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

It’s the usual daily grind of Leaders’ Questions at 10:30am, before members discuss the rest of the day’s agenda in the Order of Business just before 11am.

There are three draft laws on the agenda, being discussed until the oddly precise of 3:42pm, in the following order:

• The last debate on the Non Use of Motor Vehicles Bill 2013, which changes the system governing getting cars exempted from motor tax if they’re not on the road;
• The final discussion on the HSE Governance Bill, which abolishes the board of the HSE and puts a new directorate structure in place; and
• The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill, which will allow TDs to hold a banking inquiry and investigate other pressing issues.

From 3.42 pm, there will be discussion on Topical Issues, while Brendan Howlin ends the week with Questions to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform at 4:30pm.

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

SEANAD

The usual Order of Business discussion on everything and nothing kicks off at 10:30am, before Brian Hayes tips in for a discussion on diesel laundering at 11:45am.

After lunch, Alan Shatter visits to guide the discussion on amendments to the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Bill 2013, which tries to clamp down on the sex trade and human trafficking.

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

COMMITTEES

There are four committees meeting today – including the Health committee, which may well be glad to get back to non-abortion business…

• The Health committee meets at 9:30am for its regular briefing with health minister James Reilly, junior ministers Alex White and Kathleen Lynch, and HSE chief Tony O’Brien, to discuss all matters relating to the current state of the health system. (Watch here.)
• The Public Accounts Committee gets together at 10am to discuss the Office of Public Works accounts for 2011, and discuss efficiencies that could be achieved in the procurement system. (Watch here.)
• Also meeting at 10am is the Transport and Communications committee, which will resume its consideration on proposed new EU rules for assistance and compensation to disrupted air passengers, and similar plans to make it cheaper to run a high-speed communications network. (Watch here.)
• Finally, the EU Affairs committee convenes at 2pm when it meets the European committee of the Bavarian state parliament to discuss matters of common interest and the general running of the European Union. (Watch here.)

Explainer: How does a Bill become a law?

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