Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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436.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will be prioritising the progression of any specific pieces of legislation prior to the Dáil summer recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24709/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The following Bills are currently before the Oireachtas, which I expect to see enacted before the summer recess:

The Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Systems Bill 2024 has completed all stages in Dáil Éireann and Second Stage in Seanad Éireann. Committee and Report Stages in the Seanad are scheduled for 19th June 2024.

This Bill is designed to give legislative effect to the establishment of an automatic enrolment retirement savings system for employees in employment not covered by qualifying schemes. In addition, the Bill provides for the payment of contributions by participants, their employers and the State, the investment of contributions and the payment of retirement savings to participants when they reach State Pension age.

The Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024 has completed Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann, with Report and Final Stages to be taken there on 19th June 2024.

The main purpose of this Bill is to legislate for online registration of births, stillbirths and deaths; to allow notifications of births and deaths to be provided electronically to the State; to allow an interim death certificate to issue where the investigation of a death referred to a Coroner is ongoing; to amend the definition of a stillborn child and create a Record of Stillbirths. The Bill also makes a number of other amendments to civil registration legislation.

The Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 is currently at Second Stage in Dáil Éireann, which is due to be completed on 12th June 2024 , with Committee Stage scheduled for 18th June 2024, and Report and Final Stages on 26th June 2024. It is hoped that all stages in Seanad Éireann will be taken in the first week of July.

This Bill is designed to give legislative effect to a new Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit for newly unemployed jobseekers as well as the implementation of a programme of Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI) increases from 2024 to 2028 inclusive.

In addition to the Bills currently before the Oireachtas, I intend to bring a Memorandum to Government seeking permission to draft provisions for bereaved partners, taking into account the Supreme Court judgment in the O’Meara case ([2024] IESC1).