Social Welfare
Bills affecting welfare, disability supports, pensions, child benefits and supplementary payments.
79 bills tracked under this topic.
Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025
25 Jun 2026 Fifth Stage Current
- Creates mandatory registration scheme for home support providers. Providers must register with HIQA's Chief Inspector or face offence; registration can be refused, cancelled, or conditioned based on fit-and-proper-person test and compliance with ministerial regulations.
- Gives Chief Inspector power to inspect premises, collect data from providers, and enforce standards. Non-compliance can result in registration cancellation, with District Court appeal rights available and interim emergency orders possible within 28 days.
- Existing providers have 3-month notification window, then 2 years to apply for registration. During transition, existing providers must comply with data collection and information requirements as if already registered.
Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024
11 May 2026 Cream List Current
- Transfers ownership of Microfinance Ireland from Social Finance Foundation to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
- Establishes a board of directors and chief executive officer for Microfinance Ireland, with director appointments and removals by the Minister.
- Removes Social Finance Foundation's consultation rights and loan repayment obligations; enables superannuation scheme for Microfinance Ireland staff.
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.
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requiring parental consent, six-monthly reviews, and emergency care order process within three working days if consent withdrawn.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.
Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026
27 Feb 2026 Enacted
- Introduces national rent controls: new tenancies capped at CPI or 2% annual increases; existing tenancies capped at CPI or 2% annually; new apartments/student housing capped at CPI only to encourage development.
- Creates 6-year minimum tenancy term for small landlords (under 4 properties); restricts termination grounds during term to family occupation, hardship, or property sale; limits large landlords to voluntary departures and breaches.
- Requires RTB to publish rent register with property details (size, type, bedrooms, location, energy rating); allows RTB to share tenant data with Social Protection, Revenue, and energy authority for administration and compliance.
Social Welfare and Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (Amendment) Bill 2025
23 Jan 2026 Enacted
- Increases weekly rates for maternity, adoptive, paternity and parent's benefits by €10 each from January 2026; raises domiciliary care allowance monthly rate by €20 from January 2026.
- Raises employer PRSI employee earnings threshold from €527 to €552 per week to align with National Minimum Wage increase in January 2026.
- Increases jobseeker's benefit graduated rates and working family payment income thresholds from January 2026; extends newborn baby grant qualification period from 1 to 3 months post-birth/adoption.
Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025
23 Dec 2025 Enacted
- Employees with contractual retirement ages below state pension age can notify employers in writing (3-12 months before retirement) that they do not consent to retire.
- Employers cannot enforce contractual retirement unless they provide written justification showing it serves a legitimate aim and the means are appropriate and necessary.
- Employees can claim compensation up to €40,000 or 104 weeks' pay at the Workplace Relations Commission if employers breach the Act or penalize them for exercising these rights.
Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023
1 Dec 2025 Fifth Stage Current Paul Gavan
- Amends the Disability Act 2005 and Equal Status Act 2000 to strengthen disability rights protections and related provisions.
- Changes affect how disability discrimination cases are handled and what protections apply to disabled people in daily life.
- Specific amendments not detailed in title alone; bill at final stage (Fifth Stage) in Oireachtas legislative process.
Health (Amendment) Bill 2025
1 Oct 2025 Committee Stage Current
- Replaces annual Service Plan with Performance Delivery Plan; extends submission deadline from 21 to 28 days after budget allocation is determined.
- Requires HSE Board and CEO to maintain systems ensuring highest standards of budgetary management; CEO must report budget overruns to Board and Ministers with corrective action proposals for approval.
- Ministers for Health and Children, Disability, Equality issue separate strategic direction statements and annual priority statements to guide HSE Corporate and Performance Delivery Plans; both Ministers must approve plans jointly.
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.
Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill 2024
26 Jun 2025 Second Stage Current Ollie Crowe
- Amends the Disability Act 2005 to introduce personalised budgets for people with disabilities, allowing them more control over chosen support services.
- Enables service users to receive funding directly or through arrangements that suit their individual needs, rather than standard service provision.
- Specific details on eligibility criteria, budget levels, and implementation timeline not yet publicly available at Second Stage.
