All Members have a right to initiate legislation in accordance with their constitutional role as legislators and subject to compliance with Standing Orders.
Members or their staff can complete these steps but documents should be sent from a Member's Oireachtas email to the Bills Office.
Where to send Bills
Send a signed hard copy of the Bill and explanatory memo directly to the Bills Office.
Send an electronic version in Microsoft Word format to the Bills Office. This will allow the Bills Office to proof the Bill and mark it up into the standard format.
Admissibility of Bills
The Bills Office examines all Private Members' Bills to ensure they are admissible under Standing Orders. This process generally takes two weeks. However, this timeline depends on the business of the Houses and the size and complexity of the Bill and this turnaround timeframe cannot be guaranteed.
Bills out of order
If the Bill is deemed "out of order", the Member will be contacted via letter confirming the decision.
Bills in order
If the Bill is deemed "in order", the Member will be contacted by a staff member in the Bills Office to approve a proof copy of the Bill for publication and to arrange an opportunity to seek leave to introduce.
The Bills Office will organise to place the title of the Bill on the Order Paper and ensure the Chair has a note to call on the Member to introduce the legislation after the Order of Business or questions on policy or legislation on an agreed date.
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Last Updated: Thu, 31 Oct 2024