Documents Laid
Procedures
The Library & Research Service manages the procedures for documents laid before the Houses. From 1st January 2012, an electronic documents laid facility is in place for use by departments and agencies and is the primary means of laying documents. This system has replaced the previous paper based approach.
Click here to access the electronic Documents Laid facility.
Please contact the docslaid office (docslaid@oireachtas.ie) to register and to request a username and password.
If you have registered but cannot access the edocs laid facility please contact the Documents Laid Team (docslaid@oireachtas.ie) who are available between 9.15 and 6pm.
If the edocs laid facility is unavailable here are the procedures to be followed:
Documents that are required to be laid urgently
Please contact the Oireachtas Library & Research Service's central enquiry desk at 01 618 4701 (available from 9.15 until the House rises on sitting days, and 9.15 to 6pm on non-sitting days)
Documents that are not required to be laid urgently
Please email the document to the Documents Laid Team: docslaid@oireachtas.ie. You will receive a receipt and further instructions in due course.
Online Access to eDocuments Laid
Please note that this facility is only for departments and agencies to lay documents before the Houses.
To access our online catalogue which includes digital versions of documents laid before the Houses please click here.
Please click here to review our Frequently Asked Questions
Background
Documents are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas by departments or agencies to support the democratic process. They may be classified as follows:
- Documents laid in obedience to a statute or in pursuance of an order of one or both Houses of the Oireachtas
- Documents which are regarded for other reasons as necessary or of advantage to Members of the Dáil/Seanad in the discharge of their duties as Members.
Typical examples of documents laid include:
- Annual Reports
- Statutory Instruments
- In-House Committee Reports/Work Programmes
- Reports of Tribunals of Inquiry and Correspondence
- Green & White Papers
- Statements pursuant to the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995
- Statements in respect of Special Advisers to Ministers/Ministers of State
- Annual Registers of Members Interests and Donation Statements/Statutory Declaration
Paper Form
In the event that you must lay a document in paper format, this covering form should be carefully completed and accompany 6 copies of the document to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Documents Laid Form