Education
Bills affecting schools, universities, further education and student welfare.
66 bills tracked under this topic.
Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2026
28 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Joe Neville
- Exempts non-profit early childhood care and education providers from business rates, including after-care and part-time provision.
- Exempts for-profit early childhood providers receiving Core Funding and capping fees at ECCE programme rates from business rates.
- Exempts childminders offering services from their home (mixed-use dwelling) from business rates on that portion.
Universal Access to Social Housing (Abolition of Income Limits) Bill 2026
20 Feb 2026 Second Stage Current Richard Boyd Barrett
- Amends Housing Act 2009 to remove all income-based criteria from social housing assessments, enabling anyone to access social housing regardless of earnings.
- Deletes clauses linking social housing eligibility to household income or Rent Supplement receipt, abolishing existing income limits.
- Comes into force within 90 days of Presidential approval.
Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026
12 Feb 2026 Second Stage Current Eoghan Kenny
- Amends Education Act 1998 to allow Minister make regulations requiring greater school staff participation in approved first aid training for medical emergencies.
- Enables regulations to increase number of schools authorised to administer prescription-only medicines (like adrenaline auto-injectors) without prescription during life-threatening medical emergencies.
- Addresses 2024 report finding most primary school staff lack training in life-saving equipment; creates framework for improved emergency response and medicine access in schools.
National Training Fund (Amendment) Bill 2025
9 Jan 2026 Enacted
- Amends National Training Fund Act 2000 to allow payments for acquiring land, premises, furniture, equipment, and upgrading or constructing premises.
- Payments must support skills training for employed persons, job seekers, or provide economy-wide skills requirement information.
- Enables National Training Fund to finance infrastructure and resources for training schemes under section 7 of the 2000 Act.
Education (Leave for Injuries) Bill 2025
18 Dec 2025 Second Stage Current Laura Harmon
- Creates standards for a leave-of-absence scheme run by the Education Minister for teachers and special needs assistants injured at work.
- Sets rules teachers and assistants must follow to qualify for and use injury-related leave benefits under the scheme.
- Applies to teachers and special needs assistants; exact injury types and leave duration details not yet specified in bill text.
Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill 2025
6 Nov 2025 First Stage Defeated Darren O'Rourke
- Minister must make regulations requiring schools to develop affordable uniform policies in consultation with parents and students, with clear labeling of optional versus required items.
- Schools must source uniforms from multiple retailers, limit branded items, facilitate second-hand uniform access, and avoid frequent uniform changes to reduce family costs.
- Schools must comply within one year; Minister requests Ombudsman for Children's Office reports at 18 months then annually assessing school compliance and cost reduction effectiveness.
Education (Amendment) Bill 2024
22 Oct 2025 Second Stage Current Sorca Clarke
- Allows families of children with special educational needs to apply for school places two years before the child would ordinarily attend that school.
- Requires schools to set different application dates in admission notices for students with special educational needs, with applications accepted from October two years prior.
- Gives schools time to arrange resources and secure places for children with additional educational needs, and provides families with early certainty of enrollment.
Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019
1 Oct 2025 Committee Stage Current
- Schools must prepare, publish and implement a student and parent charter following national guidelines set by the Minister for Education and Skills.
- The Minister will establish detailed charter guidelines covering consultation procedures, school information disclosure, grievance handling, and financial transparency to parents and students.
- The Minister can issue written directions to schools failing to comply with charter requirements, with 14-day notice, representation rights, and public publication of all directions issued.
Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024
18 Jul 2025 Enacted
- Provides free health services to survivors of residential institutional abuse matching supports given to Magdalen Laundries survivors, plus €3,000 payment for those living abroad.
- Enables Minister to make education support payments to help survivors engage in education, with criteria to be determined and published.
- Dissolves the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (Caranua), transferring its functions and assets to the Minister for Education.
Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill 2018
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Colette Kelleher
- Schools must teach about Traveller culture and history to give students knowledge and understanding of the community.
