data to identify system performance gaps and areas for improvement.
- Amends Companies Act 2014 to register additional company information including procurement awards, court judgments, beneficial ownership, and bankruptcy status.
Healthcare (Transparent Payments) Bill 2022
20 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Darren O'Rourke
- Pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment suppliers must annually report all payments, gifts, donations, and value transfers to healthcare professionals or organizations to the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
- The Health Products Regulatory Authority must establish and maintain a publicly accessible, searchable register of these payments and has power to audit compliance.
- Failure to declare payments constitutes an offence with fines up to €100,000 upon conviction.
Taxes Consolidation (Rights of Performers and Film Workers) (Amendment) Bill 2025
11 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Amends Section 481 of Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to add three new conditions for issuing film tax relief certificates: companies must offer Irish performers equal terms to international performers, comply with copyright law, and prohibit 'buy-out' contracts.
- Film producers seeking tax relief must now demonstrate they meet these performer rights and copyright requirements when applying to the Minister for a cultural certificate before production begins.
- Addresses concerns raised by Budgetary Oversight Committee and Irish Equity about protecting performers' intellectual property rights and preventing forced surrender of future residual payments.
Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024
10 Jun 2025 Enacted
- Establishes framework for sufficient cash access: ATMs within 5-10km and minimum per 100,000 people; allows Minister to review criteria if demand drops >15% annually.
- Requires ATM deployers and cash-in-transit providers to register with Central Bank; Bank can revoke registration, issue directions, and enforce compliance with set service standards.
- Central Bank monitors compliance, identifies local cash shortfalls, and can direct designated credit institutions (above market share thresholds) to remedy access gaps.
Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023
30 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Ged Nash
- Adds new powers to Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to study unfair pricing by dominant firms, including ability to collect cost and profit margin data from businesses.
- Allows Commission to require businesses to provide information and attend interviews about pricing practices; breach carries fines up to class A or up to 5 years imprisonment.
- Makes consumer protection paramount when deciding whether to publish commercially sensitive pricing information in Commission studies and reports.
Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) (Amendment) Bill 2024
28 May 2025 Second Stage Current Jim O'Callaghan
- Amends the 2021 Tickets Act to ban primary ticket sellers from using dynamic pricing (price-setting algorithms based on demand, capacity or popularity) when selling or advertising tickets for cultural, entertainment, sporting and recreational events.
- Makes dynamic pricing by primary ticket sellers a criminal offence: first breach incurs class B fine or up to 6 months imprisonment; subsequent breaches incur class A fine or up to 12 months imprisonment, or both.
- Adds legal definition of dynamic pricing to the 2021 Act and creates new section 15A prohibiting the practice to promote fairer ticket access by preventing price inflation driven by real-time demand algorithms.
Safe Deposit Boxes and Related Deposits Bill 2022
28 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Éamon Ó Cuív
- Banks must register all safe deposit box contents and identify owners; after 6 months public notice, unclaimed boxes held 80+ years will be examined by independent auditors to find owners.
- Museum Director inspects unclaimed property deemed historically important and retains it for the State; owners can reclaim items by proving entitlement.
- Unclaimed money from safe deposits transfers annually to Dormant Accounts Fund; unsold property is disposed of by sale; depositors can claim repayment from the Fund.
Information on Repairability of Certain Products Bill 2024
22 May 2025 First Stage Defeated Maurice Quinlivan
- Creates repairability labels and product information sheets for common consumer goods like laptops and washing machines, showing repair ease and spare parts availability.
- Minister can expand product scope by regulation; Environmental Protection Agency enforces compliance through directions, with appeal rights to District Court.
- Suppliers must provide labels and sheets free of charge; dealers must display them visibly. Non-compliance triggers enforcement action and prosecution.
Industrial Relations (Boycott of Joint Labour Committees) Bill 2025
22 May 2025 Second Stage Current George Lawlor
- Allows Labour Court to appoint employer/worker representatives to Joint Labour Committees without their organizations' cooperation if those organizations refuse or fail to consult.
- Enables Labour Court to independently formulate and adopt employment regulation orders (minimum pay/conditions) where appointment of balanced committee membership proves impracticable.
- Removes employer/worker veto over JLC establishment by allowing Court to proceed based on sector need, not organizational agreement or participation.
Trade Union Recognition Bill 2021
19 May 2025 Second Stage Defeated Richard Boyd Barrett
- Creates legal mechanism allowing unions with 20% or more member support to seek recognition by referring disputes to Labour Court.
- Labour Court investigates membership numbers and can issue Employment Regulation Orders requiring employers to negotiate with recognized unions.
- Employers must allow union representatives workplace access for member business and negotiate employment matters for union members.
Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2025
15 May 2025 Second Stage Current Darren O'Rourke
- CRU must develop a code of practice for water service outages within 6 months, covering vulnerable customers, communications plans, emergency water supplies, and compensation thresholds.
- Uisce Éireann required to develop a code of practice setting performance standards for water service outages and interruptions.
- CRU must establish a dispute resolution mechanism for customers to lodge complaints about service interruptions and outages.
Unfair Dismissals (Increased Protections for Workers) (Amendment) Bill 2023
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Catherine Murphy
- Expands unfair dismissal protections to all employees regardless of employment length and removes age restrictions, covering workers over 16.
- Deems dismissal of single employee for industrial action unfair; protects workers dismissed for race, sexual orientation, trade union activity, pregnancy, protected disclosures, and other protected grounds.
- Reforms compensation system: awards decided by adjudication officer or Labour Court; full reimbursement of financial losses incurred due to dismissal; decisions issued within 28 days with reasoning.
Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current John Brady
- Requires the National Treasury Management Agency to stop investing Ireland Strategic Investment Fund assets in companies listed on UN database of firms operating in illegal Israeli settlements.
- Mandates the Agency divest from any current investments, direct or indirect, in companies on the UN settlements database.
- Requires annual reporting on compliance measures taken to meet these investment restrictions and divestment obligations.
Health (Waiting Lists) Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current David Cullinane
- Minister for Health must set specific performance targets for maximum waiting times across health and social care services, creating a legal basis for wait-time policies.
- National Treatment Purchase Fund Board expands from publishing hospital waiting lists only to collecting and publishing all health and social care waiting list data.