Pensions (Amendment) (Transparency in Charges) Bill 2021
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Ged Nash
- Amends Pensions Act 1990 to require pension trustees to give members annual statements showing charges in cash, as percentage of contributions, and as percentage of assets held.
- Requires trustees to show how charges reduce expected pension benefits compared to no-charge scenario, plus comparisons with alternative charge levels over scheme lifetime.
- Pensions Authority must report annually on monitoring this requirement; Pensions Council must report every five years on reasonableness, transparency and competitiveness of charges.
Autism Bill 2022
2 May 2025 Committee Stage Current Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
- Requires government to develop and publish a cross-departmental autism strategy addressing education, employment, public services, and social inclusion for autistic persons and their families.
- Amends Employment Equality Act 1998 and Equal Status Act 2000 to include autism in disability protections; establishes Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as lead coordinator.
- Mandates public bodies collect autism data, establish diagnosis pathways, run awareness campaigns, provide staff training, and publish three-yearly progress reports on strategy implementation.
Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023
24 Apr 2025 Enacted
- Ombudsman mediations must be private; oral hearings held in public only if Ombudsman decides, after consulting parties, it serves justice.
- Clarifies Ombudsman can investigate firms no longer regulated if they met the definition when conduct occurred; expenses split between financial services levy and Exchequer based on complaint ratios.
- Allows Minister to make regulations requiring financial service and pension providers to establish internal complaint procedures; enables appointment of multiple Deputy Ombudsmen and Acting Ombudsmen.
Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021
28 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current Lorraine Clifford-Lee
- Requires Minister for Health to create a scheme enabling free access to period products for all who need them.
- Sets obligation for the scheme to regulate and control how free period products are distributed and accessed.
- Aims to eliminate cost barriers to period product access by mandating government provision at no charge.
Community Participation (Disability) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019
5 Mar 2025 Committee Stage Current John Dolan
- Requires local authorities to design playgrounds and play equipment using Universal Design principles, enabling children with disabilities to play alongside peers.
- Mandates private bus operators on public routes maintain or enhance accessibility standards equal to public operators, increasing transport access for disabled people.
- Establishes statutory personal advocacy service with appointed Director to help disabled people access social services, and requires accessible changing facilities in large public buildings.
Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021
28 Feb 2025 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Wall
- Amends Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to allow surviving cohabitants to receive contributory pensions, similar to surviving spouses.
- Extends pension entitlements to people in long-term cohabiting relationships who meet contribution requirements.
- Bill lapsed during legislative process; did not become law.
Energy Poverty Reduction (Use of Surplus Renewable Energy) Bill 2025
21 Feb 2025 First Stage Current Paul McAuliffe
- Minister must publish an energy poverty reduction strategy within 6 months, setting out how surplus renewable energy will be directed to households experiencing energy poverty.
- Bill sets escalating targets: 20% of surplus energy to energy-poor families by 2026, rising to 50% by 2030.
- Minister must report to Oireachtas on implementation, tracking number of families benefiting and alignment with climate commitments.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Bill 2017
20 Feb 2025 Second Stage Lapsed James Reilly
- Requires Minister for Health to develop and publish a cross-departmental Autism Spectrum Disorder Strategy within two years, addressing service gaps and inconsistencies across the State.
- Strategy must establish accountability systems, define care pathways, ensure consistent service availability nationwide, and require all relevant departments and HSE to implement their parts.
- Minister must publish progress reports every three years to Oireachtas, collect prevalence data from HSE, provide implementation guidance to agencies, and fund a public awareness campaign.
Finance Bill 2024
6 Feb 2025 Enacted
- From 1 January 2025: increases income tax standard rate band to €44,000 for single persons; increases personal tax credit to €2,000; reduces USC 4% rate to 3%; raises ceiling for 2% USC rate by €1,622.
- Extends Help to Buy scheme to 31 December 2029; allows newly constructed properties purchased by Local Authorities for affordable sale to qualify; increases small benefit exemption from €1,000 to €1,500 annual employer gifts.
