WHAT’S GOING ON in Leinster House?

Every day the Dáil and Seanad are sitting, TheJournal.ie brings you the most comprehensive guide to what our lawmakers are getting up to in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

So, here is what we can expect to be happening in the Dáil, Seanad and Committee rooms today…

4 things we’ll be keeping an eye on

• Dáil: Leaders’ Questions –The Taoiseach takes questions on the big issues of the day from opposition leaders at midday.
• Dáil: Bondholders – The Technical Group and other independent TDs continue with their motion calling on the government to stop paying bondholders at 7.30pm.
• Committees: Junior Cert reform – The framework of the new Junior Cycle will be discussed by the Education and Social Protection Committee in Room 4 at 1pm. Will the ASTI vocalise their belief that they don’t have the resources to implement the changes and will the Haddington Road Agreement be mentioned?
• Committees: HSE – Director General of the HSE, Dr Tony O’Brien, will be in front of the Committee of Public Accounts in Room 1 at 3pm to discuss the salaries and expenses of the HSE for 2012. Will top-ups to senior staff be addressed? More than likely.

Everything else that’s happening in the Dáil

• After Leaders’ Questions, the Taoiseach answers oral questions on his department’s work before the Order of Business and then Topical Issues.
• The Bill which changes eligibility criteria for medical cards for the over-70s will be concluded today and the debate on the Forestry Bill resumes.
• The Gas Regulations Bill – which looks at providing for the reorganisation of Bord Gáis Éireann’s transmission and distribution operations – reaches final stage in the Dáil today.
• The Dáil adjourns at 9pm.

Everything else that’s happening the Seanad

• Senators begin their day with the Order of Business at 10.30am.
• At 11.45am, tributes will be paid to the former Senator Bernard McGlinchey who died in April of this year, aged 80.
• The Child and Family Agency Bill, which provides for the establishment of  the Child and Family Agency and the registration of early years services, reaches second stage and will be discussed from 12.30pm.
• Miscellaneous provision of the Companies Bill will be discussed in the Seanad from 2.30pm.
• Fianna Fáil has private members’ business on imposing penalty points on speeding boats, which will be opposed by government when it’s discussed at 4.30pm.
• The senators discuss Matters on the Adjournment at 6.30pm before it adjourns for the day.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

• The Transport and Communications Committee will meet in Committee Room 4 at 9.30am to consider the 2012 six-monthly EU Scrutiny Reports of the Department of Communications. Mark Griffin, Secretary General of the Department, will give evidence to the Committee.
• The accreditation of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland in Bahrain is to be discussed in Committee Room 4 by the Education Committee prior to it dealing with reforms to junior cycle.
• The Finance Committee continues discussion of the Finance Bill – which gives effect to Budget measures – with Minister Michael Noonan from 10am in Room 3.

Here’s how to watch what’s going on in Leinster House today

• Dáil Éireann
• Seanad Éireann
• Committee Room 1
• Committee Room 2
• Committee Room 3
• Committee Room 4
• To access streams on iOS, click here

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