- Chief Executive of National Treatment Purchase Fund Board becomes accountable to the Minister for Health and to Oireachtas committees for managing the organisation.
Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2023
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Patrick Costello
- Amends Broadcasting Act 2009 to require RTÉ's Director General to make the national video and photo archives accessible to ordinary citizens.
- Places legal responsibility on RTÉ to ensure archives and finding aids are open and transparent to the public.
- Bill aims to improve public access to Ireland's largest video archive and one of the country's largest photo archives currently unavailable to citizens.
Law Reform (Contracts) Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Patrick Costello
- Allows third parties to enforce contractual terms they benefit from, addressing the privity of contract rule through comprehensive legislation rather than case-by-case exceptions.
- Permits variation and rescission of contracts while protecting promisors from double liability and providing available defences.
- Establishes orderly procedures for discharging contracts rendered impossible by frustration, replacing ad hoc judicial approaches with statutory clarity.
Labour Exploitation and Trafficking (Audit of Supply Chains) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Requires large businesses importing goods or services exceeding 5% of input costs to annually publish transparent statements on steps taken to prevent labour exploitation and trafficking in their supply chains.
- Defines labour exploitation and trafficking to include child trafficking offences, criminal human trafficking, and hazardous work by minors under age 18 affecting their health, safety or morals.
- Breaching mandatory reporting regulations incurs a class A fine; Minister must review the law's operation before its fifth anniversary and report to Parliament.
Consumer Protection (Loyalty Penalty and Customer Complaints) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Ged Nash
- Bans subscription service providers from charging existing customers higher renewal prices than new customers for the same or substantially identical service.
- Requires subscription service traders to establish complaint-handling schemes meeting Commission-issued guidelines, with procedures for escalation and specified response timeframes.
- Allows Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to enforce compliance through fines and remedies, treating non-compliance as prohibited commercial practices.
Companies (Protection of Employees’ Rights in Liquidations) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Mick Barry
- Amends Companies Act 2014 to recognize redundancy payments agreed in collective agreements as creditor claims in company liquidations.
- Grants employees preferential creditor status in company liquidations, improving their position relative to other creditors.
- Protects employee entitlements under collective agreements during winding up of insolvent companies.
Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Emer Higgins
- Companies must report annually to the Companies Registration Office on boardroom gender balance and achieve 33% representation of each gender within one year, rising to 40% within three years.
- Companies can explain non-compliance under a 'comply and explain' model; the High Court may compel compliance if explanations are inadequate.
- Compliant companies may obtain a CRO certificate to demonstrate leadership on gender balance and attract talent.
Public Services and Procurement (Workers' Rights) Bill 2017
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Richard Boyd Barrett
- Public contracts cannot use lower wages or worse working conditions as competitive advantages in bidding.
- Bidders must maintain nationally established minimum wage and employment standards; selection criteria will reflect this requirement.
- Different rules may apply to contracts above or below EU spending thresholds; protects workers across all public procurement.
Prohibition of Fossil Fuel Advertising Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Gino Kenny
- Bans companies from advertising fossil fuels, fossil-fuelled vehicles and flights, except on-premises sales by that company or Fossil Fuel Information Commission publications.
- Prohibits commercial sponsorship by fossil fuel and fossil-fuelled vehicle companies.
- Establishes a Fossil Fuel Information Commission to enable public product and price comparisons; Minister can make regulations to set it up.
Companies (Emission Reporting) Bill 2021
5 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Lynn Ruane
- Companies with 50+ employees must publicly disclose annual greenhouse gas emissions from Irish operations to the Minister; phased introduction by company size.
- Non-compliance or false disclosures become criminal offences prosecutable by Director of Corporate Enforcement; companies must make reasonable efforts to reduce emissions.
- Amends Climate Action Act 2015 to include public bodies in reporting; amends Companies Act 2014 to require directors' reports include emission disclosures.
Protection of Employees (Trade Union Subscriptions) Bill 2024
28 Feb 2025 Second Stage Defeated Joan Collins
- Requires employers to deduct trade union subscriptions from employee wages when requested in writing and remit within 21 days to the specified union.
- Standardizes remittance process by requiring employers to include specified information when sending deductions to trade unions and notifying employees.
- Allows employees to withdraw subscription requests in writing; permits existing arrangements and union-employer negotiations to operate outside these requirements.
Finance Bill 2024
6 Feb 2025 Enacted
- From 1 January 2025: increases income tax standard rate band to €44,000 for single persons; increases personal tax credit to €2,000; reduces USC 4% rate to 3%; raises ceiling for 2% USC rate by €1,622.
- Extends Help to Buy scheme to 31 December 2029; allows newly constructed properties purchased by Local Authorities for affordable sale to qualify; increases small benefit exemption from €1,000 to €1,500 annual employer gifts.
- Introduces tax relief for donations to sporting bodies and national governing bodies for equipment, elite athletes, and women/disability participation; creates Automatic Enrolment pension scheme with tax-exempt employer contributions and fund income.
Arts (Amendment) (Artist Workspaces) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Fintan Warfield
- Increases affordable artist studios and workspaces by giving the Arts Council power to acquire, develop, and manage them.
- Allows local authorities to help provide affordable artist workspaces and artist-run workspaces in their areas.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific funding amounts, timelines, and implementation details not yet established.
Public Procurement (Collective Bargaining and Collective Agreements Criteria) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Public contracts can now favour companies that use collective bargaining and collective agreements with employees when scoring bids.
- Implements EU Directive 2014/24/EU by adding collective bargaining status as a weighted award criterion in government procurement.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to legislative debate or votes.
Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Timmy Dooley
- Bans primary ticket sellers from using dynamic pricing (prices that rise with demand) when selling tickets for cultural, entertainment, sporting, or recreational events.
- Prohibits advertising tickets at dynamically-adjusted prices to ensure fairer access and prevent price inflation based on demand fluctuations.
- Amends the 2021 Sale of Tickets Act; bill lapsed at First Stage, so changes were not enacted into law.
Transport (Vehicle Registration Plate Suppliers) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Vincent P. Martin
- Creates a register of vehicle registration plate manufacturers and suppliers, managed by the Minister for Finance.
- Requires registered suppliers to keep records of plate manufacture and sales as set out in regulations.
- Enables plates to identify their manufacturer or supplier; allows exemptions from record-keeping for certain persons or businesses.