- Amends Education Act 1998 to require recognised schools include Traveller studies in their curriculum and education approach.
- Aims to increase awareness and respect for Traveller heritage among Irish schoolchildren as part of their education.
Electoral (Home Addresses of Candidates) Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Jennifer Whitmore
- Removes requirement for candidates' home addresses to appear on nomination papers, ballot papers, and postal ballots for all elections.
- Amends seven electoral laws governing Dáil, Seanad, local councils, European Parliament, and Presidential elections to exclude address publication.
- Aims to protect candidates' and families' privacy and safety, addressing increased harassment and deterring participation from vulnerable communities.
Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020
2 May 2025 Report Stage Current Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Removes the exemption allowing schools to reserve up to 25% of places for children/grandchildren of former students.
- Keeps sibling preference intact; only eliminates parent and grandparent connection as admission criterion.
- Amends Part X of Education Act 1998 by deleting the provision enabling schools to prioritize applicants with parent/grandparent alumni ties.
Education (Admission to Schools) (Co-Education) Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Ged Nash
- Removes gender discrimination exemption for single-sex primary schools 10 years after Bill passes; schools must then admit students regardless of gender.
- Removes gender discrimination exemption for single-sex post-primary schools 15 years after Bill passes; applies to recognised schools only.
- Disapplies exemptions in Equal Status Act 2000 and Education Act 1998 that currently allow single-sex schools to refuse opposite-gender admissions.
Provision of Objective Sex Education Bill 2018
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Mick Barry
- Requires schools to provide factual, objective relationships and sexuality education regardless of school ethos or religious character.
- Aims to ensure all students access same evidence-based content, independent of school's distinctive values or mission.
- Bill at committee stage; specific curriculum content, implementation timeline, and exemption details not yet finalised in legislation.
Protection of Children’s Health (Idling of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles in Vicinity of Schools) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Jennifer Whitmore
- Creates new offence: leaving vehicle engine running stationary within 100 metres of school premises without reasonable excuse. Enforced by Gardaí and local authorities.
- Allows fixed penalty notices as alternative to prosecution for idling offence, with amounts set by regulation under Road Traffic Act 2010.
- Enables road traffic signs to alert drivers to idling restrictions near schools; Minister must issue guidance and conduct annual reviews.
Anti-Evictions Bill 2018
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Ruth Coppinger
- Extends tenant rights in student accommodation and makes most tenancies indefinite-duration, requiring longer notice periods for termination.
- Removes property sale and renovation as eviction grounds; adds compensation when landlords need homes for personal use.
- Includes receivers and lenders as landlords; makes all tenancies over two months subject to Part 4 protections.
Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Pat Casey
- Expands who can vote in Seanad university panel elections to all adults with Irish third-level qualifications, not just graduates.
- Amends the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Acts 1937–2006 to implement seventh constitutional amendment provisions.
- Broadens the electorate beyond current university graduate voters to include all qualifying third-level credential holders aged 18+.
First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Existing Teachers) Bill 2018
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Robbie Gallagher
- All existing school staff must complete occupational first aid and mental health first aid training within two years, with refresher training every five years thereafter.
- Schools must maintain training logs, retain completion certificates, develop annual first aid policies, and keep equipped first aid boxes on premises.
- Minister prescribes approved training courses and refresher courses; Boards of Management must facilitate staff attendance and ensure compliance with all requirements.
First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Initial Teacher Training) Bill 2018
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Robbie Gallagher
- Requires initial teacher training courses to include occupational first aid and mental health first aid training at a level prescribed by the Minister for Education and Skills.
- Prohibits schools from hiring teachers unless they provide evidence of completing required first aid and mental health training or approved refresher courses.
- Makes school Boards of Management responsible for ensuring no employed staff lack evidence of successfully completing the required training.
Seanad Bill 2020
20 Feb 2025 Committee Stage Current Michael McDowell
- Expands who can vote in Seanad elections and establishes a new Seanad Electoral Commission to manage elections.
