Do sexual assault laws discriminate against people with disabilities?

Senator Katherine Zappone thinks they need to be updated and will present a Bill on the subject in the Seanad today.

WHAT’S GOING ON in Leinster House?

Every day the Dáil and Seanad are sitting, TheJournal.ie brings you the most comprehensive guide to what our lawmakers are getting up to in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

So, here is what we can expect to be happening in the Dáil, Seanad and Committee rooms today…

3 things we’ll be keeping an eye on

3.15 pm, Dáil: The Opposition will have Enda Kenny firmly in their sights during Leaders Questions.
3.45 pm, Seanad: Senator Katherine Zappone will table a Bill that seeks to reform sexual offence laws “to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities and to ensure that people with disabilities have the same freedom to consent to sexual activity as people without disabilities”.
5.15 pm, Committee Room 2: The Children’s Ombudsman will come before the health committee to discuss the services available to children in care; the HSE’s investigation into social work services in North Lee, Cork; and the implementation of Children’s First: National Guidelines.

Everything else happening in the Dáil

2 pm: Labour leader contender Joan Burton will be answering questions related to the department of social protection.
3.36 pm: The Taoiseach will answer questions related to his department.
4.36 pm: The Order of Business will be read.
5.06 pm: Four Topical Issues will be discussed where everything and anything could come up.
Afterwards, the Health Identifiers Bill 2013 will be discussed. The legislation would result in every patient and health service provider being given their own unique health identifier number that will work across both the public and private health service.
The Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 will then be debated.
7.30 pm: Sinn Féin will put forward a motion calling for the immediate establishment of a “fully independent judicial inquiry” into the mass grave found at the former site of Bon Secours Sisters mother and baby home in Tuam, Co Galway.
9 pm: The Dáil will adjourn.

Everything happening in the Seanad

2.40 pm: The Order of Business.
5.45 pm: The Seanad will debate the State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014, which looks at transferring the ownership of the airport from the department of public expenditure to a new commercial State company, Shannon Group Plc.
7.15 pm: Companies Bill 2012 will be up for discussion.
9.15 pm: Matters on the Adjournment will round out the day’s events in the Seanad.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

Jobs Committee

1.30 pm, Room 2: Debate will centre on the European Commission’s Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland; proposed job losses in Bausch and Lomb in Waterford and employment permits for migrants.

Agriculture Committee

2 pm, Room 3: How can sustainable fishing be promoted in rural coastal and island communities?

Environment Committee

2.15 pm, Room 4: Representatives from a number of groups including the Inner City Renewal Group, the Dublin City Community Forum and the Dublin Docklands Community Liaison Committee will discuss the future of the capital’s docklands.

Here’s how to watch what’s going on in Leinster House today:

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