Consumer Insurance Contracts (Amendment) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Barry Ward
- Amends the 2019 Consumer Insurance Contracts Act to ban insurance providers from using average clauses in policies.
- Average clauses reduce payouts if insured value is less than property's actual value; this bill prevents that practice.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; no changes to consumer insurance law resulted from this proposal.
Broadcasting (Gender, Cultural and Other Diversities) Bill 2022
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Requires broadcasters to better reflect the diversity of people in Ireland through their content and programming decisions.
- Introduces a quota requiring a minimum proportion of female composers or performers in music content broadcast by eligible stations.
- Amends broadcasters' existing legal duties to include new obligations around gender, cultural, and other diversity representation.
Regulation of Air Traffic Over Sporting Events Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Vincent P. Martin
- Bill aims to prevent unfair betting on sports by regulating aircraft flying over sporting events.
- Proposes rules for aircraft operation during certain sporting events to protect betting integrity.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific protections and aircraft restrictions not yet detailed in law.
Worker Co-Operatives and Right To Buy Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Amends the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1893 to update rules governing worker co-operatives and related organisations.
- Bill lapsed without progressing beyond First Stage; specific provisions on 'right to buy' not detailed in available information.
- Intended to modernise legal framework for industrial and provident societies, but detailed scope of changes unavailable.
National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Committee Stage Lapsed Barry Ward
- Amends National Lottery Act 2013 to make it a criminal offence for bookmakers to use National Lottery draws or products in their betting offers.
- Increases penalties for the offence and extends criminal liability to bodies corporate, not just individuals.
- Prevents private gambling operators from profiting by leveraging National Lottery activities, which are subject to consumer protections and mandatory community funding.
Gambling (Prohibition of Advertising) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Prohibits advertising of gambling (betting, gaming) across all media, with exceptions for charity events and horse/dog racecourse printed matter.
- Bans broadcast advertising and sponsorship of broadcast programmes for gambling; applies to Irish and foreign broadcasters targeting Irish audiences.
- Creates offences with penalties up to €250,000 fine or 3 years imprisonment on indictment; €5,000 or 6 months in District Court.
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.
Special Measures in the Public Interest (Derrybrien Wind Farm) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Defeated Tom Clonan
- Bill transfers Derrybrien wind farm ownership to Western Development Commission to help secure Ireland's electricity supply.
- Allows removal of current Gort Windfarms staff and appointment of new personnel; renames company and transfers land lease.
- Suspends certain company law rules for Gort Windfarms; existing contracts remain valid. Bill was defeated at first stage.
Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024
18 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Permits companies to hold virtual or hybrid general meetings using electronic communications technology, provided their constitution allows it, with safeguards for member participation and voting.
- Removes audit exemption for small companies that fail to file annual returns if they have previously failed to file in the preceding 5 years; exemption lost for following 2 years.
- Requires electronic filing agents and registered office agents to be approved by the Registrar and, if trust or company service providers, to be authorised under anti-money laundering legislation.
Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Darren O'Rourke
- Expands CRU powers to monitor and regulate hedging practices in energy markets, with new monthly reporting on supply prices and supplier margins.
- Strengthens CRU authority to monitor anti-competitive behaviour by gas and electricity suppliers and enhance consumer protection from unfair pricing.
- Requires CRU to report quarterly on retail electricity and gas market functioning; gives Minister power to issue affordability-based policy directions to CRU.
Grocery Price Caps Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Paul Murphy
- Amends Consumer Protection Act 2007 to declare emergency on basic foodstuff supply and establish Grocery Price Caps Commission to set maximum prices.
- Commission determines which foods get price caps based on dietary importance, recent price rises, profit margins, and impact on vulnerable groups.
- Minister for Enterprise must review the Act's operation within 12 months of enactment.
Responsibility of Social Media Platforms (Defamation Amendment) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Martin Kenny
- Amends Defamation Act 2009 to make social media platforms liable for defamation when they cannot or will not identify the person who posted the defamatory content.
- Shifts burden of proof: plaintiffs need not prove the original poster knew the statement was false or provided false contact details to the platform.
- Plaintiffs no longer required to prove what verification processes, if any, the social media platform used to identify users.
Industrial Relations (Sectoral Employment Orders Confirmation) Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Ged Nash
- Gives statutory effect to three Labour Court recommendations on pay, sick pay, and pensions in mechanical engineering, construction, and electrical contracting sectors.
- Ensures workers in these sectors receive minimum pay and conditions set by Labour Court recommendations, overriding lower contract terms.
- Addresses High Court judgment that struck down sectoral employment order framework, protecting entitlements of tens of thousands of workers pending appeal.
Mandatory Beef Price Transparency Bill 2019
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Brian Stanley
- Minister for Agriculture must establish a program collecting daily cattle prices in euros per kilogram from processors.
- Processors report daily prices; Minister publishes this information at set intervals to create a beef market price index.
- Designated officers must report specific cattle and boxed beef information daily and weekly as outlined in the Act.
Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2019
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed
- Allows Broadcasting Authority to raise levy for working capital needs, not just current expenses, and extends levy to content provision contract holders to include new market entrants.
- Permits TV licence fee receipts to fund up to 50% of Broadcasting Authority expenses, with remainder from broadcaster levies, capped to ensure industry contribution.
- Creates grant scheme for journalists in local and community radio to promote professional journalistic practices, administered through Broadcasting Funding Scheme.
Regulation of Private Security Firms Bill 2019
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Amends Private Security Services Act 2004 to include persons enforcing court orders and repossession in regulated 'security services' definition.
- Brings court order enforcement and repossession personnel under Private Security Services Authority oversight for licensing, standards, and complaint investigation.
- Requires all entities involved in executing court orders to meet same regulatory standards as other security firms.
Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 Committee Stage Lapsed Pearse Doherty
- Amends Consumer Credit Act 1995 to impose a maximum interest rate cap on moneylenders' charges.
- Specific cap rate and exemptions not detailed in title; bill lapsed at Committee Stage without enactment.
- Intended to protect consumers from excessive moneylending costs through legal rate restrictions.
Property Services (Regulation) (Amendment) (Management Company Regulation) Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Darragh O'Brien
- Amends the 2011 Property Services Regulation law; specific changes not detailed in title alone—further detail needed.
