Justice & Policing
Bills affecting criminal law, courts, An Garda Síochána, prisons and sentencing.
200 bills tracked under this topic.
Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025
8 Jul 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Prohibits sale of single-use vapes (with or without nicotine) in Ireland from commencement, with 6-month transition period allowing existing stock sales.
- Appoints authorised officers with enforcement powers to inspect, investigate, and issue prohibition notices for contraventions of the sales ban.
- Creates criminal offences for selling single-use vapes and providing false information, with penalties for first and repeat breaches; excludes medical devices and medicinal products.
Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026
3 Jul 2026 Cream List Current
- Prison officers can possess and use incapacitant spray during duties under Prison Rules; Firearms Act 1925 exempted accordingly.
- Community service orders available up to 24 months (from 12), with maximum hours raised to 480 and extended completion timeframe to two years.
- Two new sexual offences created: offering accommodation in exchange for sexual activity, with Class A fines as penalty.
Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025
1 Jul 2026 Report Stage Current
- Creates three new terrorist offences: receiving training for terrorism, travelling for terrorism purposes, and organising or facilitating such travel.
- Expands definition of public provocation to commit terrorist offence and adds cyber-crimes as terrorist offences in certain contexts.
- Sets penalties for new offences at up to 10 years imprisonment on indictment; allows courts to treat offences against children as aggravating factors.
Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026
30 Jun 2026 Second Stage Current
- Requires nicotine inhaling products be kept in closed containers at retail, restricts their advertising in shops and online, and allows Minister to regulate permitted flavour names.
- Bans sale of nicotine consumption products to children and restricts their display and advertising in retail premises and online.
- Expands enforcement powers: authorised officers can investigate supply chains, take samples, issue prohibition notices, and seize non-compliant or seriously harmful products.
Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025
24 Jun 2026 Cream List Current
- Allows Gardaí to use biometric analysis on documents (video, images) to search for suspects in serious crimes (5+ year imprisonment), missing persons, or state security threats, subject to a Code of Practice.
- Requires Garda Commissioner to prepare Code of Practice with data protection and human rights assessments; both Houses must pass positive resolutions before code takes effect.
- Creates specific offences for misuse of biometric analysis, punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment or €5,000 fine on summary conviction, or up to 5 years on indictment.
Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026
18 Jun 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Creates modern statutory framework for Garda stop-and-search powers in public places and vehicles, replacing outdated 1976 and 1997 legislation with clear procedures and safeguards.
- Establishes detailed search warrant rules for premises, including specific protections for electronic devices, privilege screening, and High Court oversight of disputed privileged material.
- Strengthens custody rights by implementing EU Directive 2013/48/EU protections: access to lawyers, third-party notification, and consular communication for detained persons.
Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2025
11 Jun 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Strengthens enforcement by appointing authorised persons with powers to enter premises, inspect documents, detain vehicles, and serve compliance notices; non-compliance is an offence.
- Establishes fuel regulations registers managed by appointed bodies; providers must register and meet conditions; minor breaches (record-keeping, labelling) subject to €1,000 fixed payment notices instead of prosecution.
- Allows seizure and forfeiture of fuel and vehicles involved in offences; permits information-sharing between enforcement bodies and registration authorities to support air quality improvements.
International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026
28 May 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Allows Irish High Court judge to take oral evidence from Gardaí, Defence Forces members, civil servants, and former ministers for the UK's Omagh Bombing Inquiry.
- Permits survivors and family members (core participants) to attend evidence-taking sessions and hear witness testimony directly.
- Enables Inquiry to ask clarifying questions after judge's approved questions; evidence use restricted without consent of relevant Irish State body.
Mental Health Bill 2024
13 May 2026 Enacted
- Replaces Mental Health Acts 2001–2022 with new framework establishing human rights-based guiding principles for admission, treatment, and discharge of adults and children in acute mental health centres.
- Creates Mental Health Review Boards to review involuntary admissions; requires informed consent for treatment except limited circumstances; regulates restrictive practices (seclusion, restraint) under strict conditions.
- For children: allows voluntary admission under 16 with parental consent; requires District Court orders for involuntary admission; prohibits electro-convulsive therapy on children; establishes Mental Health Commission oversight.
Gender Recognition (Amendment) (Prisons) Bill 2025
28 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Peadar Tóibín
- Amends Gender Recognition Act 2015 to clarify that a gender recognition certificate does not change how prisoners are classified for prison single-sex accommodation rules.
- Ensures Prison Rules 2007 Rule 52(1) on male/female prisoner separation applies regardless of whether a gender recognition certificate was issued before or after this Bill passes.
- Applies retroactively to all existing and future gender recognition certificates and all periods of imprisonment, whether started before or after the Bill's passage.
Child Maintenance Bill 2026
27 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current Pauline Tully
- Revenue Commissioners will administratively assess child maintenance liabilities using standard formulae set by the Minister for Justice, determining who pays and receives, before court applications are generally permitted.
- Assessments become binding only if all parties accept them; rejection triggers court proceedings under existing law. Assessments can be updated for changed circumstances.
- Revenue Commissioners calculate liability by comparing each parent's income percentage against care cost percentage, applying deductions for living allowance, dependent children, and multiple child maintenance groups.
Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025
17 Apr 2026 Second Stage Current
- Reduces waiting period for final asset disposal from 7 years to 2 years after court determines property is crime proceeds.
- Automatically appoints a receiver when court finds assets are crime proceeds, preventing criminal benefit from property pending disposal.
- Allows Criminal Assets Bureau officers to freeze financial accounts for 7 days immediately, or obtain court orders for up to 90 days, to prevent fund dissipation during investigations.
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2026
9 Apr 2026 Enacted
- Allows wardship court to extend deadlines for capacity declarations when the April 2026 statutory deadline cannot be met, up to 18 months or October 2027.
- Permits extensions for adult wards and minors turning 18 if court finds good reason and it serves interests of justice; further extensions allowed in exceptional circumstances.
- Court must notify wards not involved in extension orders as soon as practicable; may discharge or vary any extension order it makes.
International Protection Bill 2026
26 Mar 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Replaces the 2015 International Protection Act; applies to applications lodged from 12 June 2026 onwards, implementing seven EU asylum and migration regulations.
- Establishes screening procedures requiring applicants to attend designated centres; includes biometric data collection (Eurodac), health and vulnerability assessments, and information provision.
- Creates new appeal tribunal and inspector office; designates Minister as determining authority; provides for representative appointments for unaccompanied minors and procedural safeguards.
Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025
23 Mar 2026 Enacted
- EPA can set definite timeframes for licensing decisions on industrial activities; includes 'stop the clock' provision for requesting applicant information.
- EPA may review part of a licence or grant exemptions from environmental impact assessments in civil emergencies or exceptional circumstances.
- Public bodies must report annually on procurements where green public procurement criteria were not applied and justify their reasons.
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.
Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018
20 Mar 2026 Second Stage Current Lynn Ruane
- Expands convictions eligible to become 'spent' (non-disclosable): custodial sentences up to 24 months, non-custodial up to 48 months.
- Introduces proportional rehabilitative periods based on sentence length; shorter periods for adults aged 18–24.
- Increases maximum spent convictions from one to two (three for young adults); requires ministerial review after two years.
Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2025
13 Mar 2026 Committee Stage Current
- Establishes inter-agency committee to coordinate child protection services across Government Departments and State agencies with duty to cooperate on child welfare and protection.
- Reforms voluntary care arrangements requiring parental consent, six-monthly reviews, and emergency care order process within three working days if consent withdrawn.
- Introduces guiding principles prioritizing child's best interests, child participation in decisions, and expands accommodation provision for homeless children with ministerial regulation power.
Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024
27 Feb 2026 Enacted
- Abolishes jury trials in High Court defamation actions for cases started after the Bill's commencement; removes related jury references from the Defamation Act 2009.
- Introduces protections against strategic lawsuits targeting public participation: allows courts to declare proceedings abusive, expedites strike-out applications, and permits enhanced cost awards against plaintiffs.
- Requires solicitors to inform clients of alternative dispute resolution options (Press Council, broadcast right of reply) before issuing defamation proceedings where applicable.
Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2022
26 Feb 2026 First Stage Defeated Eileen Flynn
- Expands the Director of Authorised Intervention's powers to investigate suspected inappropriate burials in institutions even when exact burial locations are unknown.
- Allows people who believe they are related to those buried on institutional land to request excavation of that land.
- Bill was defeated at First Stage; did not progress to law.
Health Information Bill 2024
24 Feb 2026 Report Stage Current
- Health providers must share patients' health data with other providers for care and treatment in standardized digital format within timeframes set by HSE guidelines.
- HSE creates and operates electronic health records for all patients containing summaries, prescriptions, test results, and discharge reports; patients can restrict access or add personal information.
- HSE can request health information from providers for public health, patient safety, service planning, and statistics; non-compliance subject to Circuit Court enforcement.
Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026
24 Feb 2026 Second Stage Current Matt Carthy
- Creates new offence: making intimate or harmful images of someone without consent, with penalties specified in amended sections 3-4.
- Increases timeframe for starting summary court proceedings against offenders under the 2020 Act.
- Raises penalties for existing harassment and harmful communications offences under the 2020 Act.
Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026
5 Feb 2026 Second Stage Current Alan Kelly
- Extends the definition of 'intimate image' under the 2020 Act to include computer-generated or computer-modified fake images depicting identifiable persons in intimate contexts.
- Creates new offence: generating intimate images of another person by computer-graphics without consent for distribution or publication, with penalties up to 7 years imprisonment.
- Presumes social media platforms knowingly facilitated generation of such images when their software was used, shifting burden of proof to the platform to demonstrate otherwise.
Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025
16 Dec 2025 Enacted
- Increases maximum judges across four courts: Court of Appeal by 3 to 21; High Court by 6 to 55; Circuit Court by 6 to 51; District Court by 6 to 77.
- Updates Child Care Act 1991 to change custody retention period from three days to three working days and modernises court references from 'justice' to 'judge'.
- Amends Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and Street Collections Act 1962 to correct cross-references and align exemption definitions with current gambling legislation.
Civil Liability (Child Sexual Abuse Proceedings Against Unincorporated Bodies of Persons) Bill 2025
10 Dec 2025 Second Stage Current Ivana Bacik
- Allows child sexual abuse victims to sue unincorporated bodies (like religious orders) directly in the body's name, rather than having to identify and sue individual members.
- Enables courts to appoint a representative defendant, including trustees of associated trusts, to conduct proceedings and satisfy judgments from trust assets up to their value.
- Extends the civil limitation period by one year from the bill's enactment, allowing claims that would otherwise be time-barred to proceed within that window.
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'.
Regulation of Drones Bill 2025
16 Oct 2025 Second Stage Current Roderic O'Gorman
- Requires local authorities to create drone management objectives in development plans, prioritizing public interest operations and ensuring consistency with national planning policies.
- Allows individuals, local authorities, and the EPA to complain to District Court about noise from private or commercial drones, removing blanket aircraft exemption.
- Adds drone regulation as a mandatory consideration when issuing National Planning Statements, ensuring uniform national conditions for private and commercial drone use.
Domestic Violence (Free Travel Scheme) Bill 2025
15 Oct 2025 Second Stage Current Laura Harmon
- Establishes a free travel scheme allowing domestic violence victims to access transport without payment when fleeing unsafe situations.
- Bill is at Second Stage in Parliament; sponsor Laura Harmon introduced it to create support mechanisms for people escaping domestic abuse.
- Specific eligibility criteria, transport types covered, and implementation details not yet available in current legislative text.
Criminal Justice (Trespass on Land) Bill 2025
25 Sep 2025 First Stage Current Carol Nolan
- Expands trespass offense from buildings only to all land types, making unauthorized entry onto any land a criminal offense if it causes or risks causing fear.
- Addresses rural concerns by criminalizing activities like quad biking, scrambling, and lurching on agricultural and community land without permission.
- Amends Section 13 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to broaden scope of existing law to protect all farm and agricultural land.
Criminal Justice (Promotion of Restorative Justice) (Amendment) Bill 2023
8 Sep 2025 Second Stage Current Pa Daly
- Amends Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 to allow courts to refer cases to restorative justice schemes before conviction and dismiss charges if appropriate.
- Permits An Garda Síochána and Director of Public Prosecutions to refer cases to restorative justice schemes before court and review prosecution decisions if appropriate.
- Encourages court referrals to restorative justice between conviction and sentencing; prohibits participation in restorative justice from being used as evidence of guilt.
Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2025
14 Aug 2025 Second Stage Current Mary Fitzpatrick
- Creates new criminal offences for assaulting or threatening retail workers while they work.
- Amends the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to add these specific protections.
- Currently at Second Stage; practical penalties and exact scope of 'retail worker' undefined.
Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025
25 Jul 2025 Enacted
- Expands bereaved partner pensions to include surviving qualified cohabitants (after 2+ years together with children or 5+ years without), implementing Supreme Court ruling that prior exclusion was unconstitutional.
- Renames widow/widower/civil partner pension schemes to 'bereaved partner' pensions across contributory, non-contributory, and parent grant programs; applies definitions consistently.
- Allows backdating of payments to 22 January 2024 (Supreme Court decision date) for cohabitant claims; protects existing entitlements of divorced/separated persons under saver clauses.
Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2025
10 Jul 2025 Second Stage Current Mark Ward
- Adds new verdict option to coroner inquests: 'Iatrogenic Suicide' where medical treatment or prescribed medication was the primary cause of death by suicide.
- Distinguishes Iatrogenic Suicide from ordinary suicide verdicts under the Coroners Act 1962 to provide legal recognition of this specific circumstance.
- Includes safeguard preventing Iatrogenic Suicide verdicts from assigning civil or criminal liability, as per existing Act provisions.
Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2024
3 Jul 2025 Committee Stage Current David P.B. Norris
- Makes breaching a domestic violence order an indictable offence (more serious crime) under the Domestic Violence Act 2018.
- Adds this offence to the Bail Act 1997 schedule, allowing courts to refuse bail for those accused of breaching orders.
- Bill currently at Committee Stage; practical effect depends on final amendments and passage through remaining legislative stages.
Disregard of Historic Offences for Consensual Sexual Activity Between Men Bill 2025
2 Jul 2025 Second Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Establishes a process for people convicted or cautioned for consensual sexual activity between men to apply for disregard of those historic convictions, removing legal barriers to employment and professional rights.
- Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission decides applications and issues certificates of disregard; decisions can be appealed to an Appeals Officer with Garda records updated accordingly.
- Application process is free; Commission provides support to applicants; Minister must review the scheme within 3 years and publicly inform citizens of the process.
Victims of Sexual Violence Civil Protection Orders Bill 2025
27 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Matt Carthy
- Creates new civil protection orders for victims of sexual violence when courts find sexual offences proved under specified criminal laws.
- Allows courts to issue protection orders for complainants in cases involving rape, human trafficking, child exploitation, and related sexual offences.
- Defines eligible victims and establishes legal mechanism for courts to grant civil protection orders following criminal conviction or court findings.
Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022
12 Jun 2025 Report Stage Current Frances Black
- Renames the 1998 Child Trafficking and Pornography Act to Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Abuse Material Act.
- Renames the 2004 Amendment Act to Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Act 2004.
- Replaces term 'Child Pornography' with 'Child Sexual Exploitation Material' across related legislation.
Parole (Special Advocates) Bill 2024
5 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Lynn Ruane
- Amends Parole Act 2019 to allow special advocates to represent parole applicants' interests in certain Parole Board cases.
- Special advocates will support relevant applicants—likely those with security concerns or restricted evidence access.
- Creates new representation mechanism; bill is at Second Stage—detailed provisions and implementation scope not yet finalized.
Ukraine Solidarity Bill 2022
28 May 2025 Second Stage Current Jim O'Callaghan
- Creates crime of aggression as Irish offence with universal jurisdiction; enables prosecution and extradition cooperation for acts furthering aggression against Ukraine.
- Establishes strong criminal penalties for breaching EU sanctions; allows Irish courts to award civil damages for acts related to aggression and seize frozen assets.
- Requires government ministers to recognize foreign qualifications of Ukrainian displaced persons within 28 days, enabling them to work in regulated professions.
Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Stalking) Bill 2021
28 May 2025 Second Stage Current Lisa Chambers
- Creates a specific criminal offence of stalking under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, defined by repeated unwanted behaviour driven by fixation or obsession causing alarm, distress or harm.
- Distinguishes stalking from harassment by recognising the element of intense obsession that creates unwanted intimacy, addressing a gap identified by the Law Reform Commission in 2016.
- Aims to increase reporting and prosecution of stalking, drawing on evidence from Scotland and England/Wales where dedicated stalking offences were introduced in 2010-2012.
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.
Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) Bill 2024
22 May 2025 Report Stage Current Lisa Chambers
- Creates new criminal offence for 'catfishing'—deceptively impersonating someone online to harm or deceive them.
- Amends Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 to define and penalise catfishing as a crime.
- Makes related changes to Broadcasting Act 2009; specific penalties and enforcement mechanisms not detailed in long title.
Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill 2024
13 May 2025 First Stage Withdrawn Mark Ward
- Restricts nitrous oxide sales to licensed wholesalers and registered retailers serving only commercial and medical users; unauthorised sales are offences.
- Prohibits selling nitrous oxide products to anyone under 18; allows gardaí to seize containers from minors in public places without criminalising possession.
- Allows gardaí to seize nitrous oxide in public places when reasonably believed misused for intoxication; establishes ministerial registers of licensed wholesalers and retailers.
Family Law (Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Patrick Costello
- Reduces minimum waiting period before divorce proceedings can begin from two years to six months.
- Amends Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 to allow faster access to divorce courts for citizens.
- Shortens the overall timeframe for initiating divorce proceedings, enabling people to move on sooner.
Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Patrick Costello
- Creates Early Identification Assessment system for relevant authorities to identify suspected trafficking victims and appoint guardians ad litem for child victims.
- Establishes formal victim identification process: applications to Minister, formal identification decision, and appeals process for relevant authorities.
- Provides immunity from prosecution for suspected victims compelled to commit crimes while trafficked, and specifies supports and assistance for identified victims.
Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current John Cummins
- Creates new crime of 'spiking': giving someone drugs without consent to overpower, sedate, or enable sexual assault, harm, theft, or other offences.
- Applies when perpetrator knows victim hasn't consented or is reckless about consent; covers injection, oral administration, or causing ingestion of substances.
