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 – The Taoiseach is sure to face more fire from the opposition benches at 3.15pm over their calls at the weekend for Health Minister James Reilly to resign.
• Dáil: Local Government Bill - TDs will exchange their views at around 5pm on Minister Hogan’s latest legislation, heralded as “the most radical reform of local government in 100 years”.
• Dáil: Private Memebers Business – At 7pm the Dáil will hear a call from Fianna Fáil to maintain public services for the elderly in order for them to “live independently and with dignity”, in their motion regarding Older Citizens.

Everything else that’s happening in the Dáil

• Arts, Heritage, and Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Denihan will be in the Dáil chamber at 2pm to answer questions, more than likely on how Budget 2014 will affect his portfolio, which includes a €5 million euro investment in heritage structures. Oh, by the way, he began tweeting last week.
• The Taoiseach answers questions on his portfolio at 3.36pm before the Order of Business at 4.36pm, followed by Topical Issues.
• The Dáil adjourns at 9PM.

Everything else that’s happening in the Seanad

• A less than jam-packed day (at the time of publication) begins in the Seanad at 2.30pm with Order of Business.
• At 3.45pm statements will be heard on the One Percent Difference campaign, for which Minister for Community Phil Hogan will be in attendance.
• After that will be Matters on the Adjournment before the Seanad adjourns.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

• The Children and Youth Affairs sub-committee, with relevant Minister Frances Fitzgerald, will be in Committee Room 2 at 5.15pm to discuss the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013, which would see groups like the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board merged into one agency.
• Does the discussion of anti-dumping duty on ironing boards from China pique your interest? How about for sweetcorn kernels from Thailand? Well then the Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Committee is for you. However, before those topics are discussed, top of their agenda at 1.30pm in Room 2 is the harmonisation of laws relating to pressure equipment.

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

• Dáil Éireann
• Seanad Éireann
• Committee Room 1
• Committee Room 2
• Committee Room 3
• Committee Room 4
• To access streams on iOS, click here

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