The Irish Legislation Podcast with Barry Ward

The Irish Legislation Podcast with Barry Ward

Presented by Senator Barry Ward, The Irish Legislation Podcast is a weekly look at legislation as it passes through Oireachtas Éireann, the Irish parliament. Each episode consists of a roundtable discussion with politicians (of all sides), and other commentators, on a specific piece of legislation, looking at the various elements proposed and arguing why the bill is good or bad. This is an unprecedented opportunity to hear legislators, experts and ordinary citizens debate legislation before it becomes law. E-mail barry.ward@oireachtas.ie (mailto:barry.ward@oireachtas.ie) with any comments or suggestions.

Episodes

S2 Ep5: Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality

February 23, 2022 • 31 mins
In this episode, Senator Barry Ward speaks to Senator Pauline O’Reilly, Vice Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality, which has been established on foot of the recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality (read the report here). The discussion deals not just with what the Committee will do and how it will operate, but how it was established, who is on it, and the time frame within wh...
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S2 Ep4: The Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022

February 7, 2022 • 24 mins
In this episode, Senator Barry Ward talks to his Seanad colleague, Independent Senator Eileen Flynn, about her private member’s bill to remove the term “child pornography” from Irish legislation, and replace it with the more appropriate term “child sexual exploitation material”. Also in the podcast are Emer Taylor and Jessica Bray, who worked on the Bill with Senator Flynn. This is a first for Irish legislation because it alters th...
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S2 Ep3: Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021

November 9, 2021 • 26 mins
This week, Senator Barry Ward talks ticket touts with former Fine Gael TD Noel Rock, and barrister and law lecturer, James McDermott. The Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 all stages and was signed into law last July and is now facing its first real life tests as live events return. Then TD for Dublin North-West, Noel Rock, along with Stephen Donnelly TD , originally sponsored the ...
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S2 Ep2: Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018

October 27, 2021 • 39 mins
This week, Senator Barry Ward looks at a private members bill to ban so-called “conversion therapies”, which seek to change a person’s . Barry is joined by one of the sponsors of this cross-party legislation, Senator Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael – Cork South-Central), and practising psychotherapist Stella O’Malley, who is opposed to the bill. You can read the Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018 and track its progress here. ...
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S2 Ep1: Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021

October 18, 2021 • 32 mins
In Episode 1 of Season 2, Senator Barry Ward talks gender quotas in business and the Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021 with Fine Gael TD for Dublin Mid-West, Emer Higgins, and Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council. This episode covers gender quotas, how they will work for boards of Irish companies, how to address gender imbalance and whether gender quotas are a fair approach. Emer Higgins is a...
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Season 2 Intro

October 15, 2021 • 2 mins
A quick recap of season 1 and preview of what's to come on season 2. The Irish Legislation Podcast is presented by Senator Barry Ward. Follow Barry on Twitter @barrymward; Instagram @barrym_ward; Facebook at BarryWard.ie; or his web site: www.barryward.ie. E-mail barry.ward@oireachtas.ie with any comments or suggestions.
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S1 Ep14: Road traffic legislation for electric scooters

April 26, 2021 • 41 mins
In Episode 14, Senator Barry Ward talks electric scooters with Fine Gael Spokesperson on Climate Action and TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Dublin and TD for Dublin South-West, John Lahart, and former Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government and former Fine Gael TD for Dublin North-West, Noel Rock. This episode goes through the issue of regulating electric scooters...
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S1 Ep13: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021

April 20, 2021 • 29 mins
This week Senator Barry Ward talks to Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, and criminal barrister Jane McGowan, about the Criminal Procedure Bill 2021, which has passed the Dáil and is just starting its journey through the Seanad. You can read the Criminal Procedure Bill 2021 here. You can follow Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD (Fine Gael - Meath East) on Twitter @HMcEntee, on Instagram @helenmcentee, on Facebook at Hel...
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S1 Ep12: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021

April 12, 2021 • 48 mins
This week Senator Barry Ward talks climate change legislation with former Minister for Communications, Climate Change and the Environment, Richard Bruton TD (Fine Gael – Dublin Bay North), and Attracta Uí Bhroin, Environmental Law Officer with the Irish Environmental Network (IEN), specifically the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021, which is currently before the Dáil. Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Comm...
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S1 Ep11: Land Development Agency Bill 2021 I

March 3, 2021 • 40 mins
This week Senator Barry Ward speaks to two new TDs Francis Noel Duffy TD, Green Party TD for Dublin South-West and the Green Party Spokesperson on Housing, and Cian O’Callaghan TD, Social Democrats TD for Dublin Bay North and the Social Democrats Spokesperson on Housing, about the Land Development Agency Bill 2021, which is currently being considered by the Dáil.   You can read Land Development Agency Bill 2021 here: https://www.oi...
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S1 Ep10: Period Products (Free Provision) Bill 2021

