Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government's legislation programme, which was published on 18 February 2025, sets out the Government's legislative priorities for the current parliamentary session. We all understand that it is a shorter session than usual, but we will have a new programme again just after Easter.

This is the first legislative programme of the new Government, which includes 50 Bills for priority publication and drafting during this Dáil session. There are 14 Bills at various Stages across both Houses of the Oireachtas. These include legislation that will amend the Mental Health Acts, amend the law on defamation and provide for sufficient and effective access to cash. I will work with all Members to progress legislation through both Houses of the Oireachtas.

This aims to advance important legislation around updating employment and equality Acts, the national cybersecurity Bill, licensing of professional home support providers and legislation on housing. All Government Departments were consulted on the preparation of the spring legislative programme. The Government Legislation Committee, which I chair and is attended by the Attorney General, met on Thursday 13 February 2025 to finalise the programme. The committee will meet on a regular basis throughout the session to ensure that the key legislative priorities are progressed.

The Department of the Taoiseach will continue to play a central role in supporting effective co-ordination and prioritisation of policy and legislation across government through Government meetings, the Cabinet committee structures and the Government legislation committee. Currently, some Bills are held up because the committee structure is not yet in place and, as a result, pre-legislative scrutiny of certain Bills will be pushed back.

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