- Amends Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act; specific spiking offence allows targeted prosecution distinct from existing assault or poisoning charges.
Neighbour Disputes (Vegetation) Bill 2017
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Creates a process for resolving neighbour disputes over vegetation causing nuisance, including blocked sunlight, via mediation and formal adjudication.
- Local authorities appoint adjudication officers to hear cases and make binding decisions; decisions can be appealed and enforced.
- Aims to provide structured alternative to court proceedings for vegetation-related neighbour conflicts.
National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) (Amendment) Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Réada Cronin
- Creates a Register of General Consents allowing individuals to give one-time consent to vetting disclosure, valid for 3 years, eliminating repeated vetting applications across multiple organisations.
- Streamlines vetting process: organisations can access registered individuals' information without requiring fresh consent or information each time, reducing administrative burden on volunteers and employees.
- Bureau must review register regularly, remove individuals who develop criminal records or specified information, and people must notify Bureau of relevant changes in circumstances.
Ban on Sex for Rent Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Cian O'Callaghan
- Creates a criminal offence for requiring or accepting sex as a condition of providing accommodation to someone.
- Creates a criminal offence for arranging or facilitating such sexual conditions for accommodation.
- Bill has no direct financial implications and applies from its commencement date.
Misuse of Drugs (Cannabis Regulation) Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Gino Kenny
- Amends Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to allow adults (18+) to possess specified amounts of cannabis or cannabis resin for personal use without criminal penalty.
- Shifts burden of proof: defendants claiming cannabis was for personal use must prove it themselves in court proceedings.
- Establishes legal possession limits for cannabis and cannabis resin, replacing current blanket prohibition for personal use.
Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 2023
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Patrick Costello
- Amends Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 to broaden access criteria, making it easier for citizens to obtain civil legal aid certificates.
- Changes financial eligibility thresholds and contribution requirements so more people can afford legal aid and advice services.
- Aims to expand civil legal aid access to match availability of criminal legal aid and improve overall access to justice.
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.
Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Colette Kelleher
- Makes it illegal to import, sell, or provide goods/services from occupied territories, or extract resources there, under specific circumstances.
- Implements Ireland's obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention on protecting civilians during wartime and international humanitarian law.
- Bill currently at Committee Stage; creates criminal offences with related enforcement measures for violations.
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.
Road Traffic (All-Terrain Vehicle and Scrambler Motorcycle) (Amendment) Bill 2020
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Paul McAuliffe
- Expands 'public place' definition in road traffic law to include parks and beaches, enabling gardaí to enforce registration and insurance rules for all-terrain vehicles and scrambler bikes in these areas.
- Makes it an offence to ride all-terrain vehicles or scrambler bikes dangerously in public places, with vehicle confiscation as penalty.
- Allows gardaí to seize scrambler bikes from dwelling curtilages where they believe the vehicle has been used to commit an offence under this Bill.
Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Pearse Doherty
- Requires insurance providers to report information to the Central Bank about how personal injuries guidelines affected their insurance claim costs and premiums.
- Minister for Finance can make regulations specifying what data insurers must provide, including actual versus expected claim amounts and premium changes.
- Central Bank must present annual reports to the Minister, who brings them before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Coercion of a Minor (Misuse of Drugs Amendment) Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Martin Kenny
- Creates new criminal offence: causing or coercing a minor to possess controlled drugs for sale or supply, regardless of quantity.
- Prosecution need not prove the substance was controlled or that defendant knew the person was a child.
- Maximum penalty: 10 years imprisonment and/or fine if tried in Circuit Court; triable in that court.
Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Vincent P. Martin
- Bans importing non-native honey bees to protect Ireland's native bee species from cross-breeding and genetic dilution.
- Makes forging animal health certificates a criminal offence; appoints authorised officers to enforce the import ban.
- Aims to preserve native Irish honey bee biodiversity and prevent ecosystem damage from non-native bee species.
Protection of Private Residences (Against Targeted Picketing) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Malcolm Byrne
- Creates legal prevention against targeted picketing at private homes, making it unlawful to deliberately picket someone's residence.
- Aims to protect homeowners' privacy and safety from organized protest activity focused on individual addresses.
- Bill currently at Second Stage debate; specific enforcement measures, penalties, and exemptions not yet detailed in available information.
Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2024
2 May 2025 Second Stage Current Brian Leddin
- Establishes a register of significant hedgerows and gives the Minister power to make regulations protecting them from removal except in specified circumstances.
- Prohibits removal of significant hedgerows and creates an appeals procedure for decisions; establishes offences for breaching the Act.
- Amends Roads Act 1993, Forestry Act 2014, Communications Regulation Act 2002, Electricity Supply Act 1927, Transport Acts to align with hedgerow protections.
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.
Protection of Accident Victims from Non-Consensual Recording of Images Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Duncan Smith
- Makes it an offence to record or publish images of accident victims who are dead, seriously injured, or in shock without their consent, if this causes distress or interferes with privacy.
- Penalties are a class A fine or imprisonment up to 12 months or both. Exception: sharing images to get emergency help or by gardaí performing duties.
- Provides public interest defence if publication was justified by overriding public interest considerations and disclosure was not excessively intrusive into private life.
Proceeds of Crime (Gross Human Rights Abuses) Bill 2020
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Brendan Howlin
- Amends Proceeds of Crime Acts to treat foreign conduct as 'criminal conduct' if it constitutes gross human rights abuse, even if not illegal in the foreign state, enabling asset seizure.
- Defines gross human rights abuse as severe physical/mental suffering inflicted by public officials against those exposing illegal activity or promoting human rights, performed in official capacity.
- Applies retroactively to conduct and property obtained before or after the bill's passage, provided some property from the conduct is located in Ireland.
Acquisition of Development Land (Assessment of Compensation) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Alan Kelly
- Caps compensation for compulsorily acquired development land at 125% of current use value (existing value excluding development potential) for land acquired after bill introduction.
- For land acquired before introduction, allows higher compensation based on original cost plus improvements plus investment returns, but capped at open market value on acquisition date.
- Requires local authorities disposing of acquired land for housing to pass compensation savings to ultimate purchasers or tenants, preventing abnormal profit.
Criminal Law (Prohibition of the Disclosure of Counselling Records) Bill 2025
30 Apr 2025 Second Stage Current Ruth Coppinger
- Deletes section 19A of Criminal Evidence Act 1992 and replaces it to prohibit disclosure of counselling records in criminal trials for sexual offences, coercive control and intimate partner violence.
- Prevents counsellors, accused, their counsel, prosecution and courts from requesting, disclosing or accessing counselling records or their contents in relevant criminal proceedings.
- Preserves reporting obligations under Part 3 of Children First Act 2015 while protecting victim privacy and healthcare rights in criminal justice system.
Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2025
30 Apr 2025 Second Stage Current Gary Gannon
- Automatically suspends guardianship rights when parent convicted of murdering child's other parent; interim suspension lasts up to 3 months pending full court order.
- Child and Family Agency applies to District Court for full suspension where another guardian is available and suspension serves child's best interests.
- Court appoints Guardian Ad Litem to represent child separately, report child's views and needs to court, and provide age-appropriate information about proceedings.
Protection of Voice and Image Bill 2025
2 Apr 2025 Second Stage Current Malcolm Byrne
- Creates new criminal offences for knowingly misusing someone's name, photograph, voice or likeness to cause harm.
- Targets growing problems of deepfakes and misuse of individuals' personal data through specific legal prohibitions.
- Requires Minister for Justice to review the Bill's operation and effectiveness after one year.
Sex Offenders (Amendment) (Coercive Control) Bill 2023
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Fiona O'Loughlin
- Amends Sex Offenders Act 2001 to require persons convicted of coercive control to notify gardaí of their name, address, and any changes to these details.
- Allows senior gardaí to seek court orders requiring post-release supervision of coercive control offenders by Probation and Welfare Service if their behaviour poses serious harm risk.
- Requires convicted coercive control offenders to inform prospective employers of conviction when applying for jobs involving unsupervised access to children.
Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Amendment) Bill 2019
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Robbie Gallagher
- Creates mandatory 12-month prison sentence for assaulting emergency service workers (Garda, firefighters, ambulance staff, Defence Forces); increases to 2 years on indictment, extendable to 7 years.
- Introduces new crime of ramming emergency services vehicles with mandatory 12-month prison on summary conviction, 2 years on indictment, extendable to 10 years.
- Applies whether vehicle was marked or unmarked, whether anyone was injured, and regardless of offender's location or personnel proximity at time of incident.
Ban on Dumping New Products Bill 2022
21 Mar 2025 Report Stage Current Lynn Boylan
- Bans producers, importers and distributors from dumping unsold new non-food products; requires reuse through social enterprises like charities or second-hand shops.
- Minister gains power to specify which product categories (electronics, textiles, furniture, books, etc.) fall under the ban through regulation.
- Creates criminal offence for disposing of or deliberately destroying new non-food products to evade the ban's requirements.
Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Judicial Oath of Office) Bill 2025
21 Mar 2025 Second Stage Current Barry Ward
- This bill proposes to amend the Irish Constitution, but the long title provides no detail on what specific change is intended.
- The short title references 'judicial oath of office,' suggesting it may alter how judges take office, though exact changes are not specified.
