Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently progressing multiple pieces of legislation through the Oireachtas. I have three priority pieces of legislation for the upcoming Spring Dáil session sand seven other bills published in the Spring Legislation Programme for 2024 details of which have been listed below.
Legislation for Priority Publication
Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024. Ratification of the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court (UPCA) necessitates a transfer of the judicial jurisdictional power outside of the State. A referendum must be held to allow Ireland to ratify the Agreement. Government approval will be sought this week for drafting the General Scheme and to set the date for the referendum.Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill - This legislation is to provide for ownership of Microfinance Ireland (MFI) to pass from its current parentage, the Social Finance Foundation to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and to put in place the related governance structures. Pre-legislative scrutiny was completed in September 2023 and I expect to bring the Bill to Government for approval by the end of January 2024. Legislation for Priority Drafting
Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill - This bill will enhance and strengthen enforcement and regulatory provisions in the Companies Act 2014. The Heads of the bill are currently in preparation with a view to bringing the General Scheme to Government for approval in early 2024. All Other Legislation
Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill - General Scheme to be published in Q1 2024.EU Data Bill - Work expected to commence on drafting the General Scheme in Q1 2024.Co-operative Societies Bill 2022 - Pre-legislative Scrutiny published in May 2023. Drafting is ongoing with publication due in Q2 2024.Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill - Officials are at an advanced stage in drafting a General Scheme and it is anticipated the General Scheme will be submitted to Government for permission to draft in February 2024.Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill - It is intended to seek Government approval for drafting of the General Scheme as soon as possible.Miscellaneous Provisions (Transparency and Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names) Bill - General Scheme is at an advanced stage, with a view to seeking Government approval for drafting by end Q1 2024.Registration of Trade Unions Bill - Work on finalising a general scheme will be progressed in the context of other competing legislative priorities, in particular the Co-operative Societies Bill 2022. In addition my Department is continuing to progress
Amendments to the Employment Permits Bill to provide for the Seasonal Employment Permit and a new option to transfer employer without needing a new permit which was approved by Cabinet on 23rd May. Dáil Report Stages is scheduled for 31 January 2024 and Seanad stages will be completed in early 2024.the General Scheme of the Digital Services Bill 2023 to implement the supervision and enforcement provisions of the EU Digital Services Act was published on the 5 December 2023. The Bill passed Dáil third Stage with the ETE Select Committee on the 17 January and Dáil Fourth and Fifth Stage is now scheduled for the 24 January.The Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023 to implement the outstanding company law and employment law commitments set out in the Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency which was published on the 27 October 2023 and underwent second stage in the Dáil on the 15 and 16 November 2023.
Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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