Dáil Me In!
Oireachtas Preview | 19th - 21st May
With RTÉ embroiled in another payments controversy, the Oireachtas Media Committee will find itself the centre of attention again on Wednesday as senior management from the public service broadcaster come to answer questions.
Across the wider political agenda though there are other pieces of important legislation down for discussion including the guardianship rights bill also known as “Valerie’s Law”. The Dáil will begin debating the bill which would ensure that someone convicted of killing a child’s parent should not automatically continue to have legal authority over that child.
We’ll also see debates on the likes of Ireland’s stance on neutrality and defence, and a Sinn Féin motion will allow for a robust debate on rising evictions and rent hikes.
Read on for a detailed breakdown of what’s coming up in Dáil Éireann this week…
🗓️Tuesday 19th May
📢Statements on National Biodiversity Week
National Biodiversity Week is an annual, nationwide celebration of Ireland’s natural heritage. Running each May, it features hundreds of free in-person and virtual events designed to connect communities with local wildlife and educate people on the importance of healthy ecosystems. Expect contributions from Government and opposition on what is being done in terms of sustained investment and protections to safeguard Ireland’s wildlife for future generations.
📢Sinn Féin Motion re Evictions and Rent Hikes
This motion is coming off the back of Residential Tenancies Board figures last week which show that 7,062 notices of termination were received in Q1 2026, up 51 per cent from Q1 2025. Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty challenged Tánaiste Simon Harris on this last week:
Expect more of this!
📢Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Expect Minister James Browne to be hit with a barrage of topics relating to his brief. There will be a continuation of questioning around the RTB figures. Also expect opposition to raise the recent controversy over conditions in social housing, particularly the Oliver Bond Flats, and more scrutiny around the nick-named ‘beds in sheds’ policy.
🗓️Wednesday 20th May
📢Motion re Defence and Neutrality
This motion is being brought by the Independent and Parties Technical Group to call on the government to reject proposals that they say would weaken Ireland’s neutral stance. Key aspects include Protecting the ‘Triple Lock’, opposing military alliances and prioritising funding for domestic defence purposes.
📢National Asset Management Agency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026
In its second stage, this Bill will officially wind down the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) and transfer its remaining responsibilities, assets, and debts to the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). In simple terms, the Government says NAMA has largely completed the job it was created to do after the financial crash, and its remaining work can now be managed by the NTMA. The legislation also deals with leftover assets linked to the former Anglo Irish Bank/IBRC and updates other laws connected to State financial management.
📢Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025
The primary purpose of the legislation is to bring our counter-terrorism framework fully into line with European Union standards. It will see three New Criminal Offences including; receiving training for the purpose of terrorism, travelling for the purpose of terrorism and organizing or facilitating travel for the purpose of terrorism.
It will also broaden the definition of prosecutable terrorist activity to include cyber-attacks aimed at causing widespread harm and terrorist acts with cross-border elements. This bill is now entering its report and final stages.
📢Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025
Now entering into its report and final stages this bill is designed to establish the first national statutory licensing, registration, and regulation system for professional home care providers. Its ultimate goal is to enforce quality and safety standards for older persons and individuals with disabilities. Main parts of the bill include mandatory registration with the Health Information and Quality Authority, and will ensure home care providers can not operate below the minimum standards set out by the Minister for Health.
🗓️Thursday 21st May
📢Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
The biggest pressure point for Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee will likely continue to be Ireland’s response to Gaza and the long-delayed Occupied Territories Bill. Opposition TDs are intensifying criticism that the Government has watered down or stalled the legislation that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Recent Dáil debates have focused on whether the Government is retreating from earlier promises to include both goods and services in the ban. Ministers are now signalling the legislation may only apply to goods, which critics say would dramatically weaken its impact.
📢Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
Questions in relation to this brief are likely to centre around Gaeltacht housing and planning, concerns surrounding the rising costs of attending summer Gaeltacht courses for students, and updates on the implementation of the Our Rural Future framework.
📢Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2026
Entering into the debate stage, this Bill also known as ‘Valeries Law’ would allow the courts to restrict or remove a person’s guardianship rights over a child in certain serious circumstances, where it is considered necessary for the child’s welfare and safety.
The Bill was introduced following campaigning by the family of Valerie French, who was murdered in 2019 by her husband, who still retained guardianship rights over their children after her death.
Supporters argue the law closes a serious gap in the system by ensuring that someone convicted of killing a child’s parent should not automatically continue to have legal authority over that child. However, legal and penal reform organisations have raised concerns about how the law will operate in practice warning against any automatic or permanent removal of guardianship without careful assessment of each child’s circumstances and proper legal safeguards. Expect a robust and emotive debate.
📢Motion re Report entitled “Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the revised General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill”
This Bill is a significant legislative overhaul aimed at restructuring and modernising public service media providers in Ireland. Some might say it’s an apt week for this as another RTÉ payments story dominates media!
The debate around this bill has largely centred on three things; trust in RTÉ after the payments scandal, concerns about media independence, and the future funding of Irish public service broadcasting. Because the Bill is so comprehensive, the Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport conducted a thorough “pre-legislative scrutiny” process, consulting extensively with stakeholders and proposing 85 recommendations for the Minister to incorporate into the final text of the draft legislation. The upcoming Dáil debate and vote allow TDs to officially discuss this Committee report and its recommendations before the government finalises the legislation for formal debate and passage.
Seanad Spotlight 🔦
In the Upper House this week there’ll be Government Statements on the Office of Public Works Priorities and Progress. Bills up for discussion include the International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026, the Arbitration Amendment Bill 2025, and the Critical Infrastructure Bill. There’ll also be a motion on the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer, and the extension of sections 1 to 7 and 9 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 (No. 14 of 2021).
Oireachtas Committees - Ones to Watch!👀
🗓️Tuesday
· The Children’s Rights Alliance and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties will be before the AI Committee to discuss recent issues around images, deepfakes and consent
· Marine Protected Areas and International Best Practices will be the topic at the Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs
· Goal and Concern are among the groups giving evidence to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade relating to NGO’s Active on Sierra Leone and Liberia
· Minister’s Jim O’ Callaghan and Helen McEntee will appear before the Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026.
· Representatives from the National Association of Regional Game Councils will give evidence as the Committee on Agriculture and Food continue their discussions on deer management.
· An Coimisiún Pleanála will appear before Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage
· The Committee on Budgetary Oversight will discuss Budgetary responses to the energy crisis and cost of living pressures with ICTU, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Social Justice Ireland and the Economic Research Institute.
· Reps from the Department of Social Protection will discuss potential New Working Age and Targeted Child Payments at the Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development.
🗓️Wednesday
· RTÉ Reps are back before the Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport
· Staff Morale in the HSE will be discussed at the Health Committee. The IMO, INMO and SITPU are among those in attendance.
· The Committee on Disability Matters will discuss a representative advocacy service for children with disabilities.
· The Transport Committee will continue to discuss road safety.
· Minister Darragh O’ Brien will appear before the Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy to discuss the Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2025.
· The Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery will discuss Engagement with Community and Environmental Protection Alliance regarding Wind Energy Guidelines.
· Representatives of Irish Funds will appear before the Committee on EU Affairs as part of EU Presidency Planning.
🗓️Thursday
· Irish Language Education and Irish Medium Education will be discussed at the Committee on Education and Youth.
Stay informed. Stay prepared. Stay strategic.
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