- Addresses management company regulation in property services sector; practical scope and requirements unclear from title.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not become law. Status as of provided information unknown.
Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed James Lawless
- Requires transparency in who pays for political ads shown online and on social media platforms.
- Aims to let voters see funding sources behind online political advertising campaigns.
- Bill lapsed before becoming law; specific requirements and enforcement mechanism details unavailable.
Digital Safety Commissioner Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Creates a Digital Safety Commissioner office to oversee how digital platforms remove harmful online content and enforce rules.
- Requires digital service companies to adopt codes of practice governing removal of harmful communications from their platforms.
- Establishes an advisory committee to support the Commissioner's work regulating digital services and content moderation procedures.
Vacant Housing Refurbishment Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Barry Cowen
- Creates expedited 'one-stop-shop' approval process in each council for residential conversions, refurbishments, and change-of-use developments, with design and planning decisions achievable within one to two working days.
- Establishes new exempted development categories subject to council confirmation, with independent council-employed inspectors certifying compliance via standardized checklists instead of traditional building completion certificates.
- Amends planning law to allow expedited section 5 exempted-development declarations within 2 weeks for standard cases and 4 weeks for protected structures, replacing the standard 4 and 12-week timeframes.
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap Information) Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Empowers the Human Rights and Equality Commission to create a scheme requiring employers with 50+ employees to publish gender pay gap data.
- Scheme must mandate disclosure of mean and median pay differences between male and female workers, bonus pay gaps, and quartile breakdowns by full-time/part-time status.
- Employers who breach scheme requirements commit an offence liable to summary conviction with a Class A fine; data supports enforcement action under existing equality legislation.
Trade Union (Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces) Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Allows Gardaí and Defence Forces members to join trade unions and associations, ending current legal ban.
- Permits Defence Forces associations to become trade unions if they wish to reconstitute themselves.
- Bans strike action by Gardaí, Defence Forces, and their unions to protect public safety.
Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) (Amendment) Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Pearse Doherty
- Regulates credit owners who are unregulated, to protect borrowers in credit agreements where owners operate outside current oversight.
- Applies consumer protections to borrowers whose credit is owned by unregulated entities, filling a regulatory gap.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific amendments to Consumer Protection Act and practical borrower protections not detailed in available text.
Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Maurice Quinlivan
- Regulates how tickets for sporting and cultural events can be sold to prevent unfair practices.
- Applies rules to ticket reselling and distribution for certain events; specific scope details not provided in title.
- Bill lapsed before completion; did not become law. Related matters concerning ticket sales also addressed.
Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2016
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Martin Kenny
- Bans unconventional gas exploration and extraction (fracking) in Ireland.
- Requires public consultation and 'social clauses' before granting oil/gas leases.
- Mandates annual Oireachtas Joint Committee review of all active leases.
Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri Food Regulator) as independent statutory body to promote fairness and transparency in agricultural and food supply chains.
- Prohibits unfair trading practices in business-to-business agricultural and food relationships, including late payments, unauthorized charges, and improper contract changes.
- Grants Regulator enforcement powers to investigate breaches, conduct inspections, bring proceedings, and publish decisions; Minister may make regulations on unfair practices with consent requirements.
Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- An Bord Pleanála can now have up to 14 permanent members (plus temporary appointees) instead of a fixed number; Minister can increase this via order without Oireachtas approval.
- Replaced nominating-body system with independent, objective procedure for recommending board members; removed one-third limit on members appointed under subsection 104(4).
- Foreshore Act definition expanded to include water column above seabed; applies retroactively to existing leases, licences, and pending applications unless it conflicts with constitutional rights.
Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes corporate credit unions (credit unions whose members are other credit unions) and allows public bodies to become credit union members.
- Reduces board meeting frequency from 10 to minimum 6 annually; allows board to delegate member application reviews; permits managers to serve as directors.
- Allows Minister to set maximum interest rates on credit union loans; permits credit unions to refer members to other credit unions for unavailable services.
Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme allowing Minister to guarantee up to €1.2 billion in business credit, with Minister's liability capped at €960 million, open until 31 December 2024.
- Expands eligible enterprises to include small mid-caps and primary producers under the new Ukraine scheme, separate from existing scheme with different terms.
- Increases aggregate liability limit for SBCI loan guarantee agreements from €50 million to €180 million to enable new SME loan schemes.
Employment Permits Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces 2003 and 2006 Employment Permits Acts. Creates ten types of permits including new Seasonal Employment Permit for recurring seasonal roles.
- Requires foreign nationals to hold employment permit to work in Ireland; employers must ensure compliance or face penalties; subcontractors must verify permits are in place.
- Introduces Labour Market Needs Test requiring roles be advertised on EURES and online platforms before hiring non-EEA workers; maintains 50:50 rule requiring half workforce be EEA/UK/Swiss nationals.
National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Increases the maximum capital funding Fáilte Ireland can receive from the Oireachtas from €300 million to €500 million for tourism development projects.
- Allows the Tourism Minister, with Public Expenditure Minister consent, to advance additional capital funds to support tourist facilities and services within this higher limit.
- No direct budgetary impact; actual annual allocations remain determined through annual budget process with no staffing implications.
Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes security obligations for electronic communications providers to take appropriate risk management measures; allows Minister to set security guidelines and ComReg to enforce compliance.
- Creates consumer protections including minimum quality-of-service standards, customer charters, compensation schemes, and dispute resolution procedures through ComReg.
- Introduces administrative sanctions regime for regulatory breaches, including settlement and commitment procedures, with High Court appeals available.
Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Allows dormant court funds from Circuit and District Courts to be encashed every 5 years and used for court building maintenance and ICT facilities.
- Extends voluntary return option timeframe for international protection applicants from 5 to 30 days, and increases International Protection Appeals Tribunal member terms from 3 to 5 years.
- Streamlines bankruptcy processes by removing court leave requirement for property disclaimers and allowing Official Assignee to pre-check financial statements before court filing.
Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Allows Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to review and screen foreign investments in designated sectors valued at €2M+ where control changes hands, to assess security and public order risks.
- Empowers Minister to prohibit transactions, impose conditions, or allow them to proceed; parties must notify 10 days before completion; failure to notify or provide false information is an offence.