February 22, 2021 • 45 mins
This week Senator Barry Ward speaks to Senator Rebecca Moynihan (Labour – Administrative Panel - Dublin South-Central), who has sponsored the Period Products (Free Provision) Bill 2021 about what her bill will do to ensure that we avoid period poverty in Ireland and establish a regime whereby simple period products are available to people when they need them. A similar bill, entitled the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021,...
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The bells, the bells…

December 26, 2020 • 7 mins
Happy Christmas! A number of people have been in touch to ask that we would do an episode about voting in Leinster House. This episode looks briefly at how votes happen in Leinster House (and the Convention Centre), what the bells mean and the different types of vote. Thank you for all your support and loyalty in the last few months; the Irish Legislation Podcast with Barry Ward will return in 2021, when the Houses of the Oireachta...
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S1 Ep9: Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018

December 14, 2020 • 35 mins
This week, Senator Barry Ward speaks to Senator Ivana Bacik (Labour – University of Dublin) about her bill to provide a path to citizenship for children born in Ireland who do not otherwise have a right to citizenship. Barrister-at-Law and immigration law expert, David Leonard also gives the benefit of his experience in this area and his take on what the Bill’s effect will be on the current immigration and naturalisation system. Th...
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S1 Ep8: Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017 with Brendan Howlin TD

November 30, 2020 • 29 mins
In this episode, Senator Barry Ward is joined by long-standing Wexford TD, former senior Minister and former Leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin, who talks about his private member’s bill, which is currently working its way through Dáil Éireann. First published and debated (at second stage) in 2017, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017 proposes a number of important criminal, sexual offences,...
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S1 Ep7: 39th Amendment to the Constitution (Right to a Home) Bill 2020

November 23, 2020 • 51 mins
In Episode 7, Senator Barry Ward talks to Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson and Dublin Mid-West TD, Eoin Ó Broin, and Associate Professor of Law at Trinity College Dublin, Dr David Kenny, about the Thirty-ninth Amendment to the Constitution (Right to a Home) Bill 2020, which is currently one of a number of housing private member’s bills before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This episode explores the effects of enshrining a right to hou...
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S1 Ep6: The Brexit Omnibus Bill 2020 with Neale Richmond TD and Noelle O’Connell of EMI

November 16, 2020 • 51 mins
In episode #6, Senator Barry Ward speaks to Neale Richmond TD (Fine Gael – Dublin Rathdown), the Fine Gael Spokesperson on European Affairs, and Noelle O’Connell, Executive Director of European Movement Ireland (EMI), about the Brexit Omnibus Bill 2020, which is currently going through the Houses of the Oireachtas. This legislation will address the multitude of issues arising from the UK exit from the EU, across health, tax, financ...
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S1 Ep5: Seanad Reform: the Seanad Bill 2020 and the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020, with Dr Maurice Manning & Senator Malcolm Byrne

November 8, 2020 • 38 mins
Senator Barry Ward talks Seanad reform in Episode 5. Barry is joined by two former TDs: Senator Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fáil – Wexford); and former Leader of Seanad Éireann and current Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, Dr Maurice Manning. Malcolm Byrne was elected to the 32nd Dáil for the Wexford Constituency in a by-election in November 2019; he was subsequently elected to the 26th Seanad on the Cultural & Education...
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S1 Ep4: Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes)

October 26, 2020 • 42 mins
This week’s bill is the controversial Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020, which deals with the pending winding up of the Murphy Commission of Investigation into 14 Mother and Baby Homes, and four county homes, where terrible abuses were perpetrated against people over decades. We’re joined by Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Children, Youth, Disability, ...
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S1 Ep3: Dying with Dignity Bill 2020

October 19, 2020 • 50 mins
This week we talk to Gino Kenny TD (People Before Profit - Dublin Mid-West) about the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020, which he has sponsored, and which is a revival of former Deputy, John Halligan's, Dying with Dignity Bill 2015. Also joining the discussion are Senator Rónán Mullen (Independent - NUI panel), Councillor Sarah Kiely (Fine Gael - Limerick City East) and Consultant Geriatrician at Tallaght University Hospital, Professo...
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S1 Ep2: An Interview with Government Chief Whip, Jack Chambers TD

October 12, 2020 • 37 mins
In episode #2 of The Irish Legislation Podcast, Senator Barry Ward talks to Government Chief Whip and Minister of State, Jack Chambers TD, about the published Legislative Programme, the role of the Chief Whip, and the tools that the Government uses to get its agenda through the Houses of the Oireachtas. Minister Chambers also talks about money messages, re-introducing lapsed bills, pre-legislative scrutiny, the Oireachtas Business ...
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