- Bill is at Second Stage; full scope and practical effects cannot be determined from available information.
Domestic Violence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024
5 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Tom Clonan
- Amends the 2018 Domestic Violence Act to restrict who can be present during court proceedings in domestic violence cases.
- Aims to protect privacy and safety of domestic violence victims by limiting courtroom access during these sensitive hearings.
- Currently in Committee Stage; specific restrictions being debated but not yet finalized in law.
Life Saving Equipment Bill 2017
5 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Paul Daly
- Creates new offence of interfering with life-saving equipment like defibrillators and lifebuoys, with penalties up to €50,000 fine or 5 years imprisonment.
- Exempts routine maintenance/testing and removal during notified medical emergencies reported to Emergency Services from the offence.
- Applies Fines Payment and Recovery Act 2014 to ensure financial penalties are collected, including attachment to future earnings.
Adult Safeguarding Bill 2017
5 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Marie-Louise O'Donnell
- Creates National Adult Safeguarding Authority to oversee protection of vulnerable adults from abuse or harm.
- Requires certain professionals to report concerns about at-risk adults to the new Authority in specified circumstances.
- Establishes framework for care and protection of adults vulnerable to abuse; currently in parliamentary committee review.
Domestic Violence (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2024
5 Mar 2025 Second Stage Current Vincent P. Martin
- Amends the 2018 Domestic Violence Act to expand who counts as a 'relevant person' under the coercive control offence in section 39.
- Broadens the scope of the coercive control law, likely to cover additional relationship types or circumstances not previously included.
- Missing: specific details on which relationships or person categories are added to the definition—legislative text needed for clarity.
Controlled Drugs and Harm Reduction Bill 2017
5 Mar 2025 Second Stage Current Brian Ó Domhnaill
- Decriminalises possession of controlled drugs for personal use up to a minister-set limit; exceeding it triggers caution, fixed fine, or court prosecution depending on repeat offences.
- Establishes Drug Dissuasion Service to divert drug possession cases from courts via informal assessments and referral to awareness, rehabilitation, or community engagement programmes.
- Allows courts to suspend prosecutions for repeat offenders if they agree to drug treatment and complete it within one year without re-offending.
Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025
3 Mar 2025 Enacted
- Increases maximum number of Ministers of State from 20 to 23.
- Increases maximum Ministers of State attending Cabinet meetings with allowances from 3 to 4.
- Costs met from existing departmental resources; no additional funding required.
Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024
20 Feb 2025 Committee Stage Current
- Amends the Irish Constitution to enable Ireland to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement, creating a single EU-wide patent court system.
- Allows Ireland to participate in unified patent litigation rather than handling cases through separate national courts.
- Constitutional change required because the Agreement involves transferring some judicial authority to an international court body.
Commissions of Investigation (Amendment) Bill 2023
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Defeated Kathleen Funchion
- Requires former commission of investigation members to appear before Oireachtas joint committees within 6 months of final report, if requested in writing.
- Former members must account for how investigation was conducted and compliance with terms of reference, with specified exemptions for court proceedings and confidential evidence.
- Disputes over whether members must answer particular questions are referred to High Court for determination.
Impaired Farm Credit Bill 2022
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Defeated Michael Healy-Rae
- Splits farm mortgages into farmhouse and farmlands; farmhouse gets home-loan protections and cannot be repossessed without court order.
- Creates moratorium period monitored by receiver to allow farmers develop debt settlement proposal before possession or sale of farmlands.
- Allows court to impose binding debt restructuring on creditors following EU Directive 2019/1023, enabling debt discharge and fresh start for viable farms.
Protection of Children (Online Pornographic Material) Bill 2020
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Defeated Peadar Tóibín
- Minister must create regulations within six months requiring age-verification or similar means to prevent children accessing online pornography, consulting Data Protection Commission, Film Classification Office, and ComReg.
- ComReg empowered to issue information notices to relevant persons, enforcement notices to stop contraventions, and block internet access to material for up to 14 days (extendable by High Court order).
- Non-compliance with enforcement notices allows ComReg to notify payment and ancillary service providers; breaches constitute criminal offences prosecuted by DPP or ComReg with prescribed penalties.
Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Vincent P. Martin
- Courts can order convicted people to attend sentencing hearings in person for certain offences.
- Amends Criminal Procedure Act 1967 to establish this court power and related procedures.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific offences covered and enforcement details not yet specified.
Workplace Relations (Exemplary Damages, Unfair Dismissals and Other Provisions) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Allows Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court to award exemplary damages in certain workplace cases.
- Makes non-disclosure agreements unenforceable against employees who didn't get independent legal advice before signing.
- Updates unfair dismissal laws to match EU rules on transparent, predictable working conditions for employees.
Bail (Amendment) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Vincent P. Martin
- Adds domestic violence offense (section 39 of Domestic Violence Act 2018) to bail legislation's schedule of serious crimes.
- Amends Bail Act 1997 to potentially affect bail conditions or requirements for people charged with this offense.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage; currently lapsed with no active status.
Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Sharon Keogan
- Requires age-verification systems to block under-18s from accessing online pornography.
- Applies to internet pornographic material; enforcement mechanism and technical standards not specified in title.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not progress to law.
Third-Party Funding Contracts (Certain Proceedings) Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Mary Seery Kearney
- Removes criminal and civil penalties for maintenance and champerty (financial backing of legal cases) in specified proceedings.
- Allows third parties to fund certain legal cases without committing an offence or tort under existing law.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific proceedings covered and related provisions not detailed in available information.
Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2024
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Malcolm Byrne
- Creates new criminal offences for assaulting or threatening retail workers while they work.
- Amends the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to add these specific protections.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage and has lapsed without becoming law.
Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Control of Nitrous Oxide) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed John Cummins
- Adds nitrous oxide ('laughing gas') to the list of controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
- Allows the Minister to make regulations permitting nitrous oxide use in prescribed circumstances or for prescribed purposes.
- Amends the 1977 Act to bring nitrous oxide under drug control regime based on medical usability and public risk.
Civil Legal Aid (Neighbours’ Dispute Mediation Services) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Micheál Carrigy
- Amends the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 to extend legal aid eligibility. Specific changes to scope and access not detailed in available information.
- Introduces mediation services for neighbours' disputes. Practical effect on funding, case types, or service delivery details not provided.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage. Status and current parliamentary position unclear from title alone; consult Oireachtas records for details.
Criminal Justice (Juvenile Offenders) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Barry Ward
- Removes mandatory life sentences for murder/treason when juvenile commits offence but is sentenced after turning 18, allowing judicial discretion instead.
- Allows judges to vary detention-and-supervision order splits beyond the current fixed 50/50 division, tailoring sentences to individual circumstances.
- Extends suspended sentence eligibility to juvenile offenders sentenced to detention, matching provisions currently available only to adults sentenced to imprisonment.
Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2023
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Vincent P. Martin
- Amends 2018 Domestic Violence Act to prevent accused persons from directly cross-examining child witnesses or alleged victims in coercive control cases.
- Protects vulnerable witnesses from face-to-face questioning by accused abusers during court proceedings involving coercive control offences.
- Bill lapsed; did not progress beyond Second Stage debate in Oireachtas.
Coroners (Provision for Jury Selection) (Amendment) Bill 2022
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Lynn Boylan
- Amends the Coroners Act 1962 to allow coroners to select juries using procedures from the Juries Act 1976.
- Specifically enables jury selection for the Stardust Inquest using standard jury selection rules.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not progress to become law.
Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2022
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Rónán Mullen
- Creates three new offences for knowingly providing false or misleading information to PIAB during claims applications or assessments.
- Applies existing penalties: up to €3,000 fine and/or six months imprisonment for each new offence under the 2003 Act.
- Strengthens PIAB process integrity by deterring false claims and false information in defence of genuine claims.
Local Government (Surveillance Powers in Relation to Certain Offences) Bill 2022
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Malcolm Byrne
- Local authorities can authorise installation and operation of surveillance devices to deter, prevent, detect, and prosecute certain offences.
- Third parties must share relevant data with local authorities to help them perform functions related to these offences.
- The Bill sets out rules for how local authorities regulate and perform these surveillance and data-sharing functions.
Registration of Wills Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Victor Boyhan
- Establishes a national register of wills kept by General Register Office, allowing testators or solicitors to register the name and address of will custodians to reduce lost or delayed discovery of wills.
- Restricts public access to registered will information until testator's death; only General Register Office staff can search and provide certified copies to testator or after death registration.
- Amends Civil Registration Act 2004 to extend registrar roles to include will registration, establishes penalties of up to €2,000 fine or six months imprisonment for registrars refusing registration without cause.
Civil Legal Aid (Exclusion of Value of Free or Partly Free Board) (Amendment) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Lynn Boylan
- Amends Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 to exclude free or partly free board from income assessment when determining eligibility for civil legal aid.
- Addresses situation where Housing Assistance Payment, paid directly to landlords by local authorities, is currently counted as applicant income and prevents aid access.
- Removes barrier that denies low-income applicants civil legal aid based on housing assistance they receive.
Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Ivana Bacik
- Allows adult adopted persons to access the index linking their adoption records to their birth registration held by the Registrar General.
- Amends the Adoption Act 2010 to enable adopted adults to trace their origins through official records connections.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; did not progress to law.