- Establishes independent adjudicators panel to hear appeals against Minister's screening decisions within 30 days; adjudicator can remit to Minister for reconsideration or affirm the decision.
National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Transfers National Symphony Orchestra and three RTÉ choirs (Philharmonic, Cór na nÓg, Cór Linn) to National Concert Hall, including staff, property, rights and liabilities.
- Extends National Concert Hall's functions to operate and maintain an orchestra and choirs; increases Board from 8 to 9 members with orchestral expertise requirement.
- Amends Broadcasting Act 2009 to remove RTÉ's orchestra and choir management functions, replacing with limited concert orchestra management role.
Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Introduces 'duty of responsibility' requiring senior executives to take reasonable steps preventing firm breaches in their areas; removes requirement to prove firm wrongdoing first.
- Establishes conduct standards for all controlled function staff and additional standards for senior roles; extends Fitness and Probity regime to financial holding companies.
- Requires firms to document senior executive responsibilities in statements and management maps; strengthens Central Bank enforcement powers and appeals processes.
Consumer Rights Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Consolidates consumer rights for goods sales, digital content/services, and non-digital services. Implements EU directives on goods sales, digital contracts, and consumer protection enforcement.
- Requires traders to deliver goods conforming to contract; consumers can repair, replace, reduce price, or terminate within specified periods if goods lack conformity.
- Amends Consumer Protection Act 2007 to strengthen enforcement powers; amends Consumer Credit Act 1995 to cover hire-purchase and consumer-hire agreements.
Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Central Bank can now collect and publish data on insurance claim deductions related to State supports through the National Claims Information Database.
- Central Bank must report within 18 months on price-walking practices, automatic renewals, and insurer pricing oversight, with findings laid before Parliament.
- Insurers must disclose deductions from claim settlements to consumers; clarifies legal privilege rules post-claim and allows exclusions for certain criminal conduct.
Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Minister for Finance gains power to set maximum interest rate caps on high-cost credit loans through regulations, subject to specified ceilings and Central Bank consultation.
- Licensing period extends from one to five years; providers no longer need separate District Court area registrations; online repayment books permitted.
- Home collection charges abolished; cash loans capped at 52-week term; terminology changed from 'moneylender' to 'high cost credit provider' throughout Act.
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Transfers specialist community-based disability services policy and funding responsibility from Minister for Health to Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; HSE continues delivering services but reports to both Ministers.
- Establishes new governance and accountability structures: both Ministers can issue directions, approve plans, set budgets, and appoint board members for their respective functions; requires joint consultation on shared decisions.
- Amends Disability Act 2005 and Health Act 2007: Minister for Children gains power to prepare sectoral disability plans and direct health quality investigations for disability services.
Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Introduces independent adjudication officers to enforce competition law through non-criminal sanctions, including financial penalties and structural remedies, appealable to the High Court.
- Increases criminal penalties for competition law breaches requiring intentional or reckless conduct; expands CCPC surveillance powers for investigating economic crime.
- Requires notification of below-threshold mergers affecting Irish competition; permits CCPC to unwind completed mergers and void those breaching notification requirements.
Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with new Coimisiún na Meán regulator with expanded powers to regulate broadcasting, audiovisual on-demand services, and online safety.
- Establishes regulatory framework for online safety: Commission makes binding codes for designated online services covering harmful content; enforces via investigation, content removal notices, and financial sanctions up to €20 million or 10% turnover.
- Commission funds community broadcasters' journalism through 7% of licence fees and European works production through levies on media service providers.
Higher Education Authority Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Repeals the 1971 Higher Education Authority Act and establishes new legal framework for HEA's functions in regulating higher education institutions and planning the sector.
- Creates HEA Board of 12 members (appointed by Minister) with powers to oversee institutional governance, funding accountability, and performance measurement of designated higher education providers.
- Requires HEA to prepare three-year corporate plans and annual plans aligned with tertiary education strategy, and mandates institutional compliance with governance frameworks and funding accountability requirements.
Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces the Director of Corporate Enforcement with a new Corporate Enforcement Authority (a commission of 1–3 full-time members appointed by the Minister) that inherits all enforcement, investigation and prosecution functions under the Companies Act 2014.
- Transfers all staff, powers and liabilities of the Director's office to the Authority; existing Director becomes automatic Authority member on same terms; authority regulates own procedures and must act independently.
- Makes Authority accountable to Public Accounts Committee on financial regularity and to Oireachtas Committees on general administration, with High Court review available if Committee requests testimony on matters subject to court proceedings.
Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) to grant maritime area consents for long-term maritime activities and licences for short-term or minor uses in Irish waters.
- Establishes National Marine Planning Framework with Maritime Spatial Plans; local authorities decide nearshore cases (within 3 nautical miles), An Bord Pleanála handles offshore and cross-authority projects.
- Extends planning permission system to maritime area; makes Maritime Area Consent a gateway to planning permission; creates enforcement powers for MARA (offshore) and local authorities (nearshore).
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Allows temporary sale of alcohol in outdoor seating areas linked to licensed premises during Covid-19, deeming them part of licensed premises and enabling enforcement of licensing obligations.
- Grants gardaí powers to direct compliance with licensing laws in outdoor areas, demand proof of authorisation, and issue fines up to €2,500 or six-month imprisonment for non-compliance.
- Increases maximum ordinary High Court judges from 37 to 42 and permits government to appoint additional judges beyond that maximum to address pandemic-related case backlog.
Companies (Rescue Process for Small and Micro Companies) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates a new rescue process for small and micro companies unable to pay debts, as an alternative to examinership that is faster and less costly.
- Appoints a process adviser to assess company viability, prepare a rescue plan, and call creditor/member meetings to approve it within 49 days.
- Allows rescue plans to bind creditors if approved by 60% in number of impaired creditors representing majority value, unless objection triggers court review within 21 days.
Workplace Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Adjudication officer proceedings now default to public hearings; officers can direct private proceedings only when circumstances warrant it, reversing prior blanket ban.
- Adjudication officers gain power to administer oaths/affirmations and can impose criminal penalties for wilful false evidence, addressing constitutional deficiency.
- Labour Court members declared statutorily independent; employers gain right to notice and hearing in enforcement proceedings; amendments applied across six employment law Acts.
Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends Central Bank authorization requirements to firms providing hire-purchase, consumer-hire, and indirect credit, plus firms servicing these agreements.
