# Legislation

This week

29th January 2023 - 3rd February 2023

Voices

Analysis: The six-month rule for Mother and Baby Homes redress does not add up

Barrister Seán Beatty says the government’s six-month rule around compensation is impossible to justify.

5.9k

Tue 6:33 PM

Last month

January 2023

# open all hours

Housing, healthcare, cost-of-living and late-night pub opening on the agenda as Dáil returns

Varadkar looking for a ‘fresh start’ to his tenure as Taoiseach as he tries to shake up Govt priorities.

17.3k

Jan 15th 2023, 7:00 AM

Last year

2022

Voices

Gino Kenny: It's time to decriminalise the possession of cannabis for personal use

The People Before Profit TD says his bill will provide a stepping stone to a more progressive drugs policy in Ireland.

19.1k

Nov 24th 2022, 7:00 AM

# Legislation

Bill to be introduced that would legalise personal use of cannabis

It’s set to be introduced by People Before Profit, but would have to get Dáil approval to progress.

51.3k

Nov 12th 2022, 6:30 AM

# Hate speech

New laws on hate speech includes provision to protect freedom of expression, says minister

Government has been called on to ensure new laws comply with principles of proportionality and necessity.

15.3k

121

Oct 27th 2022, 5:32 PM

Voices

Opinion: Longtermism - what is it and why should we embrace it in legislation?

Marc Ó Cathasaigh of the Green Party says legislators should always consider future generations.

10.8k

Sep 24th 2022, 8:00 PM

Bereavement leave could be paid out of the Social Insurance Fund in the future

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar also said he’d like his remote working law to be enacted by Christmas.

Tánaiste says the Social Insurance Fund could support those taking bereavement leave in the future.

Such a move would prevent a cost being imposed on employers but would ensure employees don't lose out on pay.

Varadkar also says he wants the right to request remote working legislation to be passed by Christmas.

22.4k

Aug 22nd 2022, 12:05 AM

# protocol problems

UK bill to unilaterally change Northern Ireland Protocol will be published on Monday

The Taoiseach said the UK’s plans to act unilaterally over the protocol would be “deeply damaging”.

15.9k

Jun 10th 2022, 8:08 AM

Voices

Roderic O'Gorman: We hope today's legislation will right decades of wrongs against adopted people

Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman reacts to the new Birth Information and Tracing Bill launched today.

7.9k

Updated

Jan 12th 2022, 2:00 PM

# New Law

Adopted people will no longer have to attend mandatory information session when seeking records

The long-awaited Birth Information and Tracing Bill will be published today.

13.8k

Jan 12th 2022, 6:30 AM

All time

# Your Say

Poll: Should shops that sell cigarettes to minors be banned from selling them for a few days?

Shops that sell cigarettes to minors are to be banned for up to a month, under new legislation.

29.9k

Nov 8th 2021, 8:46 AM

# Legislation

Taoiseach says Covid has 'exacerbated' volume of legislation, as politicians discuss President's letter

Michael D Higgins says he received nine Bills in one day.

15.7k

Jul 30th 2021, 3:00 PM

# Cannabis

Mexico top court decriminalises recreational marijuana use

Pro-legalisation campaigners said the Supreme Court ruling left cannabis users facing many uncertainties.

10.1k

Jun 29th 2021, 9:12 AM

# Mobile Phones

New legislation to allow gardaí demand passwords for devices when carrying out search warrant

The overhaul of how gardaí operate includes a new power for gardaí to request passwords or encryption keys.

53.0k

Jun 14th 2021, 6:15 AM

# Housing

Cabinet approves Affordable Housing Bill aimed at boosting supply

Aspects of the bill, including its shared equity scheme for first-time buyers, have been criticised.

51.8k

111

Updated

May 4th 2021, 11:07 PM

# private security

New laws approved to regulate private security operators employed to enforce eviction orders

The Private Security Services (Amendment) Bill 2021 has been approved by Cabinet.

24.0k

Apr 20th 2021, 6:30 AM

# burials bill

'There can be no more messing about': Push for law to allow exhumations at mother and baby homes

Legislation being debated today would allow excavations, exhumations and re-interment of remains at the sites of former mother and baby homes.

Legislation being debated today would allow excavations, exhumations and re-interment of remains at the sites of former mother and baby homes

Catherine Corless says as many sites as possible must be included

"The babies should have been taken out of there in 2017 when they were found," she says of Tuam

10.9k

Apr 14th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Legislation

Bill to allow child murder victims to be named could be made law by end of March, McEntee says

The Bill has passed through all stages of the Seanad.

11.1k

Mar 5th 2021, 6:23 PM

# Limerick

Government approves drafting of legislation for new role of directly elected mayor for Limerick

Limerick is the first city that will have a directly-elected mayor after locals voted for the move in 2019.

8.3k

Jan 26th 2021, 2:13 PM

# Legislation

Dozens protest outside Áras an Uachtaráin over Mother and Baby Homes Bill

President Michael D Higgins yesterday signed the Bill into law.