- Repeals two older laws (1947 and 1937 acts) governing how panel and university members were elected to Seanad.
- Reforms Seanad Éireann's structure and election process within constitutional limits; specific franchise changes and commission powers not detailed in title.
Education (Relationships and Sexuality Education) (Amendment) Bill 2022
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Fiona O'Loughlin
- Amends Education Act 1998 to require relationship and sexuality education in primary and post-primary schools.
- Removes religious ethos influence from relationship and sexuality education curriculum and delivery.
- Bill lapsed at Second Stage; did not progress to law.
Education (Inspection of Individual Education Plans for Children with Special Needs) Bill 2022
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Pauline Tully
- Amends Education Act 1998 to give the Inspectorate new powers to examine and report annually on individual education plans for children with special needs.
- Inspectorate must assess prevalence and standard of these plans and report findings to the Minister for Education each year.
- Establishes legal framework enabling Inspectorate to collect and provide data on special educational needs planning on recurring annual basis.
Civil Liability (Schools) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Rónán Mullen
- Adds new protections to Civil Liability Act 1961: schools cannot be sued for student injuries from accidents on premises if they have adequate supervision and comply with health and safety regulations.
- Shields teachers from negligence liability when providing first aid, medical advice, or transporting injured students to hospital, unless conduct amounts to gross negligence or bad faith.
- Sets legal standard of care for teachers as that of a prudent parent, codifying the test courts have generally applied in school negligence cases.
Planning and Development (Solar Panels for Public Buildings, Schools, Homes and Other Premises) (Amendment) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Committee Stage Lapsed Pauline O'Reilly
- Removes planning permission requirement for solar panels on schools and public buildings.
- Allows larger solar panel arrays on homes and industrial/agricultural buildings without planning permission restrictions.
- Permits ground-mounted solar panels up to 4 metres high; listed buildings remain protected.
Health Insurance (International Students) (Amendment) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Malcolm Byrne
- Amends Health Insurance Act 1994 to redefine health insurance contracts, excluding international students not ordinarily resident in Ireland.
- Changes who can be covered by health insurance by creating a new definition that leaves out non-resident international students.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and is no longer active; specific implementation details are not available.
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.
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.
Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Bill 2017
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Paddy Burke
- Amends Regional Technical Colleges Act 1992 to allow governing body representation from regions outside the education and training board's functional area.
- Extends who can sit on college governing bodies to include representatives from communities served by the college but located elsewhere.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed without becoming law.
Education (Smartphones in Primary Schools) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Prohibits primary school students from using smartphones during the school day, enforced by principals and teachers.
- Aims to promote student welfare and education by restricting smartphone access in primary schools.
- Defines key terms and sets out implementation rules for the prohibition during school hours.
Education (Inclusion of Persons) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Chris Andrews
- Schools must publish inclusion policies with objectives for special needs classes; must consider special educational needs organiser recommendations in admissions and school plans; must explain publicly if they reject recommendations.
- Government must publish data on spending for transporting special needs students outside their planning areas and numbers without school places; NCSE must report annually on planning transparency.
- Disabled persons organisations gain role in agreeing school board composition; special educational needs organisers gain function to recommend accommodation actions to school boards.
Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Minister must make regulations requiring schools to develop affordable uniform policies in consultation with parents and students, with clear public disclosure of optional versus required items.
- Schools must source uniforms from multiple retailers, minimize branded items, limit crests to iron-on/sew-on only, and facilitate second-hand uniform access and sibling hand-downs.
- Schools must comply within one year; Ombudsman for Children's Office reports on compliance and cost reduction 18 months after regulations published, then annually.
Planning and Development Regulations (Amendment) (Solar Energy for Schools and Community Buildings) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Amends Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to exempt solar panel installation on schools and community buildings from requiring planning permission.
- Defines 'school' and 'community building' in the regulations to determine which structures qualify for the solar panel exemption.