- Introduces tax relief for donations to sporting bodies and national governing bodies for equipment, elite athletes, and women/disability participation; creates Automatic Enrolment pension scheme with tax-exempt employer contributions and fund income.
Period Products (Free Provision) Bill 2021
30 Jan 2025 First Stage Lapsed Rebecca Moynihan
- Requires period products (tampons, pads, etc.) to be made freely available to people who need them.
- Aims to remove cost barriers to menstrual hygiene and address period poverty across Ireland.
- Bill did not progress beyond First Stage; lapsed without becoming law.
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.
Grocery Price Caps Bill 2024
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Paul Murphy
- Amends Consumer Protection Act 2007 to declare emergency on basic foodstuff supply and establish Grocery Price Caps Commission to set maximum prices.
- Commission determines which foods get price caps based on dietary importance, recent price rises, profit margins, and impact on vulnerable groups.
- Minister for Enterprise must review the Act's operation within 12 months of enactment.
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.
Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Marian Harkin
- Amends Credit Union Act 1997 to allow credit unions to provide additional financial services to members for mutual benefit, subject to board approval and required regulatory authorizations.
- Establishes a Credit Union Policy Committee to review Central Bank policies, provide feedback during policy development, and represent stakeholder interests in the credit union sector.
- Requires Central Bank to protect community-based and volunteer ethos of credit unions when regulating them, and requires Minister for Finance consent for minimum reserve requirements.
Housing (Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability) Bill 2021
14 Nov 2024 Second Stage Lapsed Pauline Tully
- Requires local authorities to decide on housing adaptation grant applications within four weeks where possible.
- Establishes powers for the Minister to make regulations governing the housing adaptation grant scheme.
- Aims to improve access to housing adaptation grants for people with disabilities through streamlined processes.
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.
Social Welfare Commission Bill 2020
14 Nov 2024 First Stage Lapsed Claire Kerrane
- Establishes a nine-member Commission appointed by the Minister to examine minimum income needs of social welfare recipients and develop a minimum essential standard of living.
- Commission monitors social welfare rates annually, provides reports, and may recommend changes to any Department of Social Protection payment rates to the Minister.
- Commission may recommend that Government Departments conduct poverty impact assessments of specific measures where it considers necessary.
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.
Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024
4 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Allows employees with serious physical or mental health conditions to postpone maternity leave for 5-52 weeks, with medical certification and 2-week employer notice required.
- Entitles members of Houses of the Oireachtas to 26 weeks maternity leave, formally called maternity leave for members, when properly notified.
- Amends Maternity Protection Act 1994 and Employment Equality Act 1998; includes provisions for preserving certain institutional records in public interest.
Social Welfare Bill 2024
1 Nov 2024 Enacted
- Increases weekly welfare rates by €12 across social insurance and means-tested payments; increases maternity, adoptive, paternity and parent's benefit by €15 weekly from January 6, 2025.
- Raises employer PRSI threshold to match National Minimum Wage increase to €13.50, saving employers €616 annually per full-time minimum wage employee.
- Introduces €280 once-off payment for newborn or adopted children born after December 1, 2024; raises Carer's Support Grant by €150 to €2,000.
Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024
17 Oct 2024 Enacted
- Establishes Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme IV to pay domestic electricity account holders €125 twice (Nov/Dec 2024 and Jan/Feb 2025), funded up to €565.75 million.
- Creates Submeter Support Scheme II to credit active supplier submeter accounts with €125 in two specified payment periods, administered by electricity suppliers.
- Makes both emergency benefit and submeter support payments exempt from income tax; amends Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 accordingly.
Social Welfare Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Increases weekly rates for maternity, adoptive, paternity, and parent's benefits by €12 each from January 2023.
- Raises employer PRSI threshold from €410 to €441 weekly earnings, aligning with minimum wage increase to €11.30/hour.
- Boosts social insurance and social assistance payment rates by €12 weekly; increases working family payment income thresholds by €40.
Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme II to pay €183.49 three times (Nov/Dec 2022, Jan/Feb 2023, Mar/Apr 2023) to domestic electricity accounts, funded up to €1.211 billion.
