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

10.30 am, Committee Room 1: The Public Accounts Committee will be discussing penalty points and speed cameras. Moyagh Murdock, CEO of the Road Safety Authority and John O’Brien, Retired Chief Superintendent, will make submissions.
12 pm, Dáil: Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will be answering Leaders’ Questions today.
2 pm, Dáil: Statements will be made on the Cooke Report, which was published last week and found no evidence to support any claims that members of an Garda Síochána had GSOC under surveillance.

Everything else happening in the Dáil

9.30 am: Fresh from a protest outside his office, agriculture minister Simon Coveney will be answering questions.
10.45 am: TDs will discuss the Offences Against the State and Criminal Justice Act and a Bill that looks to dissolve Forfás, the policy advisory board for enterprise and science, and transfer its functions to Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland and the Jobs Minister.
12.21 pm: The Order of Business will be read.
12.41 pm: Three Bills will be debated this afternoon:
The much-discussed Housing Bill that is set to introduce a scheme where tenants can purchase local authority housing and revise how authorities can recover possession of a house if the occupants have seriously breached the tenancy agreement.
The next Bill to be debated looks to dissolve the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) and transfer all of its functions, staff and assets to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Finally, the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 will be discussed.
4.42 pm: Four Topical Issues will be debated.
5.30 pm: The Dáil will adjourn.

Everything happening in the Seanad

10.30 am: The Order of Business.
11.45 am: Retired judge and activist Catherine McGuinness will address the Seanad about children’s rights in Ireland.
1.15 pm: Senators will discuss renewing certain provisions of the Offences Against the State Act. This debate is to conclude within 30 minutes, before attention turns to the Criminal Justice Amendment Act 2009.
2.15 pm: Matters on the Adjournment will then be discussed.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

Health Committee

9.30 am, Room 2: Junior health minister Alex White will discuss plans to make GP care free for children aged five or younger.

Finance Committee

1 pm, Room 4: The committee will meet with representatives from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

Environment Committee

1.15 pm, Room 3: The committee will debate the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland Bill outlined above.

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

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