Local Government (Use of CCTV in Prosecution of Offences) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Grants local authorities statutory power to install, operate and use CCTV in public places to prevent, investigate, detect and prosecute offences they are authorised to prosecute.
- Requires Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue guidelines on CCTV operation and data processing; local authorities must comply with these guidelines.
- Establishes legal basis for local authorities' processing of personal data (including images of identifiable individuals) captured by CCTV, as required by EU Law Enforcement Directive.
Criminal Procedure and Related Matters Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Barry Ward
- Allows Minister to change how Garda interviews are recorded by regulation, moving from handwritten notes to modern video/audio equipment in interview rooms.
- Establishes in law that prosecution (DPP and Gardaí) cannot be awarded costs, settling a court ruling that only primary legislation can impose this rule.
- Removes mandatory minimum sentences that courts cannot escape for repeat firearms and drug offences, restoring judicial discretion ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court.
Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2020
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Fiona O'Loughlin
- Establishes hate crime as an aggravating factor for designated offences when motivated by victim's asylum status, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity, age, or similar characteristics.
- Enables courts to impose enhanced penalties and supervision orders for offences aggravated by hate crime.
- Creates legal framework defining when an offence qualifies as hate crime and how courts must sentence such cases.
Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Rose Conway-Walsh
- Bans conversion therapy—practices claiming to change sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
- Treats conversion therapy as deceptive and harmful; establishes legal prohibition on this practice.
- Bill lapsed in parliament; did not become law. Current legal status of conversion therapy in Ireland unclear from this bill alone.
Convictions for Certain Sexual Offences (Apology and Exoneration) Bill 2016
30 Jan 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Provides formal apology and exoneration to persons convicted under repealed laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults.
- Acknowledges historic prosecutions were improperly discriminatory and violated human dignity, privacy and autonomy; applies to convictions from 1634 to 1993.
- Does not create statutory rights, legal causes of action, or financial liability; excludes cases involving persons under 17 or lacking capacity to consent.
Family Courts Bill 2022
18 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Establishes three specialized family court divisions—Family High Court, Family Circuit Court, and Family District Court—within existing court structures to handle family law proceedings.
- Assigns judges to family courts based on suitability for family law; Principal Judges serve minimum 4-year terms; ordinary judges serve minimum 3-year terms and may request reassignment.
- Requires courts to apply guiding principles including child welfare prioritization, encouraging alternative dispute resolution, and conducting proceedings informally without wigs or gowns.
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.
Land (Zoning Value Sharing) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed
- Requires planning authorities to identify zoned land, assess its value before and after zoning, establish land value registers, and allow landowners to appeal valuations.
- Imposes obligation to pay 25% of zoning value increase to planning authorities as condition of planning permission; unpaid amounts become charges on the land.
- Requires authorities use payments for public infrastructure, facilities and services supporting residential development and housing supply in their areas.
Residential Tenancies (Illegal Evictions) (Amendment) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Creates criminal offence of forcibly ending a tenancy; gardaí can arrest without warrant those suspected of committing it.
- Allows Residential Tenancies Board to award exemplary damages up to €40,000 where illegal eviction is found to have occurred.
- Requires Property Services Regulatory Authority, Revenue Commissioners and landlord agents to share tenant/landlord identity data with the Board for enforcement purposes.
Restriction of Imports (States in violation of obligations under the Genocide Convention and Occupied Territories) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Catherine Connolly
- Creates criminal offences for importing, selling, or extracting resources from occupied territories or states violating Genocide Convention obligations.
- Makes it illegal to import goods from occupied settlements or provide services to defence/security forces of states in violation.
- Empowers Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to make regulations implementing the Bill's provisions.
Fair Procedures in the Administration of Justice Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Patrick Costello
- Requires administrative decision-makers (quasi-judicial bodies) to apply fair procedures and due process standards equivalent to courts, as required by Article 37 of the Constitution.
- Gives Minister power to designate which bodies must follow fair procedures and to issue regulations setting out what those procedures must be.
- Applies to administrative bodies exercising judicial-type functions, listed in the bill's schedule, following Supreme Court ruling that their justice standards cannot be lower than courts'.
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Sex for Rent) Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Makes it a criminal offence for landlords to seek sex from tenants instead of rent or to advertise such arrangements.
- Amends section 19 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to create this new offence.
- Applies to advertisements on social media and other platforms offering or requesting sex in exchange for housing.
Gender Recognition (Amendment) (Prisons) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Danny Healy-Rae
- Amends the 2015 Gender Recognition Act to address single-sex prison accommodation rules.
- Aims to clarify how prison housing is arranged for people with gender recognition certificates.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage introduction; it lapsed without further debate or votes.
Children (Amendment) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Patrick Costello
- Amends Children Act 2001 to extend privacy protections to all entitled to them, closing gaps where protections applied retroactively to some but not others.
- Ensures minors who committed offences receive consistent privacy safeguards across all relevant provisions of the Children Act 2001.
- Addresses inconsistency in application of protections by extending safeguards to those previously excluded due to retroactive provision implementation.
Criminal Justice (Search Warrant Oversight) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Patrick Costello
- Removes Garda superintendent and above authority to issue search warrants without court involvement across four major criminal justice acts (1939, 1925, 1963, 1977).
- Requires all search warrants to obtain independent court approval instead of Garda self-authorization, adding judicial oversight to warrant decisions.
- Aims to strengthen citizen protections by ensuring impartial judicial review balances law enforcement needs against individual privacy rights in search warrant cases.
European Convention on Human Rights (Challenge to British Government Amnesty) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Requires Irish Government to apply to European Court of Human Rights if British Parliament enacts amnesty legislation for crimes in/relating to Northern Ireland.
- Application triggered automatically under Article 33 of European Convention on Human Rights as soon as reasonably practicable after British amnesty legislation is enacted.
- Enables European Court to rule whether British amnesty legislation breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.
Commission of Investigation (Collusion of British State Forces) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Establishes a public inquiry (Commission of Investigation) into collusion between British State forces and others to commit or obstruct prosecution of serious offences across the island of Ireland, 1968–1998.
- Government must create the Commission within three months of the Bill passing, with at least three members and defined terms of reference covering specified issues in the Schedule.
- Commission may request documents and evidence from inside or outside the State, consult previous inquiries, and prepare reports—but reports cannot prejudice ongoing criminal proceedings elsewhere.
Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Amendment) Bill 2023
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Amends Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to require minimum prison sentences for assaults on doctors, gardaí, firefighters, ambulance staff and peace officers.
- Sets minimum sentences: six months for summary conviction, two years for indictment conviction; sentences cannot be suspended in whole or part.
- Applies only to adults causing harm through assault; sentencing court has no discretion to reduce or suspend the minimum term.
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.
Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022
14 Nov 2024 Fifth Stage Lapsed Regina Doherty
- Requires court permission before defendants in sexual offence cases can present character evidence at sentencing; prosecution and victims can question and challenge such evidence.
- Character evidence must be given on oath, affidavit, or statutory declaration; prosecution can present counter-evidence with witnesses in response.
- Entitles crime victims to legal aid for representation to cross-examine character witnesses at sentencing of sexual offence convictions.
Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Mairéad Farrell
- Expands who counts as a 'penalised' worker and protected 'employee' to include unpaid workers, associated persons, and journalists; protects anonymous disclosures.
- Shifts burden of proof to employers to disprove penalisation claims; makes hindering disclosures an offence; removes caps on fair and equitable compensation.
- Adds optional free legal aid and psychological services for whistleblowers; requires annual statistical reports to Oireachtas; allows interim relief applications in Circuit Court.
Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Fifth Stage Lapsed Paul Gavan
- Creates legal protections for facilities providing lawful abortion services and those who work there or use them.
- Prohibits harassment, intimidation, or obstruction of people accessing or providing termination of pregnancy services.
- Addresses connected matters to protect free and unencumbered access to legal abortion facilities.
Organisation of Working Time (Workers' Rights and Bogus Self-Employment) (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Louise O'Reilly
- Makes it an offence for employers to misclassify employees as self-employed when the actual working relationship is that of an employee.
- Extends Organisation of Working Time Act protections to Garda members, Defence Forces personnel, sea workers, and trainee doctors.
- Grants self-employed workers entitlements to daily rest, weekly rest, annual leave, public holiday pay, and limits on average weekly hours.
Social Welfare (Payment Order) (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Claire Kerrane
- Extends Liable Relatives Unit powers to issue Determination Orders for Jobseekers Transitional Payment to one-parent families, allowing state to recover costs from liable relatives.
- Enables District Court applications for Payment Orders against liable relatives to recoup contributions toward Jobseekers Transitional Payment costs.
- Amends Social Welfare Act to include Jobseekers Transitional Payment in definitions of allowance and competent authority for enforcement purposes.
Proceeds of Crime (Investment in Disadvantaged Communities) (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Ward
- Requires Minister for Finance to review disadvantaged communities affected by crime every 24 months to identify financial support needs.
- Directs Minister to reinvest Criminal Assets Bureau seizure proceeds into communities identified in reviews to alleviate crime impact.
- Prioritises identified areas when deciding how to use money generated under Proceeds of Crime Act 1996.
Firearms and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Increases maximum prison sentence for possessing a knife in public under Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 Section 9, from current level (not specified in memo).
