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 – Matters of the day will be raised with the Taoiseach by opposition leaders at 3.15pm. Expect property tax to feature in light of events in recent days and possibly gay marriage too.
• Dáil: Cannabis Regulation – The Dáil debates legalising and regulating the sale of cannabis in Ireland at 7.30pm on foot of a private members’ motion from Luke Ming Flanagan. The government will oppose the motion, but the debate should be interesting.
• Seanad: Social Welfare Bill – The upper house begins debate on the bill which enshrines the social welfare changes announced in the Budget. There is no indication of a rebellion from government senators but it will be interesting to hear their views.
• Committees: End of Life Care – The Health Committee continues its hearings on End of Life Care with the Primary Palliative Care Initiative, Nursing Homes Ireland and the Institute of Common Health Nursing and The Alzheimer Society of Ireland in Committee Room 1 at 5pm.

Everything else that’s happening in the Dáil

• The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter takes questions on his portfolio at 2pm.
• After Leaders’ Question the Taoiseach takes questions on his own portfolio at 3.36pm.
• An hour later the Order of Business gets under way. TDs then discuss Topical Issues – pressing matters of the day – after that.
• There are also a raft of motions before the Dáil tomorrow, most of which are without debate. These include the withdrawal of the Betting Bill and a report on the Defence Forces’ service with the UN in 2012, which is being referred to committee.
• Along with a number of other motions the Dáil will also spend up to 20 minutes discussing the appointment of a new Ombudsman, Peter Tyndall.
• Then debate on the second stage of the Local Government Bill - which implements wide-ranging reforms to local authorities – resumes.
• The Dáil adjourns at 9pm after the debate on cannabis.

Everything else that’s happening in the Seanad

• Senators begin their week with the Order of Business at 1.30pm.
• After that there are a number of motions without debate, including the appointment of the Ombudsman.
• After lengthy debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill senators discuss Matters on the Adjournment.

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

• The Jobs Committee discusses the Companies Bill – the largest piece of legislation to ever come before the house with more than 1,400 sections – with junior minister Sean Sherlock in Committee Room 4 at 10am.
• The Environment Committee meets at 2.15pm in Committee Room 2 to discuss a number of EU legislative proposals and then the impact of existing and proposed nuclear plants in the UK with Dr Ann McGarry from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. Members will then discuss EU construction regulations and their impact on the standards of, er, construction products with officials from the Department of Environment.
• The Agriculture Committee discusses the problems, impacts and possible solutions to the issue of liquid milk with representatives from the Strathroy Dairy in Committee Room 3 at 3.30pm.

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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