Houses of Oireachtas report for 2018 highlights achievements and public engagement

The 11-member Commission, which is responsible for running the Houses of the Oireachtas, reports an increase in parliamentary activity and public engagement.

Significant developments and headline statistics of 2018 include:

• The Houses initiated 142 Bills, passed 44 and processed almost 59,000 parliamentary questions;
• The Houses sat for a combined total of 204 days (1604 hours). Dáil Éireann sat for 106 days totalling 989 hours, Seanad Éireann 98 days and 615 hours; This represents a 12% increase on the combined number of sittings hours of both Houses for 2017;
• Oireachtas Committees held 625 meetings, heard from 2,223 witnesses and produced 75 reports;
• A highly successful programme of events was run to mark the 100^th anniversary of the vote for women in Ireland, Vótáil 100;
• The Houses and its Committees continued their work on the implications of Brexit for Ireland which included an address by H.E. Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission to both Houses;
• The Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisers established on a statutory basis. The Office was further strengthened and expanded to provide greater support for TDs and Senators in the drafting of Private Members’ Bills. 14 PMB proposals were assigned to the PMB drafting service
• The establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) on a statutory basis. Now an integral part of the financial scrutiny system in the Houses of the Oireachtas, it produced 62 briefings, commentary and analysis publications. For its work on fiscal policy, the office received a Highly Commended award from the Foundation for Fiscal Studies;
• 99,197people visited Leinster House on tours, school visits and on parliamentary business.

Chairman of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl  TD said “ Over the last year the Houses celebrated the centenary of women’s suffrage in Ireland under the Vótáil 100 programme. Events held to mark this democratic milestone are presented throughout the report. Among the many highlights we were privileged to host a student debate in Seanad Éireann, Díospóireacht na nÓg, which was a wonderful occasion to observe young people’s engagement with the democratic process.

One hundred years later women comprise 25% of members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. As times change the needs of members also change. With the increase in the number of women in the Houses, the Commission has sought to ensure that the parliamentary workplace meets the needs of all members, especially women raising young children who face particular challenges balancing their political career and family responsibilities. One notable initiative is the Maternity and Adoptive Leave Policy adopted by the Commission last year. The Policy aims to support members of the Houses who wish to take leave of absence in the case of pregnancy, child birth or adoption. We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Oireachtas Women’s Caucus in the development of this policy.

The Houses continue to achieve greater engagement year on year through the use of social media, the varied broadcasting content of Oireachtas TV and in 2018 the launch of a new Oireachtas website.

As we strive to deliver a Parliament for the People, I am particularly proud that in 2018 the Houses of the Oireachtas became the first parliament to establish a programme for people with intellectual disabilities- the Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) programme. This initiative has proved to be a very positive experience for the entire parliamentary community”

The Ceann Comhairle also paid tribute to staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Office of Public Works and the National Museum of Ireland for working together in advancing the restoration of Georgian Leinster House.

Read the full annual report here.