Committees of the Oireachtas explained

Legislature:Oireachtas

Committees of the Oireachtas are committees and sub-committees and select committees of Dáil Éireann and Joint Committees of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, that are small groups of TDs and senators of the Oireachtas, the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.[1] Some committees are formed by statute after every general election, others are formed by agreement for a full parliamentary term or for a specific issue on a time-limited basis. Committees are formed on a proportional basis from members of the political parties/groups in each house. Chairs of committees are granted a stipend for their work. Some committees scrutinise the work and proposed legislation from specific government departments, and senior ministers or junior ministers of state as well as public servants or representatives of semi-state bodies and organisations supported by state funding are also regularly invited to address such committees.

Private meetings

Committees agree their agendas and ways of working, or discuss matters of a sensitive nature,[2] in private meetings.

Public meetings

Committees hold public meetings where individuals are asked to address a committee, or be questioned by it.[3]

Parliamentary privilege

Per Bunreacht na hÉireann,[4] when addressing a committee in Leinster House, contributors are protected by limited parliamentary privilege, but it is the custom of committees to ask contributors to desist from referring (directly or undeniably) negatively to individuals who are not present at such a committee meeting.[5] Since the increased use of remote meeting software, (from 2020) this privilege for parliamentarians has been limited to those who are "physically present within the confines of Leinster House".[6]

Committee of Privileges

The Constitution provides for the formation, at the direction of the president, following a request of 30 senators, of a joint "Committee of Privileges",[7] to decide on whether a specific Bill meets the definition of a "money bill", which would be subject to a maximum delay of 21 days by a Seanad resolution. This committee would be chaired by a Supreme Court Judge.[8] No such committee has ever been created under the 1937 constitution, but one was created in 1935 under Article 35 of the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State, which contained similar provisions. Originally the committee could be requested by two-fifths of TDs, but the Constitution (Amendment No. 12) Act 1930 allowed half of Senators to do so. The Constitution (Amendment No. 24) Act 1936, which abolished the Seanad, made the concept of money bills moot and so also deleted Article 35.

Proposed constitutional change 2011

The Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011, put to a referendum in October 2011, sought to empower each House to convene (possibly jointly) committees of inquiry, with powers to compel withness statements, and to make findings against citizens. The referendum was defeated by 53% to 47%.[9] In 2013 a referendum to remove the Seanad proposed extensive changes of committees. This was defeated by 51.7% to 48.3%.[10]

Current committees

Dáil committees

Joint committees

Former committees

Notes and References

  1. Web site: July 8, 2022 . Oireachtas committee schedule – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  2. News: Miriam Lord: Holohan and Watt Show blew into town but only one got a grilling . The Irish Times.
  3. Web site: June 28, 2022 . Oireachtas committees – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  4. 15.13. Ireland . 1937 . https://assets.gov.ie/2605/011118150904-7d0cf7762a324f89828b12f7cfed59b4.pdf .
  5. Web site: June 28, 2022 . Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science debate - Tuesday, 28 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  6. Smyth . Niamh . Niamh Smyth . 10 April 2024 . Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media debate - Wednesday, 10 Apr 2024 . Oireachtas.ie.
  7. 22.2. Ireland . 1937 . https://assets.gov.ie/2605/011118150904-7d0cf7762a324f89828b12f7cfed59b4.pdf .
  8. 22.2.3. Ireland . 1937 . https://assets.gov.ie/2605/011118150904-7d0cf7762a324f89828b12f7cfed59b4.pdf .
  9. Web site: 23 August 2016 . Referendum Results 1937–2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517091720/http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/referendum_results_1937-2015.pdf . 2017-05-17 . 8 July 2022 . . 83.
  10. Web site: 23 August 2016 . Referendum Results 1937–2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517091720/http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/referendum_results_1937-2015.pdf . 2017-05-17 . 8 July 2022 . . 89.
  11. Web site: O'Sullivan . Kathleen . April 26, 2022 . 'Negative' messaging 'undermining' forest sector . Irish Examiner.
  12. Web site: June 15, 2022 . Joint Committee on European Union Affairs debate - Wednesday, 15 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  13. Web site: June 15, 2022 . Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands debate - Wednesday, 15 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  14. Web site: June 15, 2022 . Joint Committee on Health debate - Wednesday, 15 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  15. Web site: 17 April 2024 . Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage – 33rd Dáil, 26th Seanad – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  16. Web site: June 15, 2022 . Joint Committee on Transport and Communications debate - Wednesday, 15 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  17. Web site: June 2, 2022 . Committee on Gender Equality – 33rd Dáil, 26th Seanad – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  18. Web site: July 7, 2022 . Committee on Disability Matters – 33rd Dáil, 26th Seanad – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  19. Web site: July 6, 2022 . Committee on International Surrogacy – 33rd Dáil, 26th Seanad – Houses of the Oireachtas . Oireachtas.ie.
  20. Web site: Kerry TD says RTÉ must appear before Oireachtas Committee immediately . RadioKerry.ie.
  21. Web site: June 15, 2022 . Comhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge debate - Wednesday, 15 Jun 2022 . Joint Committee on The Irish Language, The Gaeltachts and the Use of Irish in Public . . Irish.
  22. Web site: June 14, 2022 . Select Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth debate - Tuesday, 14 Jun 2022 . Oireachtas.ie.
  23. 1583091409094995973 . ErinMcGreehan . Great to have Bertie Ahern before the Good Friday Agreement Committee this afternoon.He has made an incredible contribution to peace & progress on this island. #GFA . Erin . McGreehan . Erin McGreehan . 20 October 2022.
  24. Web site: Ganly . Conor . Daughters and sisters have made Laois TD and Minister conscious of barriers women face . LeinsterExpress.ie.
  25. Book: Oireachtas Joint Committee on Marriage Breakdown . Report of the Joint Committee on Marriage Breakdown - Oireachtas report . Stationery Office . 1985.
  26. Book: Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities. . Report . 1972.
  27. Web site: 9 April 2014 . Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs And Trade - minutes . Oireachtas.ie.
  28. Joint Committee on Justice and Equality debate . 11 July 2018 . . Opening contribution . Oireachtas.ie.
  29. Web site: I want to invest in Ireland . IrishImmigration.ie.

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