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Government targets 23 bills for publication

The Government's legislative programme for the upcoming Dáil summer session includes 23 bills that have been prioritised for publication. 

Another 28 have been prioritised for drafting during the session, while the Government says that 63 other bills are under development across various departments. 

Legislative work in the spring session was affected by a long-running row over Dáil speaking rights, which also delayed the appointment of committee chairs.

Bill on ‘triple lock’ 

As a result, the four justice bills listed for early publication are the same four that were included in the spring list: 

• Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill, which gives effect to an EU directive on combating terrorism,
• Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill, which provides for a reduction in time before disposal orders can be made, the appointment of receivers, and other enhancements to the confiscation regime,
• Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill, allowing gardaí to search images that are already legally in their possession through the use of facial-recognition technology “in limited circumstances only”, and
• Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill, codifying powers of search, arrest, and detention and the procedural rights of suspects. 

Other bills due to be published include the Defence (Amendment) Bill, which will remove the ‘triple lock’ requirement for overseas Defence Forces deployments. 

Among the justice bills being prioritised for drafting are the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill and the International Protection Bill to implement the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. 

Mary Butler (Government Chief Whip) said that the establishment of Oireachtas committees would allow for the progression of more legislation over the coming months and years.