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Committees

About committees

Oireachtas committees advise the Houses of the Oireachtas on a range of specific areas. Committee members include TDs, Senators or both.

Committees receive submissions and presentations from members of the public, interest groups and Government Departments. Their public meetings are broadcast live and recorded and they may publish reports on specific issues.

Committees also scrutinise Government expenditure and debate proposed legislation.

Committees 33rd Dáil / 26th Seanad

How do Committees scrutinise Government spending?

Financial scrutiny

How do Committees scrutinise Government spending?

Scrutinising Government spending is one of the important functions of Dáil Éireann and its select Committees. Find out more about the process by which Committees scrutinise the Government's annual Estimates and other financial aspects of spending for public services.

Recent debates

Thu, 7 Nov 2024

Committee Of Public Accounts
Business of Committee

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Wed, 6 Nov 2024

Joint Committee On Agriculture, Food And The Marine
Eradication of Bovine TB: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

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Wed, 6 Nov 2024

Joint Committee On Enterprise, Trade And Employment
Messages to Dáil and Seanad

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Wed, 6 Nov 2024

Joint Committee On Disability Matters
Future-proofing to Improve Life and Longevity for Persons with Disabilities: Discussion

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Press releases

8 Nov 2024, 15:09

Ceann Comhairle presents The National Bravery Awards

6 Nov 2024, 17:15

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport & Media publishes its Report on the State’s response to online disinformation and media/digital literacy, including social media and fake news

6 Nov 2024, 16:45

Good Friday Committee publishes report on Women and Constitutional Change

6 Nov 2024, 16:30

Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community (2023) publishes Report on Travellers’ Experience of the Justice System

Recent reports

Wed, 20 Nov 2024

Wed, 20 Nov 2024

Travel Report, Edinburgh, 21st – 23rd February 2024
Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Travel Report, Edinburgh, 21st – 23rd February 2024, April 2024

Fri, 8 Nov 2024

Fri, 8 Nov 2024

Annual Report 2023 - 2024
Seanad Select Committee on Scrutiny of Draft EU-related Statutory Instruments, Annual Report 2023 - 2024, November 2024

Thu, 7 Nov 2024

Thu, 7 Nov 2024

Travel Report: Budapest, LXXII COSAC Plenary 27 – 29 October 2024
Joint Committee on European Union Affairs Travel Report: Budapest, LXXII COSAC Plenary 27 – 29 October 2024, November 2024

Thu, 7 Nov 2024

Thu, 7 Nov 2024

Annual Report 2024
Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Annual Report 2024, November 2024

Scrutiny of EU legislation

Image: iStock.com/inakiantonana

Scrutiny of EU legislation

What happens when the EU proposes new legislation for member states? This infographic outlines how the Oireachtas reviews and responds to such proposals.

Parliamentary inquiries

A number of parliamentary inquiries have been conducted by the Houses of the Oireachtas. The reports of these parliamentary inquiries have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Archive

To find a report published by a committee of a previous Dáil, search the Oireachtas Library & Research Service catalogue. There, you will find all committee reports and other documents laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

If you are interested in what was said at a public meeting of a committee, visit the committee debates page and search by date.

For other information about committees of the 31st Dáil, which sat from March 2011 to February 2016, you could browse the archive of committees of the 31st Dáil.

Glossary

Do you know your standing committees from your joint committees from your select committees? Decode parliamentary jargon with our A to Z guide.

What are standing Committees?

Useful info

What are standing Committees?

Standing Committees are established by Standing Orders of the Oireachtas and fulfill functions that are required by every parliament, such as the scrutiny of public accounts.

What is the difference between select and joint Committees?

Useful info

What is the difference between select and joint Committees?

A select Committee includes Members from either the Dáil or the Seanad, but not both. A joint Committee has Members from both Dáil and Seanad.

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