AFTER WHAT FELT like the slowest start to a Dáil term in the history of the State, the Government is finally up and running and has published its priorities for the months ahead.

Government Chief Whip Mary Butler has confirmed that 21 Bills have been prioritised for publication, and a further 29 Bills have been scheduled for drafting over the course of this 13 week Dáil term. 

“I am determined to work with each Minister and their Departments in the coming months to ensure that legislation progresses, and that further Programme for government commitments, are also prioritised,” Butler said.

Among the priorities is legislation around updating employment and equality acts; the national cybersecurity bill; licensing of professional home support providers and legislation on housing.

Other priorities include legislation to tackle access to vaping products, criminal justice legislation and a new International Protection Bill.

So what stands out on the list? 

A number of Bills will be picked up where they left off .

Among them is the Defamation Bill which aims to tackle “disproportionate” compensation awards and the landmark but much delayed Mental Health Bill, which will completely overhaul Ireland’s mental health legislation. 

Both are currently at committee stage in the Dáil.

A change to legislation that will give unmarried people access to a widower’s pension is among the list of priorities. The Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Bill comes following a Supreme Court ruling in 2024.

Legislation to update child welfare laws in the form of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill,  is set to be prioritised.

As is a law, the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill, to allow workers to stay in employment until they reach state pension age.

Work is also underway to progress the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill which will address issues related to parentage and citizenship arising from the use of fertility clinics abroad by Irish residents. 

A delayed piece of legislation to protect, conserve and restore biodiversity, the Marine Protected Area Bill is also flagged as a priority by the Government. Ireland is the last country in Europe to designate Marine Protected Areas.

The Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill is also on the priority list. This bill, once enacted, would establish a €2 billion remediation scheme for apartments with construction defects.

Pre-legislative scrutiny was completed in February 2024 for the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill, which will allow for retrospective searching of images which are legally in the possession of An Garda Síochána.

The Government has said this will be limited to the safe and ethical use of facial recognition technology in specific circumstances only and in relation to specific serious offences which are subject to a penalty on conviction of up to life imprisonment.

Priority drafting

Separately, the Government has also outlined a number of laws that it is prioritising for drafting – these are laws that will take longer to actually be up and running.

Among them is the International Protection Bill, which will implement the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. 

Also on the list is the Equality and Family Leaves (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which it is proposed will provide for Surrogacy Leave and leave for pregnancy loss.

A long-awaited law regulating AirBnBs – The Registration of Short-term Tourist Letting Bill – is on the list. It is estimated that this law could bring approximately 10,000 properties back into the private rental market. 

A bill to ban gay conversion therapy practices is also being prioritised for drafting (The Prohibition of Conversion Practices Bill). 

The Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill is also on the priority drafting list – this is the law that would ban disposable vapes.

Meanwhile, the Remediation of Dwellings damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill is also on the list. This legislation would allow for retrospective access to grants available under the existing defective blocks scheme.