- Applies to knives carried to cause injury, incapacitate, or intimidate persons, including flick knives and adapted articles, when convicted on indictment.
- Aims to deter knife carrying following rise in seizures and stabbings of young persons in Ireland over preceding two years.
Civil Liability and Courts (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Denis Naughten
- Requires courts to order fraudulent claimants to pay defendant's legal costs unless doing so would cause injustice.
- Allows courts discretion to refer cases involving fraudulent evidence to Director of Public Prosecutions for criminal investigation.
- Increases maximum fine District Court can impose for Civil Liability Act offences from €3,000 to €5,000 (class A fine).
Adoption (Information) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Thomas Pringle
- Amends Adoption Act 2010 to give adopted adults unconditional access to their birth certificates without requiring consent or counselling.
- Allows the Registrar General to provide adopted persons with index entries connecting the Adopted Children Register to their original birth registration.
- Removes barriers to adopted persons tracing their birth identity by providing direct access to official records of their birth.
Civil Registration (Right of Adoptees to Information) (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Kathleen Funchion
- Allows adopted persons aged 18+ to request information needed to obtain their birth certificate from the state.
- Amends the Civil Registration Act 2004 to establish the right and process for adoptees to access birth records.
- Grants the Minister power to make regulations setting out how adoptees can apply for and receive birth information.
Oireachtas Members (Economic Justice) (Covid-19) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Reduces TDs' and Senators' salaries by 25% while Covid-19 restrictions specified in Government's Plan for Living with Covid-19 remain in force.
- Applies only to salaries; does not affect allowances paid to Oireachtas members.
- Reduction applies when restrictions are in effect across the State or a large proportion of it.
Children (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Removes ban on naming accused persons in cases where child victim is deceased, allowing media to identify them.
- Allows adult survivors of childhood offences to voluntarily waive their anonymity protections under Children Act 2001.
- Clarifies section 252 of Children Act 2001 was never intended to prevent identification of deceased child victims.
Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) (Pets) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Peadar Tóibín
- Adds mandatory minimum sentence for adults convicted of theft and related offences involving pets to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
- Defines 'pet' for purposes of the new sentencing provision in the amended Act.
- Bill lapsed; did not progress beyond Second Stage in Dáil Éireann.
Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Quadbikes and Scramblers) (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Paul Donnelly
- Gardaí gain power to seize and detain quadbikes and scramblers used unlawfully in public places, including parks and green spaces.
- Creates offence of driving quadbike or scrambler in public place; penalties include fine, vehicle seizure, and/or up to 6 months imprisonment.
- Minister empowered to make regulations under the Act to implement these provisions.
Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Mairéad Farrell
- Extends cooling-off period for public officials from one to two years after leaving office before engaging in lobbying activities.
- Requires designated public officials to cease communication with unregistered or sanctioned lobbyists; Commission can direct cessation and determine duration.
- Makes code of conduct compliance mandatory; Commission gains power to investigate breaches and publish annual reports to Oireachtas.
Organisation of Working Time (Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Louise O'Reilly
- Adds statutory paid leave entitlement for employees affected by domestic violence to the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
- Protects domestic violence leave from weekly working hour caps and extends unfair dismissal protections to employees taking such leave.
- Defines domestic violence, coercive control, and eligible persons; empowers Workplace Relations Commission to resolve disputes over entitlements.
Latent Defects Redress Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Eoin Ó Broin
- Creates independent Latent Defects Redress Board to provide information, mediation, and adjudication for homeowners with non-compliant homes.
- Board will assess homes for latent defects including fire safety and structural issues, and review penalties for developer/builder breaches.
- Minister appoints establishment day and determines Board's powers to help owners address building regulation non-compliance.
Dying with Dignity Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Gino Kenny
- Permits medical practitioners to assist qualifying persons with terminal illnesses to end their lives, provided two doctors verify the illness is incurable, progressive, and irreversible.
- Amends Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993 to protect doctors and nurses from prosecution when providing assistance under this Act.
- Establishes oversight committee; allows doctors to refuse participation; requires assessment of person's decision-making capacity before assistance provided.
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.
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2019
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Requires trial judge permission before evidence about complainant's clothing at time of alleged offence can be admitted; judge may allow only if necessary for accused's fair trial rights.
- Gives complainants legal representation and right to be heard on applications to admit clothing evidence; prosecution must notify complainant of such applications.
- Strengthens protections for previous sexual history evidence by expanding complainant's legal representation rights across rape and sexual assault offences.
Litter Pollution (Amendment) (Dog Litter Control) Bill 2019
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Seán Crowe
- Amends Litter Pollution Act 1997 to make it an offence for dog handlers in public to fail to produce a suitable bag when requested by dog wardens, litter wardens, or gardaí.
- Requires dog owners to carry a dog litter bag in public, similar to leash requirements, to ensure proper disposal of dog faeces and prevent disease transmission.
- Enforces immediate pickup and safe disposal of dog waste to address health risks including toxocariasis, a parasitic illness transmissible to humans.
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.
Child and Family Agency (Foster Care Oversight) Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Denise Mitchell
- Amends the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 to change how foster care is overseen and managed by the agency.
- Specific amendments and their practical effects are not detailed in available bill documentation.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; no further legislative progress occurred.
Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Maureen O'Sullivan
- Amends Sexual Offences Act 2001 to give judges power to restrict travel abroad for convicted sex offenders where risk to vulnerable persons in inadequate child-protection jurisdictions exists.
- Judges assess each case individually, considering offender's risk level and rehabilitation, deciding whether to impose travel restrictions in the common good.
- Enables courts to prevent sex offenders traveling to countries without adequate child protection laws and services.
Overcrowded Housing Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Barry Cowen
- Creates legal definition of overcrowding in housing and sets standards for Planning Authorities to assess it under Housing Acts.
- Increases penalties for building owners who provide overcrowded accommodation.
- Bill did not complete parliamentary process; lapsed without becoming law.
Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2018
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Pearse Doherty
- Extends Central Bank Act 1942 to make providing false or misleading information to the Central Bank a 'prescribed contravention', allowing the Bank to conduct inquiries and impose administrative sanctions.
- Creates criminal offence for knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information to the Central Bank, punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment or fine on summary conviction, or up to 5 years imprisonment or €250,000 fine on indictment.
- Amends Criminal Justice Act 2011 Schedule 1 to classify the new offence as a relevant offence for criminal justice purposes.
Multi-Party Actions Bill 2017
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Pearse Doherty
- Allows multiple claimants with similar claims to sue together in one action, reducing individual legal costs.
- Changes civil court procedures to streamline multi-party lawsuits and make litigation more affordable for groups.
- Bill did not progress beyond Second Stage debate and has since lapsed without becoming law.
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.
Civil Law (Missing Persons) (No. 2) Bill 2016
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Jonathan O'Brien
- Allows family of missing persons to apply to County Registrar or Circuit Court for interim manager to handle property matters (paying bills, loans) for up to 4 years total, without proving death.
- Establishes statutory process for Coroner (if death virtually certain) or Circuit Court (if death highly probable) to issue presumption of death orders, with no mandatory waiting period but 7-year rule retained.
- Presumes marriage/civil partnership ends upon presumption of death order; missing person returning can apply to vary or dissolve orders and claim property rights acquired in good faith by third parties are protected.
Registration of Wills Bill 2016
14 Nov 2024 Fifth Stage Lapsed Catherine Ardagh
- Extends civil registration service to register wills by recording testator's name, address, and will custodian details to prevent wills remaining unknown after death.
- Registered will information remains private until testator's death; only accessible to Registrar General on request after death registration or by living testator.
- Amends Civil Registration Act 2004 to give registrars power to register wills, establishes appeals process for refused registrations, and creates offences for non-compliance.
Equal Status (Equality Proofing) (Amendment) Bill 2016
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed David Cullinane
- Requires public bodies to consider reducing socio-economic and other inequalities when making decisions.
- Mandates equality impact assessments for measures likely to significantly affect equality of opportunity.
- Gives Equality Authority role in administering new provisions; amends Equal Status Act 2000.
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.
Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Bill 2022
4 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Replaces 1989 incitement law with new offence covering incitement to violence or hatred, making convictions easier; adds offence of denying or trivialising genocide and war crimes.
- Creates aggravated versions of existing crimes (assault, criminal damage, threats, harassment) with enhanced penalties when motivated by hatred based on protected characteristics like race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
- Requires courts to treat evidence of hate motivation as aggravating factor in sentencing for any offence; DPP consent required to prosecute incitement cases.
Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024
24 Oct 2024 Enacted
- Removes mandatory life sentence for murder when offender was under 18 at commission but aged 18+ at sentencing, addressing High Court constitutional ruling.
- Removes mandatory minimum sentences for treason, certain murders (Garda/prison officer), and attempted murders when offender was under 18 at time of crime.
- Applies changes retrospectively to cases committed before this Act's enactment where final judgment has not yet been reached.
Regulation of Lobbying and Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends lobbying regulation to informal business groups with no employees and non-remunerated office holders making communications on behalf of regulated organizations.
- Introduces administrative sanctions system (fines up to €25,000 and/or 2-year lobbying ban) for breaches of post-employment restrictions and anti-avoidance obligations, enforceable by Circuit Court.
- Strengthens post-term employment restrictions by requiring former public officials to obtain Commission consent before taking lobbying roles within 12 months of leaving office, with mandatory compliance to attached conditions.