- Removes administrative barrier to renewable energy adoption by eliminating planning permission requirement for solar installations on specified public buildings.
Personal Protective Equipment (Covid-19) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Paul Murphy
- Amends Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to require employers provide FFP2-grade masks or higher to employees where Covid-19 risks cannot be controlled by other means.
- Explicitly applies requirement to education, childcare, and healthcare workers in schools, colleges, hospitals, primary care centres, and nursing homes.
- Requires Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to review the provision within 3 months of the bill coming into force.
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.
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.
Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Landlords must refund rent and charges to student tenants unable to occupy accommodation due to Covid-19 public health guidance or legislation compliance.
- Student tenants cannot be required to pay rent more than one month in advance and need give only 28 days' notice to end tenancy.
- Unpaid rent covered by refund entitlement is not considered arrears; disputes over refunds can be resolved through the Residential Tenancies Board.
Sick Leave and Parental Leave (Covid-19) Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Alan Kelly
- Creates legal right to paid sick leave for employees after 4 weeks employment, capped at 6 continuous weeks or 30 days per 12 months, paid at normal weekly rate.
- Expands force majeure leave under Parental Leave Act 1998 to cover parents whose children cannot attend school/pre-school due to Covid-19 Government measures.
- Makes sick leave entitlements non-waivable except by collective or registered employment agreements; disputes resolved through workplace relations procedures.
Protection of Minimum Wage Earners Bill 2013
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Pearse Doherty
- Amends Finance Act 2011 to raise income thresholds for universal social charge (USC) liability.
- Aimed to reduce USC burden on lower-income earners by increasing threshold levels.
- Bill lapsed without becoming law; did not progress beyond First Stage in Dáil.
Child Sex Offenders (Information and Monitoring) Bill 2012
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Denis Naughten
- Establishes Information on Child Sex Offenders (ICSO) scheme enabling parents, guardians, and school/club leaders to request Garda disclosure of whether specific individuals pose sexual danger to children.
- Requires Gardaí to disclose proportional risk information within 48 hours when legitimate enquiries are made, subject to Superintendent approval and appeal rights for refused requests.
- Amends Sex Offenders Act 2001 to require offenders notify local Garda district headquarters within 3 days of release, submit photographs and fingerprints, improving monitoring of released sex offenders.
Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024
4 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Extends voting rights for Seanad university seats to all Irish citizens with degrees from designated higher education institutions, replacing the current NUI and University of Dublin constituencies.
- Creates a new six-seat Higher Education constituency; fills casual vacancies using replacement candidate lists instead of bye-elections, with bye-elections only if replacement lists are exhausted.
- Sets candidate nomination threshold at 60 registered electors or €1,800 deposit; limits election spending to €55,000; reimburses successful candidates or those exceeding one-quarter quota up to €13,750.
Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- School patrons and boards must cooperate with the National Council for Special Education, provide and operate special classes when requested, and comply with ministerial directions on special education provision.
- Minister can issue binding directions requiring schools to make additional provision for children with special needs after NCSE reports insufficient capacity and gives schools opportunity to make representations.
- Removes school appeals against NCSE/Tusla decisions to designate school places for children with special needs; schools must comply with placement directions after making representations.
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.
Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Transfers governance of Child and Family Agency's education welfare functions from Minister for Children to Minister for Education, effective 2021.
- Minister for Education gains power to set spending limits, request information, nominate board member, and issue directions on education welfare functions.
- Funding for education welfare functions moves to Minister for Education; other Agency functions remain funded by Minister for Children with separate, non-interchangeable budgets.
Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends emergency protections from rent increases and evictions for Covid-19-affected tenants in arrears until 12 January 2022.
- Caps upfront payments (deposit plus advance rent) at 2 months' rent maximum, and limits regular advance rent to 1 month only.
- Requires students in student accommodation to give minimum 28 days' termination notice; allows them to opt out of upfront payment caps.