- Caps interest rates on credit and hire-purchase agreements at 23 percent; courts may enforce non-compliant agreements only in limited circumstances.
- Requires annual percentage rate disclosure in hire-purchase agreements; enables Central Bank to collect and publish credit agreement statistics.
Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to 31 December 2021 with enhanced rates until 30 September 2021, and modifies eligibility assessment rules from 1 July 2021.
- Creates Business Resumption Support Scheme: self-employed and companies with turnover down to 25% of pre-pandemic levels can claim up to €15,000 as advance trading expense credit.
- Imposes 10% stamp duty on acquisition of 10+ residential units (houses/duplexes, not apartments) within 12 months by single entity from 20 May 2021, versus standard 1-2% rate.
Regulation of Tenderers Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Second Stage Defeated Mairéad Farrell
- Requires contracting authorities to reject and disqualify abnormally low construction tender bids (15% below adjusted average) unless tenderers adequately explain their pricing to the authority.
- When abnormally low tenders are accepted, mandates notification to Chief Procurement Officer, enhanced contract management oversight, and regular reporting throughout contract duration.
- Permits contracting authorities to exclude economic operators from procurement procedures based on significant or persistent deficiencies in performance on prior public contracts.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends three-year cap on nursing home costs to family-owned farms and businesses if a family successor commits to working the asset for six years from appointment.
- Requires Health Service Executive to assess eligibility, appoint family successors, conduct compliance reviews, and recoup relief if conditions are breached during the relevant period.
- Allows people in care to appoint replacements if a family successor dies or becomes unable to work the asset, and permits asset transfers without triggering repayment obligations under certain circumstances.
Land Development Agency Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates Land Development Agency as a public company to acquire and develop public land for housing in towns over 10,000 population; establishes a public register of available land.
- Requires a portion of housing built on public land be made affordable through cost rental, transfer to planning authorities, or affordable housing schemes under existing law.
- Grants Agency power to compulsorily purchase land needed for housing access or infrastructure, after attempting voluntary acquisition; dissolves prior Agency entity and transfers its assets and staff.
Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Coimisiún na Meán gains power to impose levies on digital intermediary and hosting service providers to fund its Digital Services Act and counter-terrorism work.
- Competition and Consumer Protection Commission gains power to levy online marketplace platforms to cover its Digital Services Act regulatory costs.
- Both authorities can arrange for one to collect levies on the other's behalf, streamlining funding for their respective digital services functions.
Research and Innovation Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Dissolves Science Foundation Ireland and transfers all its staff, assets, and liabilities to new agency Taighde Éireann, merging research funding functions across all disciplines.
- Establishes Taighde Éireann to award competitive research funding, support researcher excellence and retention, and promote research's contribution to economic, social, cultural and environmental development.
- Amends Higher Education Authority Act 2022 to transfer certain research-related staff, assets and liabilities from higher education authority to Taighde Éireann; repeals related provisions from 2003-2014 Acts.
Digital Services Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Designates media regulator (Coimisiún na Meán) as Digital Services Coordinator with power to investigate breaches, issue compliance notices, impose fines up to 6% of annual turnover, and seek court orders blocking access to non-compliant platforms.
- Designates Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as competent authority for online marketplace rules; grants investigatory and enforcement powers for those specific articles of the Digital Services Regulation.
- Revokes old eCommerce Directive regulations; enables daily penalty payments and interim measures during investigations; allows information-sharing between regulators and EU authorities for coordinated enforcement.
Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Amends Protection of Employment Act 1977 to require consultation with employees' representatives before collective redundancies and notification to Minister, with 30-day delay before dismissals take effect, even during insolvency.
- Establishes statutory Employment Law Review Group to monitor and advise Minister on employment and redundancy law, with bi-annual work programmes and annual reports to Oireachtas.
- Amends Companies Act 2014 to require directors notify employees of winding-up petitions, obligate liquidators share financial information with workers as creditors, and ease court remedies for improper asset transfers.
Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Caps electricity revenues for wind, solar, hydro (€120/MWh) and other non-gas generators from December 2022–June 2023; excess revenues paid to collection agent for redistribution to consumers.
- Requires producers, intermediaries and traders to calculate monthly surplus revenues, submit returns, and pay liabilities by December 2023; enforced by competent authority with powers to audit, revise assessments and prosecute.
- Establishes Market Cap Fund managed by collection agent (EirGrid) to receive capped revenues and disburse them via schemes to assist electricity consumers facing high energy prices.
Gas (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Dissolves Ervia and transfers all its functions, assets, liabilities, staff and records to Gas Networks Ireland on a Minister-set transfer date.
- Cancels Ervia's shareholding in GNI and issues new shares to three Ministers (90% to Housing Minister, 5% each to Environment and Public Expenditure Ministers).
- Amends Gas Act 1976, Gas Regulation Act 2013, and Freedom of Information Act 2014 to reflect GNI's expanded role and remove Ervia as exempt body.
Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Imposes a temporary 75% tax on fossil fuel companies' profits above 120% of their average profits in 2022 and 2023, collected by Revenue Commissioners by specified dates.
- Requires energy companies (deriving 75%+ turnover from extraction, mining, refining or coke manufacture) to register and file returns with detailed profit calculations and anti-avoidance provisions.
- Establishes enforcement mechanisms including surcharges (5-10%), interest on overdue amounts, €3,000 penalties for non-compliance, and appeal rights to Appeal Commissioners.
Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Allows designated consumer organisations to bring court actions on behalf of consumers for breaches of consumer law affecting multiple people.
- Creates a registration system where the Minister designates qualified entities meeting set criteria to represent consumers in the High Court.
- Requires traders and organisations to publish details of court decisions and settlements, and lets consumers join actions for compensation without paying double.
Finance Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Extends six agricultural tax reliefs (farm restructuring, young farmer stock relief, slurry storage allowances) to end-2024 or end-2025, updated to comply with new EU Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation.
- Reduces mineral oil tax on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil in stages through October 2023; extends 9% VAT rate on electricity, gas and hospitality until August-October 2023.
- Amends Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme: lowers energy cost increase threshold from 50% to 30%, raises payment from 40% to 50% of costs, extends deadline to July 2023.
Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020
13 Dec 2022 Enacted
- Creates Irish Air Navigation Service (IANS), a new state company, to provide air navigation services separately from aviation regulation.
- Merges Commission for Aviation Regulation into Irish Aviation Authority to form single regulator for safety, security, economic regulation and consumer protection.
- Increases borrowing limit for daa and subsidiaries under Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998.
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.
Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Bill 2020
17 Aug 2020 Enacted
- Allows companies to hold general meetings remotely or hybrid during Covid-19 interim period, with electronic voting mechanisms and deferred annual general meetings until 31 December 2020.
- Increases statutory demand threshold for company winding-up from €10,000/€20,000 to €50,000 during interim period; extends examiner reporting deadline by additional 50 days in exceptional circumstances.
- Permits company documents sealed separately (seal, director signature, secretary signature on different documents) to count as one executed document during interim period.
Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020
17 Aug 2020 Enacted
- Allows courts to hold civil proceedings remotely using electronic means; permits judges to conduct hearings outside their district; unlawful recording of proceedings is an offence.
- Makes business records presumed admissible as evidence in civil proceedings if compiled in ordinary business course; requires 21-day notice to parties before trial.
- Enables temporary coroners or deputy coroners to be assigned during pandemics/mass fatalities; allows assignments up to six months, renewable, to clear inquiries backlog.
Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2020
29 Jul 2020 Enacted
- Creates COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme allowing Minister to guarantee up to €2 billion in credit, with Minister's liability capped at €1.6 billion.
- Extends eligible enterprises to include small mid-caps and primary producers under the new COVID-19 scheme, separate from existing scheme.
- Sets scheme to operate until 31 December 2020 (extendable to 31 December 2021 by ministerial order) with guarantees lasting maximum 6 years.
Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020
14 Jul 2020 Enacted
- Increases maximum grant the Minister can give to Microfinance Ireland from €35m to €105m to support business lending during Covid-19.
- Allows Microfinance Ireland to borrow from sources other than Social Finance Foundation and lend those borrowed funds to microenterprises.
- Raises maximum cumulative contribution limit under European Investment Fund Agreement from €75m to €500m for two Ministers to access additional funding.
National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Victor Boyhan
- Establishes National Housing Co-operative to purchase distressed mortgages from lenders, allowing homeowners to transition from mortgage to 'rent and mortgage' arrangements.
- Finances €5 billion acquisition through 20-year secured property bonds backed by European Investment Fund guarantee; purchase price neutral to selling lenders.
- Provides homeowners with options including extended mortgages, interest-only payments, rent supplements, or local authority management to prevent repossession and homelessness.
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.
Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Daly
- Creates new crime: corporate manslaughter when an undertaking's management causes death through gross negligence.
- Makes high-level managers personally liable for deaths caused by their grossly negligent management decisions.
- Bill lapsed without becoming law; did not progress past Second Stage parliamentary debate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Corporate Manslaughter Bill 2016
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jonathan O'Brien
- Creates criminal offense of corporate manslaughter where an undertaking causes death by gross negligence in workplace health and safety.
- Creates separate offense of grossly negligent management causing death for high managerial agents; both prosecuted on indictment with fines and potential disqualification.
- Courts may impose remedial orders, community service orders, and adverse publicity orders on convicted undertakings; allows piercing corporate veil if company dissolved to evade liability.
Trade Union Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mick Barry
- Removes restrictions on pickets: allows pickets for union aims beyond trade disputes, permits pickets at workplace approaches rather than entrances only, and allows anyone to join pickets without risk of injunction.
- Repeals ballot and notice requirements: eliminates requirement for secret ballots and one-week notice before industrial action, removing legal grounds employers use to obtain injunctions.
- Allows unions to take industrial action for individual worker grievances without exhausting agreed procedures first, enabling swift action in dismissals and victimization cases.
Broadcasting (Television Licence Fees Recovery) Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Seán Sherlock
- Requires TV service providers (Sky, Virgin, etc.) to share subscription data with the licence fee collector on request to identify unlicensed TV set owners.
- Adds new section 145A to Broadcasting Act 2009 permitting data processing by the issuing agent to assist licence fee recovery and identification functions.
- Aims to reduce evasion rates estimated at 12-14% and potentially increase licence fee revenue by €25-30 million annually through cross-checking subscriber lists.
Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Kevin O'Keeffe
- Amends Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962 to allow occasional licences for dances to be held in tents, marquees or similar structures, currently prohibited.
- Permits District Court to grant occasional licences for special events in these structures where no permanent liquor licence exists at the venue.
- Removes current restriction preventing dance events from using temporary structures when granted an occasional licence.
Regulation of Tenderers Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jonathan O'Brien
- Requires contracting authorities to identify abnormally low tender bids for public works contracts above EU threshold and request explanation from bidders on how price will be achieved.
- Allows disqualification of bidders if their abnormally low bid explanation is insufficient; accepted or rejected abnormally low bids must be recorded and submitted to Office of Government Procurement.
- Permits contracting authorities to exclude bidders from procurement processes based on significant or persistent deficiencies demonstrated in prior public contracts.
Plain Language Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Noel Rock
- Requires government departments and state bodies to write all new publications, forms, and publicly distributed documents in clear, concise, well-organised language following plain language best practices.
- Mandates that departments and state bodies develop plain language guidelines and ensure their implementation across all publicly available material.
- Requires government to publish regular reports online detailing how departments and state bodies have implemented plain language guidelines.
Data Protection (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Changes section 30 of Data Protection Act 2018 from creating an 'offence' to declaring child data processing for marketing 'unlawful', enabling citizens to pursue rights through courts.
- Removes undefined term 'micro-targeting' and aligns restrictions with GDPR Article 22, clarifying prohibited behaviour while permitting direct marketing balanced against child protection.
- Protects children from junk food and drink marketing by restricting companies from processing child personal data for profiling or targeting purposes.
Treatment of Cancer (Advertisements) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Kate O'Connell
- Bans advertisements offering cancer treatments or remedies, or suggesting medical consultation is unnecessary, across all media including internet and social media.
- Makes publishing prohibited cancer treatment ads a criminal offense prosecuted by Health Products Regulatory Authority, with court-imposed fines and/or imprisonment.
- Requires Authority to review the Act's operation within 18 months and report findings to Parliament within 12 months of review completion.
