WHAT ARE OUR politicians doing in the halls of Leinster House?

TheJournal.ie lets you know with our guide to what’s coming up to the Dáil, Seanad and various Oireachtas committees today.

DÁIL

Eamon Gilmore takes the morning’s Leaders’ Questions at 10:30am, before TDs agree to the day’s agenda before kicking back into the Finance Bill, which turns the Budget’s tax changes into law. This should be totally wrapped up by 2:30pm.

TDs are back at 3pm to discuss more Budget changes – this time making permanent increases to motor tax rates, with a final vote due at 7pm. The day then finishes with debate on four topical issues and Dail questions to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, at 7:48pm.

The day’s Dáil business can all be viewed here.

SEANAD

A simple day in the Seanad: 75 minutes of discussion on the Seanad’s future agenda (10:30am) before the Seanad Public Consultation Committee takes over the room to hold a three-hour discussion on “change-makers in Ireland“.

The day’s Seanad business can all be viewed here.

COMMITTEES

Five committee meetings help to round off the week:

• The Health Committee gets the day rolling at 9:30am with all four health insurers attending to offer their thoughts to the forthcoming health insurance levy to fund the risk equalisation scheme. (Watch here.)
• Also meeting at 9:30am, the Agriculture committee is briefed on next week’s meeting of EU agriculture ministers – where Simon Coveney will secure agreement for mandatory DNA testing of beef products – and will also get a six-monthly report on agricultural developments in the EU. (Watch here.)
• At 10am, the Public Accounts Committee gets an unusual job: checking out the spending habits of the Revenue Commissioners, and how it collects its money. (Watch here.)
• At 11am, representatives from the Human Rights Consortium address the Good Friday Agreement committee on a possible Bill of Rights for the people of Northern Ireland. Against the backdrop of the flags dispute, the right to self-identity to a political allegiance will make an interesting talking point. (Watch here.)
• FInally, at 2pm the EU Affairs committee meets representatives from TASC and UCC who will discuss financial and budgetary integration in the EU, and ensuring that this does not conflict with democratic accountability. (Watch here.)

Explainer: How does a Bill become a law?

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