- Exempts emergency benefit payments from income tax and amends Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to clarify market participants can enter connection and electricity supply agreements.
- Reduces National Oil Reserves Agency levy from €0.02 to €0.001 per litre of oil for a limited period.
Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Employees get five days' leave for medical care of relatives or household members needing significant care, without prior notice required.
- Employees can request flexible working arrangements for caring purposes; employers must respond within timeframe with limited grounds for refusal.
- Maternity protection extended to two years for breastfeeding breaks and to transgender males with gender recognition certificates who become pregnant.
EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- EirGrid can acquire electricity generation plants and enter agreements with generators to operate them under CRU direction, ending by 31 March 2027 or earlier if the emergency resolves.
- EirGrid's borrowing limit increases to €3 billion; Minister can provide financial support for these emergency measures with consent of Public Expenditure Minister.
- Electricity Regulation Act 1999 amended to refund PSO (public service obligation) monies to consumers; Bord na Móna's borrowing limit increases to €650 million.
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Enables commencement of the 2015 Assisted Decision-Making Act to replace wardship with functional capacity assessment for people with capacity difficulties.
- Creates two-step enduring power of attorney system: created while person has capacity, registered with Decision Support Service, activated by notification when capacity lost.
- Strengthens safeguards by creating fraud/coercion offences, expanding ineligibility criteria for decision-makers, and giving Director powers to investigate complaints informally.
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Transfers specialist community-based disability services policy and funding responsibility from Minister for Health to Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; HSE continues delivering services but reports to both Ministers.
- Establishes new governance and accountability structures: both Ministers can issue directions, approve plans, set budgets, and appoint board members for their respective functions; requires joint consultation on shared decisions.
- Amends Disability Act 2005 and Health Act 2007: Minister for Children gains power to prepare sectoral disability plans and direct health quality investigations for disability services.
Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Establishes one-off electricity payment scheme delivering €100 to each domestic electricity account in 2022, funded up to €215 million.
- Requires distribution system operator and suppliers to administer payments; grants CRU oversight functions to ensure scheme operates properly.
- Exempts emergency benefit payments from income tax; enables Minister to set payment dates and operational rules by regulation.
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.
Higher Education Authority Bill 2022
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Repeals the 1971 Higher Education Authority Act and establishes new legal framework for HEA's functions in regulating higher education institutions and planning the sector.
- Creates HEA Board of 12 members (appointed by Minister) with powers to oversee institutional governance, funding accountability, and performance measurement of designated higher education providers.
- Requires HEA to prepare three-year corporate plans and annual plans aligned with tertiary education strategy, and mandates institutional compliance with governance frameworks and funding accountability requirements.
Social Welfare Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Increases weekly rates of pensions, benefits and allowances by €5 per week, plus proportionate increases for qualified adult dependants, from January 2022 onwards.
- Raises employer PRSI threshold from €398 to €410 weekly earnings and extends parent's benefit duration from five to seven weeks under EU Work Life Balance Directive.
- Extends COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme end date to 31 December 2022 and introduces €500 grant for wigs/hairpieces for illness-related hair loss.
Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 Enacted
- Transfers governance of Child and Family Agency's education welfare functions from Minister for Children to Minister for Education, effective 2021.
- Minister for Education gains power to set spending limits, request information, nominate board member, and issue directions on education welfare functions.
- Funding for education welfare functions moves to Minister for Education; other Agency functions remain funded by Minister for Children with separate, non-interchangeable budgets.
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.
Principles of Social Welfare Bill 2021
11 Sep 2024 First Stage Defeated Seán Sherlock
- Establishes nine social welfare principles (dignity, poverty reduction, public service, evidence-based design) that must guide interpretation and administration of Social Welfare Acts by all decision-makers and courts.
- Requires Minister to create and review a social welfare charter setting expectations for government, administrators, and benefit recipients; Minister must consult Citizens Information Board and affected persons.
- Imposes duty on Minister to promote take-up of eligible benefits; requires regular take-up strategies, cross-benefit eligibility identification, accessible information, and applicant support during interviews.
Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Introduces enforcement powers: improvement notices, immediate action notices, temporary prohibition orders (up to 6 weeks), and closure orders to address non-compliance with early years service regulations.
- Extends regulation to all paid non-relative childminders by removing exemptions; defines childminding service as care in childminder's home for minimum 2 hours daily.
- Requires Child and Family Agency to publish enforcement action information; grants 3-year transitional period for existing exempt childminders to register or continue under previous exemptions.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Introduces Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit for newly unemployed workers, paying 60% of previous earnings (max €450/week) for up to 39 weeks if they have 260+ PRSI contributions.
- Increases PRSI rates cumulatively by 0.7 percentage points from 2024 to 2028, and raises self-employment minimum annual payment from €500 to €650.
- Makes Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit taxable; allows Criminal Assets Bureau to seize social welfare overpayments; adjusts public service pensions for paternity and parents' benefits.
Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Enables parents to register births and deaths online via MyWelfare, retaining in-person services; establishes Record of Stillbirths accessible to public.
- Reduces stillbirth gestational age threshold from 24 to 23 weeks and weight from 500g to 400g; shortens death registration deadline from 3 months to 28 days.
- Allows interim death certificates during coroner investigations; requires all deaths notified within 5 working days; enables coroners to refer cases back without inquiry.
Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Child maintenance payments excluded from means tests for jobseeker's allowance, disability allowance, state pension (non-contributory), blind pension, carer's allowance and other welfare schemes.
- Repeal of Part 12 of Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 ends liable relative provisions; Department will no longer recoup claim costs from non-resident parents.
- Removes social welfare inspectors' and Deciding Officers' roles in enforcing liable relative obligations under repealed provisions.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Increases weekly rates of maternity, adoptive, paternity, and parent's benefits by €12; extends parent's benefit from seven to nine weeks from August 2024.
- Prevents concurrent payment of illness or injury benefit with statutory sick pay; limits combined weekly payments to six days maximum.
- Allows deferral of State pension (contributory) claims up to age 70 with higher rates at later claim ages; enables long-term carers to qualify for contributory pension in certain circumstances.
Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Establishes Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme III to pay €150 (including VAT) three times to domestic electricity accounts between Act passage and 30 June 2024, funded up to €1.007 billion.
- Creates Submeter Support Scheme to pay €150 three times to submeter accounts during same period; electricity suppliers administer payments after receiving funds from Minister.
- Exempts both emergency benefit and submeter payments from income tax; amends Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to give utilities regulator oversight functions for scheme operation.
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.
Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023
30 Aug 2024 Enacted
- Amends Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 292 to allow temporary bonus payments to Child Benefit recipients.
- Bonus payments expire automatically on 31 December 2023 via sunset clause; no extension without new legislation.
- Minister gains power to set bonus rates via regulation rather than primary legislation changes.
Social Welfare Bill 2020
11 May 2021 Enacted
- Repeals planned increase in State Pension age; keeps it at 66 pending Commission on Pensions report.
- Reduces waiting days for Illness and Injury Benefit from 6 to 3 days; claimants qualify from fourth day.
- Removes earnings limit on One-Parent Family Payment; increases Widowed/Surviving Civil Partner Grant by €2,000.
Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020
21 Jan 2021 Enacted
- Modernises Investment Limited Partnership Act 1994 to align with EU funds legislation and anti-money laundering rules; replaces 'custodian' with 'depositary' and updates valuation language.
- Introduces beneficial ownership register requirements for ILPs; general partners must maintain, update and deliver registers to Central Bank; establishes central register and access conditions.
- Permits limited partners to sit on boards/committees without losing liability protection; allows umbrella ILPs; enables asset transfers when general partners change; allows ILPs to migrate in/out of Ireland.
Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020
6 Nov 2020 Enacted
- Transfers Mother and Baby Homes Commission records and databases to the Child and Family Agency without redaction upon the Commission's dissolution on 28 February 2021.
- Restricts the Agency's processing of non-Agency records to purposes authorised by data protection laws or other legislation, while permitting processing of information originating from Agency-provided records.
- Requires the Commission to submit its final report by 30 October 2020 and amends the Judicial Council Act 2019 to extend personal injuries guidelines deadlines.
Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020
17 Aug 2020 Enacted
- Establishes Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) as a formal statutory benefit with rates set by regulation, replacing emergency payments under Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
- Credits paid social insurance contributions to employees receiving PUP, Jobseeker payments, or Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme since 13 March 2020 to protect future benefit eligibility.
- Allows some past PUP spending paid as emergency welfare to be charged to the Social Insurance Fund; exempts TWSS participants from employment contributions except 0.5% employer PRSI on top-ups.
Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Kevin Humphreys
- Amends Pensions Act 1990 to allow survivor's pension benefits for same-sex civil partners who married/partnered after age cutoff, if legal marriage/partnership was impossible before that age.
- Removes age-of-marriage requirement as barrier to pension benefits where same-sex couples were unable to marry or enter civil partnership due to prior law.
- Applies to employees who entered foreign civil partnerships later recognised in Ireland, or married/partnered within 36 months of legal eligibility.
Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017
20 Apr 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Mark Daly
- Allows health professionals in publicly-funded health organisations to voluntarily defer mandatory retirement age, if both employee and employer agree in writing.
- Extension periods proposed as up to two years initially, renewable once for another two years, with both parties' ongoing consent required throughout.
- Excludes those who previously took early or voluntary retirement; preserves employees' existing conditions of employment except the mandatory retirement clause.
Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020
30 Mar 2020 Enacted
- Amends Health Act 1947 to allow Minister to make regulations restricting travel, prohibiting events, and closing premises to slow Covid-19 spread.
- Enables medical officers of health to order detention and isolation of persons suspected as infection sources who refuse voluntary self-isolation.
- Extends illness benefit to self-employed and diagnosed/self-isolating Covid-19 persons; reduces jobseeker waiting periods from three days to zero during emergency.
Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) (Amendment) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Michael McGrath
- Allows credit institutions that received state support under 2008 Act to reduce pension payments to certain employees.
- Applies only to institutions covered by Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008, primarily banks that got bailouts.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; never progressed to debate or voting; no law enacted.
Pensions (Traceability of Assets) (Amendment) Bill 2013
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Creates a system for pension scheme members to access a complete list of all their approved pension schemes in one place.
- Allows beneficiaries and estates to find pension entitlements from all schemes, simplifying benefit claims and inheritance.
- Bill lapsed before becoming law; did not progress beyond initial introduction in the Dáil.
Disability (Amendment) Bill 2015
19 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Mattie McGrath
- Bans misleading language about unborn babies with disabilities, particularly the term 'incompatible with life'.
- Requires government ministers to plan and provide services for people with disabilities within available resources.
- Aims to promote equality for people with disabilities and related matters. (Bill lapsed; not enacted.)
Insurance (Life Assurance and Life Insurance) (Amendment) Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed James Browne
- Amends Insurance Act 2000: prohibits insurers from refusing to pay death benefits when insured person dies by suicide after 12 months from policy start date.
- Applies to life insurance, life assurance, and death benefit policies: prevents insurers from failing or refusing to execute payments in these circumstances.
- Removes insurer discretion to deny claims based solely on suicide as cause of death, provided 12-month period has elapsed since policy commencement.
Pensionable Age Task Force Bill 2019
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed John Brady
- Establishes a Pensionable Age Task Force to research, consult publicly, and recommend the appropriate age for State pension entitlement.
- Task Force must deliver report to Minister within 12 months; Minister then has 12 months to consider and report on recommendations.
- Task Force dissolves 18 months after establishment unless extended by Ministerial regulation; consists of 11 members plus Government-appointed chair, unpaid.
Housing (Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Makes housing adaptation grants more accessible for people with disabilities who qualify for them.
- Addresses application processes and eligibility procedures for disability-related home modifications.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; did not become law.
Social Welfare Commission Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed John Brady
- Creates a commission to review whether social welfare payment rates are adequate and report findings annually.
- Commission makes recommendations on social welfare adequacy; reports go to the government each year.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; was not enacted into law.
Statute Of Limitations (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Jack Chambers
- Amends Statute of Limitations Act 1957 to allow thalidomide-affected persons extra time to bring legal action for injuries caused by maternal thalidomide ingestion.