Childcare Price Transparency Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Anne Rabbitte
- Childcare providers must display price notices in their physical premises and on their websites showing charges for each service.
- The Minister may create a National Childcare Price Register to collect and publish childcare pricing information.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never became law.
Regulation of Intimate Piercing and Tattooing Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mary Butler
- Makes it illegal to perform intimate piercings or tattoos on anyone under 18 years old.
- Requires regulation and licensing of piercing and tattoo businesses to set safety standards.
- Bill did not progress beyond initial introduction stage and is no longer active.
National Lottery (Protection Of Central Fund) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Adds a condition to all bookmaker licenses (existing and new) under Betting Acts 1931–2015 prohibiting bets on National Lottery game outcomes, whether domestic or offshore.
- Protects National Lottery Fund by stopping unregulated operators from offering bets on lottery results, preserving ticket sales revenue for good causes (sport, arts, health, environment, etc.).
- Allows Minister for Justice to apply to District Court to revoke any license if holder breaches the betting prohibition on lottery products.
Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Climate Change Reporting) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Timmy Dooley
- Expands the government's climate advisory council's role to publish guidance for companies measuring climate risks and their climate impacts.
- Amends the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Act 2015 to create new responsibilities for corporate climate reporting.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to become law.
Industrial and Provident Societies (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Thomas Pringle
- Bill would amend the 1893 Industrial and Provident Societies Act to update rules governing co-operatives and mutual societies.
- Specific amendments and connected matters not detailed in long title; original Act text needed to clarify practical changes.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not progress to law.
National Infrastructure Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Dara Calleary
- Creates National Infrastructure Commission to advise government on economic infrastructure across all sectors.
- Bill lapsed before completion; never became law. Sponsor: Dara Calleary.
- Scope and specific powers of proposed Commission not detailed in title; full details unavailable.
Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed James Lawless
- Amends Science Foundation Ireland's functions to balance basic research with applied research promotion and development.
- Requires independent review of Foundation's performance against research objectives and mandates Board composition: minimum 3 academics, 3 industrialists.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; no enactment details available regarding implementation timeline or review procedures.
Competition and Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Niall Collins
- Gives Competition and Consumer Protection Commission power to issue administrative sanctions directly against businesses for anti-competitive practices.
- Amends the 2014 Competition and Consumer Protection Act to enable these enforcement powers without requiring court proceedings.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; changes to competition enforcement powers were not enacted into law.
Gambling Control Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Anne Rabbitte
- Creates a licensing and regulatory framework for gambling activities across Ireland.
- Establishes rules governing how gambling businesses must operate and be supervised.
- Bill did not complete parliamentary process; status is lapsed as of submission date.
Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Niall Collins
- Amends the 2007 Consumer Protection Act to add rules governing gift vouchers and their use.
- Specifies regulations for gift vouchers; details of those regulations not available from title alone.
- Bill lapsed without becoming law; status as of review date was Second Stage in Dáil.
Consumer Rights (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Catherine Murphy
- Limits how long gift vouchers can be valid before expiring, protecting consumers from losing money.
- Bans certain fees and charges retailers can apply to gift vouchers during purchase or use.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage in Oireachtas; current legal status unclear without checking if reintroduced.
Property Services Regulatory Authority (Amendment) (Bidding Transparency) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Barry Cowen
- Amends Property Services Regulatory Authority Act to make land sale bidding processes more transparent and faster when property isn't sold by auction.
- Requires clearer disclosure of bid information to buyers and sellers during non-auction land sales, reducing hidden bidding practices.
- Bill lapsed without progressing beyond First Stage; specific enforcement mechanisms and timeline requirements not detailed in available information.
Waste Reduction Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Eamon Ryan
- Bans single-use non-compostable cups and tableware from sale or use.
- Introduces deposit and return schemes for beverage containers to encourage recycling.
- Bill lapsed; did not progress beyond Second Stage debate in Dáil.
Industrial Relations (Defence Forces) (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Ruth Coppinger
- Allows Defence Forces members to access Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court for workplace disputes.
- Removes restrictions preventing Defence Forces members from joining trade unions or their representative associations from affiliating with unions.
- Amends Industrial Relations Act 1990 and Defence (Amendment) Act 1990 to include Defence Forces in worker protections.
Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Billy Kelleher
- Requires doctors to declare annually to the Medical Council any income or gifts received from medical suppliers or pharmaceutical companies.
- Declarations must be made in statutory form; no thresholds or exemption amounts specified in long title.
- Bill lapsed; did not proceed beyond Second Stage debate in 2017.
National Food Ombudsman Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Charlie McConalogue
- Creates National Food Ombudsman office within Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to handle grocery trade disputes.
- Ombudsman mediates and investigates disputes between grocery retailers/wholesalers and their suppliers of food products.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; no related matters detail provided in available text.
Prohibition of Above-cost Ticket Touting Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Stephen Donnelly
- Makes it illegal to sell tickets for major sporting, musical, or theatrical events above their official price.
- Applies to anyone selling or offering tickets for resale at above face value.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not become law.
Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Denise Mitchell
- Amends Pensions Act 1990 to stop solvent companies abandoning pension obligations to employees.
- Prevents employers from avoiding responsibility for employee pension schemes when financially able to pay.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific enforcement mechanisms and penalties not detailed in long title alone.
Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Frank O'Rourke
- Public bodies can consider economic, social, and environmental benefits when awarding service contracts, not just price.
- Aims to help small and medium businesses compete more fairly for public procurement tenders.
- Bill lapsed during legislative process; did not become law.
Ethical Public Investment (Tobacco) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Sean Fleming
- Bans public money investment in tobacco company stocks and bonds, directly or indirectly.
- Affects government, state bodies, and pension funds holding tobacco securities.
- Bill lapsed without becoming law; status as of 2017.
Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Bríd Smith
- Creates Cannabis Regulation Authority to oversee medicinal cannabis supply through licensing system.
- Allows regulated production and distribution of cannabis for medical purposes under government oversight.
- Bill did not progress beyond Second Stage debate; current status unknown without recent legislative updates.
Companies (Amendment) Bill 2016
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed David Cullinane
- Makes company officers personally liable for employment law breaches committed by their corporate body.
- Amends the Companies Act 2014 to impose individual accountability on officers acting for companies.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed without becoming law.