Updated 1.10pm

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

Dáil: Leaders’ Questions – As ever the questions to the Taoiseach are likely to set the agenda for the day when he is cross-examined by the opposition at 3.15pm followed by a few questions on his overall portfolio at 3.36pm.
Committees: Emigration – The Jobs Committee considers a report by the National Youth Council of Ireland which studied emigration and its impact on our young people and the labour market. That’s from 1.30pm in Committee Room 2.
Committees: Cattle and sheep - John Bryan, outgoing IFA president, gives evidence to the Agriculture Committee from 2pm on a recently compiled report, The Importance of the Cattle and Sheep Sector to the Irish Economy. We assume that he’ll say that cattle and sheep are pretty important. The report’s author, UCD’s Alan Renwick, will also be in Committee Room 3 from 2pm.

Everything else that’s happening in the Dáil

The lower house starts its business for the week with the Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Leo Varadkar answering pre-submitted questions on matters related to his portfolio from 2pm.
After Leaders’ Questions and Questions to the Taoiseach, the Order of Business gets under way at 4.36pm or probably a little later.
In a busy day for Leo Varadkar he will bring before the house the Road Traffic Bill 2013 in the late afternoon/early evening. This bill will create a graduated driver licencing system with a new ‘Novice’ category and provision for ‘Novice’ plates created. Presumably these will be known as ‘N’ plates.
At 7.30pm the Dáil considers a private members’ bill from United Left TD Joan Collins on mortgage restructuring arrangements before adjourning for the day at 9pm.

Everything else that’s happening in the Seanad

The Seanad begins its day at 2.30pm when it discusses the Order of Business.
Then at 3.45pm discussion on the committee stage of the Protected Disclosures Bill gets under way with Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin presenting the legislation which is aimed at protecting whistleblowers.
After that it’s Matters on the Adjournment.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte brings the Gas Regulation Bill – the one which provides for the sell-off of Bord Gais Energy – to a sub-committee of the Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Committee at 4.15pm in Committee Room 1.
The Environment Committee hears from the Housing Finance Agency, Clúid Housing Association and representatives from the Department of Environment on the management and operation of housing associations in Committee Room 4 at 2.15pm.

First published 9am

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

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