Education (Leaving Certificate 2021) (Accredited Grades) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates optional accredited grades system for 2021 Leaving Certificate alongside written exams; students choose exams, accredited grades, or both.
- Prohibits students/parents contacting teachers about estimated marks; SEC can withhold grades if prohibited communication occurs or false information provided.
- Gives SEC power to standardise estimated marks into accredited grades, award better result if student sits both processes, and hear appeals.
Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Introduces enforcement powers: improvement notices, immediate action notices, temporary prohibition orders (up to 6 weeks), and closure orders to address non-compliance with early years service regulations.
- Extends regulation to all paid non-relative childminders by removing exemptions; defines childminding service as care in childminder's home for minimum 2 hours daily.
- Requires Child and Family Agency to publish enforcement action information; grants 3-year transitional period for existing exempt childminders to register or continue under previous exemptions.
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.
The Royal Hibernian Academy (Amendment of Charter) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Increases RHA membership from 30 to 55 members to accommodate younger artists in Ireland.
- Removes outdated restrictions: £1,000 annual asset limit, Dublin-only meeting requirement, and nine-member quorum for vice-president elections.
- Creates permanent 'Keeper' position; replaces 'engravers' with 'printmakers' as qualifying profession.
Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2020
17 Aug 2020 Enacted
- Creates new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science as a standalone government department.
- Establishes Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science as head of new department.
- Applies existing Ministers and Secretaries Acts (1924-2017) and Documentary Evidence Act 1925 to new department.
Free Education (Prohibition of Fees and Charges) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 Committee Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Bans recognised schools from charging admission, enrolment fees, or requesting parent contributions for education costs, with limited exceptions.
- Applies to publicly funded schools; allows certain charges for optional activities or services outside core education.
- Bill lapsed at Committee Stage in 2018; did not become law. Specific exceptions and implementation details not finalised.
Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Gerard P. Craughwell
- Minister issues standardised code prohibiting student possession of digital devices during school hours, with boards of management implementing it alongside school-specific safeguards.
- Primary students hand devices in at start of day and retrieve them at end; post-primary students must conceal and switch off devices on premises.
- Three-strike confiscation system: first breach confiscates device for school day; second for school week; third for school term, with parent retrieval required.
Civil Liability (Schools) Bill 2019
20 Apr 2020 First Stage Lapsed Rónán Mullen
- Adds legal immunity for schools from negligence liability for student injuries on premises if adequate teacher supervision is in place and health/safety regulations are met.
- Protects teachers from liability when providing first aid, medical advice, or transporting injured students to hospital, except in cases of gross negligence or bad faith.
- Sets the standard of care expected from teachers as that of a prudent parent, codifying the approach generally applied by courts in school liability cases.
Education (Amendment) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Jim Daly
- Creates Education Ombudsman to handle appeals against school and teacher decisions.
- Allows parents/students to lodge complaints about schools and teacher conduct with ombudsman.
- Amends Education Act 1998 to establish formal investigation and reporting processes.
Equality in Education Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Jonathan O'Brien
- Repeals religious discrimination exemption in Equal Status Act 2000, ending schools' legal right to prefer admissions based on applicants' religion.
- Requires Minister to issue guidelines within 12 months and mandates faith formation teaching outside school hours; general curriculum must be non-religious.
- Requires school boards to adopt diversity policies within 12 months, developed with parents and children, to ensure non-discriminatory admissions practices.
Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017
19 Feb 2020 Fifth Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Extends attendance requirements in Education (Welfare) Act 2000 to children under 6 years old enrolled in recognised schools, making parents subject to mandatory attendance rules.
- Strengthens National Educational Welfare Board's role in preventing non-attendance for enrolled junior and senior infant students below compulsory school age.
- Does not lower compulsory schooling age (remains 6-16 years) or affect school enrolment decisions; applies only to parents who voluntarily enrol under-6s.
Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Anne Rabbitte
- Expands HIQA's powers to enforce national standards in foster care, children's residential centres, detention schools, and Tusla services—currently HIQA can only audit, not enforce.
