# Seanad

All time

# Coronavirus

'Many people will now get paid': Emergency Covid-19 legislation signed into law by President Higgins

The Bill will now be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins.

107k

186

Updated

Mar 27th 2020, 10:35 PM

# Coronavirus

Seanad and Leas Ceann Comhairle election cause headache for government

More emergency legislation is expected to be needed next week.

30.0k

Mar 25th 2020, 6:05 AM

# Coronavirus

Emergency Covid-19 legislation signed into law by President Higgins after passing in the Seanad

The bill provides a range of emergency measures to help deal with the Covid-19 outbreak.

65.2k

Updated

Mar 20th 2020, 9:12 PM

# Election

'Some validity' in criticism of Fine Gael Seanad candidates, says Varadkar

The party has 11 female candidates running for election in the Seanad.

32.4k

Mar 7th 2020, 6:48 PM

# seanad 2020

Former MEP Lynn Boylan among seven candidates on Sinn Féin ticket for Seanad elections

Boylan is joined by a councillor, a former mayor of Derry and four sitting senators running for Sinn Féin.

25.9k

Mar 1st 2020, 5:14 PM

# the other election

FG’s Catherine Noone gets the nod, but Kate O’Connell loses out on Seanad nomination

The Seanad election takes place on 30 March.

40.5k

Feb 28th 2020, 3:05 PM

# Your Say

Poll: Should voting in the Seanad election be extended?

Many people view the upper house as elitist and in need of being reformed or scrapped altogether.

19.4k

Feb 17th 2020, 9:18 AM

# another election

Your Seanad election guide: How you can (or why you can't) vote for the next batch of senators

Here’s what you need to know.

34.0k

Feb 16th 2020, 11:00 AM

# ge2020

Ruth Coppinger to contest Seanad election after losing Dáil seat

A number of former TDs are expected to launch Seanad bids.

40.5k

Feb 14th 2020, 9:01 AM

# Seanad

Any tariff increases would 'decimate' Ireland's food and drink imports to the UK - Brexit committee report

Dublin Port expects the number of freight units from outside the EU to rise from 200,000 to 1 million after Brexit.

10.9k

Dec 17th 2019, 11:06 AM

# jobs for judges

Filibustering of Judicial Appointments Bill 'led by lawyers' says Ross

The Bill passed in the Seanad by a slim margin of 25 votes to 23.

8.2k

Dec 12th 2019, 12:34 PM

# moving house

Senators to move back to their old digs as Ceramics Room to be returned to the National Museum

The refurbishment of Leinster House is set to cost in the region of €17 million.

12.1k

Aug 19th 2019, 6:15 AM

# Seanad

'We live in a strange world': Michael McDowell criticises Fine Gael TD over injury lawsuit

McDowell referenced the case before the Circuit Civil Court in the Seanad yesterday.

33.8k

May 22nd 2019, 7:54 AM

# residential tenancies bill

Bill to regulate rent pressure zone properties passes through Seanad

The Residential Tenancies Bill will now go to President Michael D Higgins to be signed into law.

18.8k

May 21st 2019, 9:34 PM

# Costs

Minister commits to taking action on free sanitary products in public buildings

The Seanad heard that in many public buildings, such as Leinster House, tampons and sanitary pads cost €2 each.

15.1k

Mar 27th 2019, 4:10 PM

# trouble ahead

Independent Alliance to seek a free vote for Israeli goods trade ban Bill

The proposed legislation is due before the Dáil in the new year.

7.5k

Dec 16th 2018, 6:30 AM

# Eighth Amendment

'A genuinely historic moment': Abortion legislation passes through the Seanad

The legislation will now be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins.

20.6k

193

Dec 13th 2018, 8:00 PM

# january deadline

Abortion legislation has passed the Dáil and it's now on to the Seanad, so what next?

The Seanad will now sit on Monday in order to get the legislation over the line by the Christmas deadline.

7.1k

Dec 6th 2018, 6:00 PM

# edging closer

Abortion: These were the amendments passed by TDs this week

It is likely the landmark bill to regulate abortion services in Ireland will pass in the Dáil at the earliest next week.

20.3k

110

Dec 1st 2018, 11:00 AM

# trade restrictions

Seanad passes Occupied Territories Bill despite government opposition

Despite government opposition, the Bill has cross-party support from Labour, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil as well as independent senators.

23.3k

Nov 28th 2018, 7:38 PM

# Middle East

New legal advice finds Occupied Territories Bill is 'fully compliant with EU trade rules'

Despite government opposition, the Bill has cross-party support from Labour, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil as well as independent senators.