- Removes or extends the normal deadline restrictions for people disabled by thalidomide exposure in the womb to sue for compensation.
- Bill did not complete passage through Dáil before dissolving; would have required re-introduction in new session to proceed further.
Shared Maternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Lisa Chambers
- Amends maternity laws to allow parents to share maternity leave entitlements between them instead of one parent taking all leave.
- Modifies the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004, and Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to enable shared leave arrangements.
- Bill lapsed during Second Stage; status as of latest information indicates it did not progress to law.
Social Welfare (Payment Order) (Amendment) Bill 2018
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Extends Maintenance Recovery Unit's powers to seek court Payment Orders for jobseeker transitional payments to single parents.
- Allows State to recover costs from 'liable relatives' through District Court applications for these specific welfare payments.
- Bill lapsed; did not proceed beyond Second Stage debate.
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed John Brady
- Removes specific functions from the Citizens Information Board; details of which functions are not specified in available text.
- Amends the Comhairle Act 2000; practical effect of amendments not detailed in provided information.
- Bill lapsed before completion; never became law. Sponsor: John Brady.
Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed
- Publishes quarterly names and addresses of people convicted of social welfare fraud to deter fraudulent activity.
- Extends earnings disregard for people with disabilities to all employment types, not just rehabilitative work.
- Allows voluntary use of Public Services Card for identity verification with external providers like credit unions and utilities.
Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Pension Property Rights) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Proposes constitutional amendment to protect pension property rights from legislative changes.
- Bill lapsed before progressing beyond First Stage; status unclear on specific pension protections intended.
- Sponsored by Willie O'Dea; detailed scope and practical effect not available from provided information.
Civil Liability (Amendment) (Prevention of Benefits from Homicide) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Jim O'Callaghan
- Prevents people convicted of homicide from inheriting from or claiming benefits from their victim's estate.
- Amends succession law so killers cannot profit financially from causing someone's death through inheritance or legal claims.
- Applies the legal principle that wrongdoing should not create financial advantage, protecting victims' families from this harm.
Pensions (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Willie Penrose
- Amends Pensions Act 1990 to make solvent employers liable for pension scheme funding deficits when winding up defined benefit schemes, treating unpaid amounts as contractual debt to scheme trustees.
- Prevents employers from removing pension liabilities from their financial accounts without fully funding scheme deficits, closing a loophole allowing companies to avoid obligations.
- Applies to defined benefit schemes operating before the Act commences; does not affect other legal remedies available to pension trustees for scheme shortfalls.
Pensions (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Willie O'Dea
- Amends the Pensions Act 1990 to create an appeals process when pension scheme trustees decide to wind up a scheme.
- Gives scheme members a mechanism to challenge or appeal the trustees' decision to wind up their pension scheme.
- Bill lapsed and did not become law; information about specific appeal procedures or timeframes is not available from the long title.
Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2017
13 Feb 2020 First Stage Lapsed Denise Mitchell
- Amends Pensions Act 1990 to stop solvent companies abandoning pension obligations to employees.
- Prevents employers from avoiding responsibility for employee pension schemes when financially able to pay.
- Bill lapsed at First Stage; specific enforcement mechanisms and penalties not detailed in long title alone.
Criminal Justice (Aggravation by Prejudice) Bill 2016
13 Feb 2020 Second Stage Lapsed Fiona O'Loughlin
- Courts must treat crimes more seriously if motivated by prejudice based on race, colour, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity.
- Judges can impose harsher sentences when evidence shows an offence was aggravated by such prejudice at the time of commission.
- Bill lapsed before completion; never became law. Would have required courts to consider prejudice-based motivation during sentencing.
Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016
6 Feb 2020 Committee Stage Lapsed
- Removes bans on deaf people serving on juries and replaces mental illness bar with functional capacity test for jury service.
- Repeals prohibition preventing people with mental disabilities from standing for election to Dáil, Seanad, and European Parliament.
- Makes National Disability Authority staff state civil servants; establishes Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission as monitor of UN Convention compliance.