- Amends Health Act 2007 to include these child-care services in the definition of 'designated centre,' bringing them within HIQA's enforcement remit.
- Gives Minister for Health authority to make regulations to implement enforcement powers, subject to parliamentary approval.
Retention of Records Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed
- Records from three child abuse redress bodies transfer to National Archives; sealed and inaccessible for minimum 75 years from transfer date.
- After 75-year sealing period, Minister may make regulations permitting access, with regard for survivors' well-being; requires parliamentary approval.
- Amends three Acts to enable retention instead of disposal; exempts transferred records from Freedom of Information Act 2014.
Residential Tenancies (Rent Pressure Zones and Student Accommodation) (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Darragh O'Brien
- Extends rent pressure zone rules to student accommodation, which were previously excluded from rent controls in certain areas.
- Amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to include student housing in zones where landlord rent increases are already limited.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never progressed through parliament, so these changes were not enacted into law.
Public Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Noel Rock
- Schools must install and maintain defibrillators accessible to the public, with clear signage and online location information.
- Schools must train staff on defibrillators, keep a register of devices, and receive civil liability protection for proper use.
- Health and Safety Authority enforces compliance; non-compliance is an offense. Bill lapsed at First Stage—no longer active.
Education (Inspection of Individual Education Plans for Children with Special Needs) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Carol Nolan
- Amends Education Act 1998 to expand school inspectorate powers to examine and report on individual education plans for children with special needs annually.
- Inspectorate must assess prevalence and standard of these plans, then report findings to the Minister each year.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage—never progressed through parliament, so changes never became law.
Education (Regulation of Voluntary Contributions in Schools) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Carol Nolan
- Minister must make regulations requiring schools to clearly state that voluntary contributions are not obligatory (except fee-paying schools) and prohibit differential treatment of students based on parents' contribution choices.
- Schools limited to contacting parents once yearly for voluntary contributions; prohibited from seeking contributions when public funding suffices for daily operating costs.
- Schools must publish annual financial statements showing receipt and use of voluntary contributions, accessible to parents, without identifying individual contributors.
Education (Guidance Counselling Provision) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Carol Nolan
- Minister must publish annual education impact study on effects of providing guidance counselling within standard staffing schedule rather than separately.
- Study must name schools reducing guidance counselling provision due to this arrangement, with focus on DEIS-designated schools and student wellbeing impact.
- Bill applies only while the staffing arrangement continues; obligation ends if the Minister changes the guidance counselling provision method.
Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Catherine Murphy
- Amends Equal Status Act 2000 to ban publicly funded schools from discriminating against children in admission based on religious beliefs.
- Changes section 7(3) of the Equal Status Act to strengthen protections for students of all faiths or none in school admissions.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and lapsed. Information on specific exemptions or implementation details is unavailable.
Education (Disadvantage Committee) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Carol Nolan
- Establishes Educational Disadvantage Committee to advise Minister on policies and strategies to identify and correct educational disadvantage.
- Committee members appointed for maximum three years; half must be nominees from voluntary and relevant bodies.
- Committee submits proposals to Minister on educational disadvantage policies and priorities, considering available resources and efficiency.
University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Éamon Ó Cuív
- Cancels the 2006 amendment to the University College Galway Act 1929, reversing changes made that year.
- Makes new amendments to the original 1929 Act governing University College Galway's structure or operations. Specific changes not detailed in title.
- Bill did not complete enactment; it lapsed without becoming law.
Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Brendan Howlin
- Amends Equal Status Act 2000 to require state-funded denominational schools prove religious preference in admissions is 'essential' to ensure reasonable access for their own faith community, not merely preferred.
- Adds constitutional safeguard: courts must consider children's right to attend publicly-funded schools without mandatory religious instruction when assessing if schools' admission policies are 'essential'.
- Applies 'necessity test' to preferential admissions policies, shifting legal burden so schools cannot use blanket co-religionist preference without demonstrating actual threat to their religious character.