48.6k

Oct 26th 2020, 6:53 PM

# Legislation

President Higgins signs Mother and Baby Homes Bill into law

The President pointed out that his decision to sign the legislation “leaves it open to any citizens to challenge the provisions of the bill”.

75.4k

165

Oct 26th 2020, 7:19 AM

# Database

Legal advice is that GDPR is 'prohibited' by 2004 Act on Mother and Baby Homes Commission - Department

The minister has defended the legislation but said he regrets poorly communicating what it intends to do.

68.3k

Updated

Oct 23rd 2020, 10:15 PM

# Sealed

Q&A: What is the mother and baby home legislation passed in the Oireachtas this week?

The Bill allows the transfer of a database of 60,000 records compiled by the commission to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

63.9k

Oct 23rd 2020, 6:04 PM

# Brexit

NI protocol must be honoured, pro-Remain parties say amid reports UK 'plans to rip up Brexit Agreement'

Political leaders have described the reported plans as a “treacherous betrayal” by “charlatans”.

95.2k

122

Updated

Sep 7th 2020, 10:30 PM

# House parties

Cabinet to meet today to consider new Garda enforcement powers

The government want gardaí to be given powers to interrupt and prevent house parties and social gatherings in breach of the guidelines.

16.1k

Aug 28th 2020, 6:10 AM

# Legislation

Government seeks advice from Attorney General over new garda laws

Gardaí will be given greater ability to police new public health measures.

23.7k

Aug 19th 2020, 10:32 AM

# Pay Day

Micheál Martin to be paid more as Taoiseach than Varadkar was after 'pay cut'

Martin will be paid almost €1,500 more than Varadkar was in the last government, despite a 10% cut to the official level of pay.

43.7k

107

Jul 28th 2020, 11:36 AM

# Law

Senators to begin High Court action to clarify if Seanad can legislate

Eleven seats in the Seanad are vacant as a new Taoiseach has not yet been elected.

10.8k

Jun 24th 2020, 9:28 AM

# regulation

Simon Harris: We need more measures to 'toughen up' on self-isolation for people entering country

The minister said he would like this requirement backed up by the law.

26.5k

May 12th 2020, 11:18 AM

Voices

Tom Clonan: Ireland's ICU guidelines for Covid-19 must safeguard people with disabilities

Rationing of critical care during any coronavirus surge must not happen at the expense of the most vulnerable, writes Clonan.

16.9k

Apr 9th 2020, 2:25 PM

# Coronavirus

Emergency Covid-19 legislation passes all stages in the Dáil

The government included a sunset clause for the legislation to be review in November after concerns were raised by TDs.

87.2k

Updated

Mar 19th 2020, 8:35 PM

# waiting staff

FactCheck: Has Fine Gael's Regina Doherty ensured waiting staff are legally entitled to 100% of their tips?

The claim was criticised by Sinn Féin who called it “false and misleading”.

56.3k

Jan 18th 2020, 7:30 AM

# Let's Get Together

Taoiseach says he'll meet Micheál Martin for new year talks about keeping this government going

Leo Varadkar says he will reply to the Fianna Fail leader’s letter next week.

8.9k

Dec 20th 2019, 5:47 PM

# General Election

Martin says he's trying to be the 'sane voice' and calls on Varadkar to agree election date

Martin says a legislative priority programme must be agreed for after Christmas.

7.5k

Dec 19th 2019, 4:15 PM

# Transparency

New legislation will regulate political advertising on social media

The move comes amid an international debate about how social media platforms handle political ads.

7.3k

Nov 5th 2019, 10:59 PM

# exclusion zones

Drew Harris says existing legislation adequate in dealing with protests outside abortion centres

In July, Minister Simon Harris said exclusion zones outside hospitals and GP surgeries will be a “major priority”.

8.0k

Sep 26th 2019, 8:00 PM

# law reform

Should the law be changed to introduce caps on personal injury claims? A review has been launched

Reviews are also set to be carried out in areas of law concerning hotel liability and privacy in the digital era.

15.0k

Jun 5th 2019, 6:10 AM

Voices

Opinion: New laws to ban 'upskirting' and 'revenge porn' are welcome but stalking should also be defined as a crime

The Law Reform Commission says stalking should be defined as a crime and the introduction of stalking laws in the UK resulted in an increase in prosecutions, writes Catherine O’Sullivan.

18.9k

May 13th 2019, 7:00 AM

# Cannabis

The Explainer: Can Ireland grow its own medicinal cannabis?

This will make it significantly less of a grey area in Irish law – and it could also herald the start of the Irish cannabis industry.

11.3k

May 7th 2019, 6:10 AM

# Pay Equality

Proposed law would require employers to publish gender pay gap information

The EU Commission recommended that member states introduce the measures five years ago.

12.8k

Apr 9th 2019, 10:58 PM