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.
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Increases maximum penalty for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life imprisonment; clarifies that section 71 of Criminal Justice Act 2006 does not apply to this offence.
- Creates new criminal offences for non-fatal strangulation and suffocation; amends harassment offence and introduces standalone stalking offence with lower threshold for proof.
- Establishes civil court orders to protect people from harassment and stalking conduct; breach of order is criminal offence punishable by fine or up to 12 months imprisonment.
Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes legal framework for Garda use of recording devices including body-worn cameras, CCTV, ANPR, and telephone call recording to investigate crime and protect public safety.
- Repeals section 38 of Garda Síochána Act 2005; requires Commissioner authorisation for CCTV schemes and allows data-sharing with designated bodies operating ANPR networks.
- Permits access to third-party CCTV live feeds via District Court authorisation or 72-hour internal approval; mandates codes of practice covering data protection and human rights safeguards.
Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Board renamed to Personal Injuries Resolution Board and gains new power to offer mediation alongside assessment to resolve personal injury claims.
- Board can now retain claims up to 2 additional years beyond 9 months where long-term prognosis unavailable; statute of limitations pauses during this extended period.
- Claimants rejecting Board assessments and pursuing litigation cannot recover costs if assessment value exceeds court award; providing false information to Board becomes an offence.
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.
Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Changes section 8 of Garda Síochána Act 2005 from "institute and conduct" to "institute or conduct" prosecutions in summary courts.
- Allows a different Garda member to conduct a prosecution initiated by another member, rather than requiring the same member.
- Applies retroactively to prosecutions instituted before or after the amendment comes into force.
Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes Judicial Appointments Commission with 9 members (Chief Justice, Court Presidents, judges, Attorney General, lay members) to select and recommend candidates for judicial appointments based on merit.
- Commission must publish selection procedures and required knowledge/skills statements; recommendations shall consider gender balance, population diversity, and Irish language proficiency for State judgeships.
- Dissolves existing Judicial Appointments Advisory Board; creates Commission Office with Director; provides funding via Courts Service; restricts Freedom of Information access to selection records.
Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Removes the two-stage 'leave to apply' process for substitute consent applications, allowing single-stage applications directly to An Bord Pleanála for unauthorised developments requiring retrospective Environmental Impact Assessment or Appropriate Assessment.
- Extends simultaneous application rules to allow applicants to apply for future development permissions alongside substitute consent applications for all development types, not just quarries.
- Requires planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála to screen retention applications for Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment requirements, and refuse to consider applications where such assessments are required.
Sick Leave Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Employees entitled to up to 3 statutory paid sick leave days per year when unwell, with Minister able to vary the number but never below 3 days.
- Employers must pay employees for sick leave at a rate set by Minister regulation; more favourable employer schemes satisfy the requirement instead.
- Labour Court may exempt employers unable to pay; employees protected from penalisation for taking sick leave; employers must keep records or face penalties.
European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Amends European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 to align Irish law with EU Framework Decision requirements, responding to EU infringement proceedings initiated in 2020.
- Makes High Court endorsement of arrest warrants mandatory rather than discretionary when compliance confirmed; establishes tighter timelines for court decisions and surrender procedures.
- Introduces procedural protections: persons tried in absentia receive judgment copies; detention reviews required; specialty rule (limits re-prosecution) becomes mandatory; privilege grounds for non-execution added.
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.
Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Allows adopted persons and those with incorrect birth registrations to access their birth certificates, birth information, and early life records from age 16; those aged 18+ can also access full care and medical information.
- Establishes statutory tracing service through Tusla and Adoption Authority to locate and facilitate contact between persons seeking information about their origins and biological relatives.
- Creates Contact Preference Register allowing parents and relatives to record contact preferences; amends Civil Registration Act 2004 to enable people with incorrect registrations to use their preferred identity legally.
Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends four Covid-19 emergency Acts to 31 March 2022: Health (Preservation and Protection) Act 2020 Part 3, Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) Act 2020, Health (Amendment) Act 2020, and Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021.
- Allows Oireachtas to further extend these provisions by resolution for up to three additional months beyond 31 March 2022.
- Gives Government continued access to emergency measures to respond to Covid-19 spread and variants while vaccination programme continues.
Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Reduces sex offender notification period from 7 to 3 days; allows Gardaí to take fingerprints, palm prints and photographs for identity confirmation.
- Permits Gardaí to disclose offender information to police outside State and publish details where offender's whereabouts unknown, to manage public safety risks.
- Enables courts to impose electronic monitoring on sex offenders and ban them from working with children; allows Gardaí to apply for order discharge or variation.
Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces Strategic Housing Development process with new Large-scale Residential Development process, requiring mandatory pre-application consultation and planning authority opinion before formal application submission.
- Sets mandatory 16-week decision timeframe for appeals with no oral hearing; imposes €10,000 penalty if An Bord Pleanála exceeds deadline.
- Allows any planning appeal party to apply directly to Supreme Court, bypassing Court of Appeal, to reduce litigation timescale.
Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Repeals sections 33-39 of the 2009 Act, removing the 30 November 2021 deadline for registering prescriptive easements and profits à prendre under new legal rules.
- Claims after the Bill's enactment will be decided under pre-2009 judge-made law ('doctrine of lost modern grant'), reverting from mandatory to optional registration with the Property Registration Authority.
- Longer prescription periods (30 years for State land, 60 years for foreshore) still apply to claims against State-owned land, while pending applications remain unaffected by these changes.
Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces references to Garda districts with divisions throughout legislation and regulations, reflecting the abolition of district-level structure.
- Allows Garda Commissioner to designate specific stations for sex offender and criminal justice notifications instead of requiring district headquarters.
- Enables superintendents to delegate firearms licensing functions to inspectors under the Firearms Act 1925.
Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Creates offences for intentionally assisting unlawful entry, transit or presence in Ireland or EU/Protocol states; penalties up to ten years imprisonment on indictment.
- Replaces 'gain exception' with affirmative defence requiring accused to prove conduct was humanitarian assistance or support for asylum seekers by recognised organisations.
- Grants enforcement officers power to stop, board, search and detain ships suspected of people smuggling; courts may order forfeiture of vessels used in offences.
Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Allows Irish courts to recognize and enforce criminal sentences imposed by EU member states without the sentenced person's consent in certain circumstances, such as when they are a national of the executing state.
- Permits Irish authorities to transfer sentenced persons to other EU states for enforcement when rehabilitation prospects improve, subject to consultation with the executing state and consent requirements.
- Establishes procedures for provisional arrest, court applications for recognition, and grounds for refusal to enforce foreign sentences, with a 90-day decision timeline for court recognition applications.
CervicalCheck Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends the CervicalCheck Tribunal deadline for submitting compensation claims from 26 July 2021 to 26 January 2022.
- Allows the Minister to extend the deadline further by order up to 26 July 2022.
- Amends the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019 to create flexibility for claim submission periods.
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.
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.
Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Extends Covid-19 emergency powers in four Acts from June 10, 2021 to November 9, 2021, with possible three-month extensions by parliamentary resolution.
- Continues Gardaí enforcement powers for licensed premises inspections and closure orders; allows Mental Health Act 2001 amendments for psychiatric detention reviews.
- Enables health regulations to impose fixed penalties and dwelling event provisions under the Health Act 1947 to remain in force during pandemic.
Private Security Services (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Adds 'enforcement guard' as a regulated security service requiring licensing; covers debt collection, property repossession, and access control performed for remuneration under legal authority.
- Exempts Sheriffs and County Registrars collecting Revenue debts from licensing; gives Private Security Authority power to refuse, suspend or revoke licenses based on corporate officers' conduct.
- Makes it a criminal offence to impersonate a Private Security Authority inspector (€3,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment); publishes license register online and repeals obsolete statutory provisions.
Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Replaces 1941-1945 Garda compensation system with streamlined process: Garda Commissioner now conducts initial injury assessment instead of Minister for Justice, with clear time limits at each stage.
- Introduces independent review of refusals: If Commissioner denies claim, claimant can request independent review officer (barrister/solicitor with 5+ years experience) to reconsider eligibility and injury determination.
- Routes approved claims to Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Once injury confirmed as malicious incident, Board assesses compensation amount under 2003 Act; only rejected assessments proceed to court.
Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Adoptive couples can now choose which parent takes adoptive leave; same-sex male couples gain eligibility for the first time.
- Parent's leave extended from 2 to 5 weeks per parent; timeframe to use leave extended from 1 to 2 years.
- Child and Family Agency Board increased from 7 to 9 ordinary members with related quorum adjustments.
Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Removes mandatory fines and imprisonment requirements for repeat offences under 19th-century laws on stolen goods, illegal distilling, and unlicensed premises.
- Repeals mandatory minimum prison sentences (5-10 years) for second or subsequent firearms and drug trafficking offences.
- Makes consequential changes to eliminate references to removed mandatory penalties in parole eligibility and sentencing law.
Criminal Procedure Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Introduces preliminary trial hearings before jury swearing for serious offences (ten-year maximum sentence or specified by Minister) to resolve case management and admissibility issues pre-trial, minimizing trial interruptions.
- Allows courts to make binding rulings on evidence admissibility, defendant separation, and trial conduct at preliminary hearings; limits publication of hearing content until trial concludes to protect jury.