28.7k

Nov 23rd 2018, 12:05 AM

# spin units

Seanad briefly suspended over 'misogyny' row

Fianna Fáil’s Lorraine Clifford-Lee clashed with Fine Gael’s Jerry Buttimer.

24.5k

Nov 21st 2018, 8:05 PM

# minimum pricing

Alcohol Bill, first published in 2015, finally passes through Oireachtas

The legislation provides for changes such as minimum pricing and restrictions on advertising.

15.2k

Oct 10th 2018, 9:27 PM

# Constitution

Blasphemy Bill passes through Oireachtas ahead of referendum next month

Charlie Flanagan said the reference to blasphemy in the Constitution incorrectly identifies Ireland “as a country that does not value freedom of expression”.

15.7k

Sep 20th 2018, 9:39 PM

# Cabinet split

Trouble ahead? Independent minister undecided on Israeli goods trade ban bill

A division has emerged around the Cabinet table between Fine Gael members and independent ministers.

19.6k

102

Jul 27th 2018, 6:10 AM

# occupied territories bill

Fianna Fáil to support trade ban with lands held by Israel, but embassy calls it 'immoral'

The Embassy of Israel said the boycott will not facilitate Ireland’s role or influence in the Middle East.

18.0k

188

Jul 3rd 2018, 7:52 PM

# Palestine

'I've never been a boycott fan': Micheál Martin unlikely to support Eurovision boycott

Martin said his party is considering a Bill tabled in the Seanad that aims to prohibit Ireland from trading with any companies originating in an occupied territory.

11.2k

Jul 1st 2018, 7:45 AM

# lgbtq rights

'A deceptive practice': Bill to ban LGBTQ conversion therapies passes second stage of Seanad

The Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018 has passed through its second stage in the Seanad and has further stages to go through.

24.7k

105

May 2nd 2018, 10:10 PM

# Oireachtas

'Elitist', 'not sure it's worth saving': Slow progress of Seanad reform criticised

It’s been five years since Ireland voted to keep the Seanad in a referendum, but not much has changed since.

9.9k

Apr 15th 2018, 1:32 PM

# vote at 16

'Young people should stay away from politics': Senator criticised for comments as voting age bill blocked

Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield reintroduced the bill to the committee stage of the Seanad yesterday.

24.4k

137

Mar 22nd 2018, 9:26 AM

# Abortion

TDs approve Eighth Amendment referendum Bill

Health Minister Simon Harris said Ireland’s abortion law must change to help women who are currently “isolated and neglected”.

31.1k

196

Mar 21st 2018, 9:30 PM

# Snow Day

Dáil suspended for the rest of the week due to the 'the Beast from the East'

The business committee has decided to suspend the Dáil at 2pm today.

9.4k

Feb 28th 2018, 1:51 PM

# Vacancy

Vacant Seanad seat should be filled by someone with a unionist background, says senator

Leo Varadkar previously said he would like to see people from both nationalist and unionist communities take seats.

16.8k

112

Feb 14th 2018, 3:57 PM

# Palestine

Varadkar: 'The Israeli government has a tendency to disengage with countries that recognise the state of Palestine'

The Taoiseach said Ireland plans to intensify and increase aid work in the Palestinian territories.

28.4k

110

Feb 10th 2018, 11:36 AM

# Seanad reform

Taoiseach says electing people from Northern Ireland will give the Seanad an 'all-island dimension'

Varadkar made the comment as he announced that a new committee on Seanad reform is to be set up.

18.8k

Feb 1st 2018, 3:44 PM

# proposed bill

Irish ambassador to Israel summoned by Netanyahu over Seanad bill

The bill seeks to prohibit trade in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

22.1k

125

Jan 31st 2018, 8:23 AM

# Seanad

Bill aims to give hospitality workers the right to keep their tips

Research carried out in Galway found that 34% of workers regularly had their employers withhold their tips.

28.2k

Jan 22nd 2018, 8:30 PM

# 2018 referendum

Taoiseach says ministers will be allowed 'dissent' on Eighth Amendment

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar added that his own personal views wouldn’t decide what stance the Cabinet takes.

15.3k

153

Dec 18th 2017, 8:55 PM

# 2023 world cup

'Couldn't negotiate a piss up in a brewery': Row erupts in Seanad over Ireland's failed Rugby bid

Senators Terry Leyden and Neale Richmond had a war of words over the failed Rugby World Cup bid.

42.4k

Nov 16th 2017, 2:52 PM

Voices

Opinion: 'Our indifference to our flag and anthem is actually healthy'

Placing legislative restrictions on how our anthem is used would be an unnecessary limitation on our freedom of expression, writes Caoimhín De Barra.

12.4k

Oct 23rd 2017, 6:30 AM