Government Bills

The general scheme sets out outline provisions, known as "heads", and a policy narrative relating to those outline provisions is prepared by the Department of the Minister sponsoring the legislation.

Once the Government has given its approval to draft, the Department will send instructions to draft, including the general scheme, to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government and will also send the general scheme for pre-legislative scrutiny by an Oireachtas committee.

Pre-legislative scrutiny was introduced to strengthen the capacity of the Houses of the Oireachtas to ensure a high quality of legislation and to hold the Government to account. It gives the Houses the opportunity to influence the policy-making process through its public analysis and feedback on draft legislation. This scrutiny allows the Oireachtas, through its committees, to scrutinise the general scheme and to make recommendations for improvements at an early stage in the drafting process.

Initiation of Bills in Seanad

There are two methods of initiating a Bill in the Seanad, presentation for Government Bills and introduction for Private Members' Bills. In either case, the text of the Bill must be delivered to the Clerk and examined by the Cathaoirleach for compliance with Standing Orders. The Short Title of the Bill and a description of its purpose, known as the Long Title, must be accepted by the Cathaoirleach. If the Bill is considered to comply with Standing Orders, its short and long titles are then placed on the Order Paper.

Presentation

Where a Government Bill is to be presented, the Bill is published by the Bills Office and circulated to Members. Presentation of a Bill does not require the prior leave of the House. However, only the Leader of the House, another Senator authorised by the Government or a Senator nominated by a recognised group may present a Bill.

A maximum of three Bills presented by any recognised group may be before the Seanad at any time.