- Extends jury information rights to all indicted trials (previously theft/fraud only), permits accountant affidavits summarizing transactions, and increases expert witness notice requirement from ten to twenty-eight days.
Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Increases Court of Appeal ordinary judges from 17 to 18, requiring amendment to Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961.
- Raises criminal penalties: knife offences from 5–7 years imprisonment; offensive weapons manufacturing from 7–10 years; carrier fines for undocumented passengers from €3,000 to €5,000.
- Allows Ministers to set retirement ages for prison officers, firefighters, and gardaí via regulation; fast accrual pensions apply only until age 60 for uniformed staff.
Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Allows Minister for Justice to appoint multiple coroners to Dublin district on fixed 5-year terms (renewable once), changing their status from officeholder to civil servant.
- Enables temporary coroner assignments to any district where workload demands warrant it; Minister can activate without senior coroner request; renewals capped at three.
- Ends deputy coroner positions in Dublin; introduces disqualification criteria for coroner appointments in non-Dublin districts and temporary appointees; applies standard civil service removal rules to Dublin coroners.
Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates new statutory agency for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence with functions to support refuge accommodation, fund victim services, coordinate government strategies, run awareness campaigns, and conduct research.
- Transfers certain staff, functions, rights and liabilities from Child and Family Agency to new Agency; amends Child and Family Agency Act 2013 to clarify remaining responsibilities.
- Establishes Board-led governance structure with Minister-appointed chief executive; requires corporate and annual business plans, annual accounts audited by Comptroller and Auditor General, and reporting to Oireachtas.
Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Enables Ireland to contribute to trust funds established by European Investment Bank, EBRD, and Council of Europe Development Bank, with spending limits of €35m–€175m per institution.
- Authorizes Ireland to guarantee and contribute to EU macro-financial assistance to Ukraine under two agreements, with payments made from the Central Fund subject to Dáil oversight reporting.
- Requires banks in correspondent banking relationships to conduct enhanced money-laundering checks on EU-based counterparties, not just non-EU ones.
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Changes rape law: offence now occurs where man does not reasonably believe woman consents, replacing prior 'knowledge or recklessness' standard. Applies only to incidents after commencement.
- Protects sexual assault trial participants: anonymity extended to complainants and accused; public excluded from courtroom; verdicts need not be announced publicly; victims get separate legal representation.
- Establishes National Referral Mechanism for human trafficking: statutory process to identify victims; Operational Committee reviews applications; eligible persons protected from deportation; access to welfare and accommodation support.
Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates 100-metre safe access zones around healthcare premises providing termination of pregnancy services, prohibiting conduct intended to impede access or influence decisions.
- Establishes criminal offences for prohibited conduct, with Garda warnings required before charges; penalties escalate for repeat offences, prosecuted summarily.
- Exempts healthcare staff performing normal duties, lawful protest outside Parliament, and conduct within places of worship from the prohibitions.
Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Retailers must obtain a licence from the HSE to sell tobacco and nicotine inhaling products; licences expire and must be renewed, with appeals to District Court against refusal or revocation.
- Prohibits sale of tobacco/nicotine products to children, by children, at child-focused events, and via self-service vending machines; restricts advertising in schools, public transport, and cinemas.
- Repeals old retail registration system and vending machine rules; creates new offences with court-imposed penalties including licence suspension for violations.
Courts Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Increases maximum Court of Appeal judges from 15 to 17; amends Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961.
- Increases maximum High Court judges from 42 to 48 and Circuit Court judges from 40 to 45; amends Courts and Court Officers Act 1995.
- Increases maximum District Court judges from 63 to 71 and moveable District Court judges from 20 to 28; amends related legislation.
Court Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Allows persons in court proceedings to seek a declaration that cases breached their right to completion within reasonable time, and compensation where applicable.
- Establishes Chief Court Delays Assessor and Court Delays Assessors to examine applications and make binding assessments, with appeals to Circuit Court.
- Assessors must base compensation on European Court of Human Rights standards for Article 6 violations; Minister pays awarded compensation within two months.
Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Creates new criminal offence for adults who compel, coerce, direct, deceive, induce, invite, aid, abet, counsel or procure a child to engage in criminal activity.
- Penalties: up to 12 months imprisonment or class A fine on summary conviction; up to 5 years imprisonment or fine on indictment.
- Amends Bail Act 1997 to allow courts to refuse bail for these offences where reasonably necessary to prevent serious offences.
Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Establishes Board of An Garda Síochána as non-executive governance body to oversee strategy, budgets, performance and hold Garda Commissioner accountable; Commissioner gains explicit operational independence.
- Replaces Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission with Police Ombudsman/Deputy model; expands jurisdiction to investigate wider range of wrongdoing and expands eligibility for complaints.
- Creates Policing and Community Safety Authority merging Policing Authority and Garda Síochána Inspectorate functions; establishes national and local community safety partnerships requiring inter-agency cooperation.
Taisceadán (Valuable Property Register) Bill 2019
17 Apr 2023 First Stage Defeated Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
- Establishes Taisceadán, a register of personal property managed by An Garda Síochána to help identify items for crime investigation and property repatriation.
- Gardaí register property in consultation with Justice Minister; allows marking of registered items and expands property types by regulation as appropriate.
- Minister can make regulations on registration procedures, supplementary provisions, and how register integrates with EU databases.
Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill 2019
17 Feb 2023 Enacted
- Allows Irish courts to grant bail to charged persons lawfully resident abroad, with conditions monitored in their home EU Member State instead of remand in custody.
- Enables Irish courts to recognize and monitor bail conditions for foreign-charged EU residents, with conditions adapted to Irish law where necessary, decided within 20 working days.
- Requires Central Authority (Minister for Justice) to consult with other Member States on supervision decisions, breaches, and victim risks; permits court hearings via live TV link when supervised person is abroad.
Defence Forces (Evidence) Bill 2019
15 Jul 2022 Enacted
- Authorizes Military Police to take DNA samples from persons suspected of military offences for forensic testing and to establish a DNA (Military Police) Database System administered by Forensic Science Ireland.
- Permits DNA sampling from military personnel and volunteers for investigation purposes, with safeguards including consent requirements, rank-based authorizations, and provisions for sample destruction.
- Enables use of DNA evidence and forensic samples in military courts-martial proceedings, including against persons who have since left military service within six months of cessation.
Counterfeiting Bill 2020
22 Jul 2021 Enacted
- Updates criminal offences for counterfeiting euro and other currencies, expanding definitions of what constitutes counterfeiting instruments and security features under EU Directive 2014/62/EU.
- Grants Central Bank power to monitor compliance by financial institutions and other bodies with euro authenticity and fitness requirements; authorises inspections, information requests, and enforcement actions.
- Establishes statutory basis for Central Bank's National Analysis Centre for euro notes and Coin National Analysis Centre; creates offences for non-compliance with euro protection obligations.
Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Bill 2018
1 Jul 2021 Enacted Victor Boyhan
- Creates new criminal offences for perjury, subornation of perjury, false statements, and fabricating evidence.
- Amends existing laws to strengthen penalties and scope of prosecutions for witness dishonesty in court.
- Enables courts to prosecute related offences tied to false evidence and witness tampering.
Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020
31 May 2021 Enacted
- Increases asset limit for Debt Relief Notice eligibility from €400 to €1,500; removes mortgage arrears date restriction for court review applications.
- Permits advisory meetings between debtors and insolvency practitioners to occur remotely via video technology instead of in-person.
- Allows protective certificates in Debt Settlement and Personal Insolvency Arrangements to be extended by court up to 40 days in exceptional circumstances.
Health (Amendment) Bill 2020
11 May 2021 Enacted
- Allows fixed penalty notices for Covid-19 regulation breaches: persons can pay set fines within 28 days instead of facing prosecution.
- Introduces tiered penalties: first offence up to €1,000 or 1 month prison; second €1,500 or 3 months; third+ €2,500 or 6 months.
- Grants gardaí power to direct people to leave private dwellings or vicinity if suspected breach of dwelling event provisions occurs.
Children (Amendment) Bill 2020
4 May 2021 Enacted Michael McDowell
- Amends Children Act 2001 to restrict publication and broadcasting of reports or pictures that identify or could identify certain children in court proceedings.
- Applies specifically to cases covered by section 252 of the Children Act 2001, affecting how media reports such cases.
- Aims to protect child identity and privacy in legal proceedings through stricter rules on identifying information in reports and broadcasts.
Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020
25 Mar 2021 Enacted
- Adds letting agents, virtual currency providers, and high-value art dealers as regulated entities required to apply anti-money laundering safeguards.
- Lowers the threshold for pre-paid card customer checks from €250 to €150 and bans credit institutions from creating anonymous safe-deposit boxes.
- Requires designated persons to obtain beneficial ownership information before entering business relationships and gives the Justice Minister power to define politically exposed persons.
Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2020
25 Mar 2021 Enacted
- Creates two new criminal offences: fraud affecting EU financial interests and misappropriation, replacing older fraud provisions in the 2001 Act.
- Extends criminal jurisdiction to cover cross-border VAT fraud, procurement fraud, and misuse of public funds by officials affecting EU finances.
- Enables freezing and confiscation of proceeds and assets from these offences; adds offences to Criminal Justice Act 1994 for investigative powers.