Publication of Legislation
Posted by bollinsl on 13 October 2008
Publication of Bills, Explanatory Memoranda, and Financial Memoranda
Bills and Explanatory Memoranda and Financial Memoranda are published by the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas on the Houses’ Web site, and on paper through the Stationery Office (Government Supplies Agency).
If a bill is amended by a House or by a parliamentary committee, the bill is printed again “as amended in committee” or “as passed by Dáil Éireann” or “as passed by Seanad Éireann” and published on the Houses’ Web site.
If a bill is passed by both Houses, it is printed again “as passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas“.
Publication of Acts of the Oireachtas
When a bill is passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, and signed by the President, it becomes and Act of the Oireachtas (statute law).
The Act is promulgated as a law when:
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A notice appears in the Iris Oifigiúil (the Official Irish State Gazette) http://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/ by direction of the president
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A signed copy of the bill is enrolled in the Office of the Supreme Court
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The Office of the President informs the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas that the president has signed the bill, and the Act number is also supplied.
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The Office of the Supreme Court informs the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas that the Act has been enrolled in the Office of the registrar of the Supreme Court.
At this stage, the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas will pubish the Act, and the official translation, on paper through the Stationery Office, and on the Houses’ Web site as a PDF file.
At a later stage, the Office of the Attorney Will publish a bound volume of the Acts of the Oireachtas, and add the text of the Acts to the Irish Stature Book Web site. The Legislation Directory will also be updated.
The Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas will pubish the bound volumes of the official translations of the Acts of the Oireachtas.
Publication of Statutory Instruments
Statutory instruments are usually published by agency responsible for the instrument, and a notice appears in the Iris Oifigiúil.
Statutory instruments are later added to the Irish Statute Book Web site.
