The Government’s legislative programme for the forthcoming Dáil session has listed 46 bills to be prioritised for publication and drafting.

Minister Hildegarde Naughton (Chief Whip, pictured) has confirmed that 24 bills will be prioritised for publication and 22 bills for drafting in this Dáil session, which lasts for nine weeks.

Five of the 24 bills prioritised for publication are in the justice area – including an overhaul of defamation law that is expected to propose the removal of juries in such cases.

A draft bill that would allow An Garda Síochána to use facial-recognition technology (FRT) in specified circumstances has also been prioritised.

Justice bills

The list includes five bills for publication in the Department of Justice:

• The Coroners (Amendment) Bill is aimed at ensuring that there are enough coroners to operate in the Dublin district and other areas,
• The Defamation (Amendment) Bill to reform aspects of defamation law,
• The Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill, which modernises police powers of search, arrest, and detention to take account of technological developments,
• The Intoxicating Liquor Bill on the sale and consumption of alcohol, and
• The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill that would allow An Garda Síochána to use facial-recognition technology (FRT) in specified circumstances.

In other areas, a bill setting up a new auto-enrolment system for pensions is also due to be published, while the list also includes a bill that would provide for a referendum to allow Ireland to ratify the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court (UPCA).

Two justice bills have been listed for drafting during the session:

• The Inspection of Places of Detention Bill to provide for inspection of all places of detention in the justice area – including prisons, garda stations, and courts, and
• The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill, which will reform the rules on the confiscation of assets.

The programme also lists a number of other pieces of justice legislation where work is described as “ongoing”, or heads of the bill are being prepared.