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Issue 622

Public Affairs Ireland

The Trusted Provider of Professional Learning and Development for the Public and Private Sector. www.pai.ie

发布日期: 2022年7月15日

The Electoral Reform Bill has been passed by Dáil éireann, following its passage through the Seanad last week. The establishment of the Electoral Commission will now proceed, with recruitment of its membership and Chief Executive to follow shortly. This legislation will bring about the development, modernisation and reform of Ireland’s electoral system, structures and processes.

The key elements of the Bill include:

establishment of a statutory, independent Electoral Commission for Ireland
the modernisation of our electoral registration process to deliver greater accessibility and greater integrity
the regulation of online political advertising to provide for transparency during electoral campaigns and ensure that our elections remain free from hidden influences on how we vote
provisions to protect the integrity of our electoral processes which will see the regulation of electoral process information and online electoral information in order to guard against manipulative or inauthentic behaviour during electoral campaigns
the strengthening of our regulatory regime in respect of political donations and accounts, including the provision of new investigatory and enforcement powers to the Standards in Public Office Commission
amendments to electoral law to provide that voting on the islands will take place on the same day as for the rest of the country
the extension of flexible voting facilities which are currently available to persons with physical illnesses or disabilities to persons with mental health difficulties

Read more here

The Sick Leave Bill 2022 has completed its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas.?The new scheme will start with 3 days' paid sick leave per year, rising to 5 days in year two, 7 days in year three, and employers will eventually cover the cost of 10 days in year four.

Sick pay will be paid by employers at a rate of 70% of an employee’s wage, subject to a daily maximum of €110. It can be revised over time by ministerial order in line with inflation and changing incomes.

An employee must obtain a medical certificate to avail of statutory sick pay, and the entitlement is subject to the employee having worked for their employer for a minimum of 13 weeks. Once entitlement to sick pay from their employer ends, employees who need to take more time off may qualify for illness benefit from the Department of Social Protection subject to PRSI contributions.

On PAI's blog this week, PAI Trainer Tom Ferris discusses the?EU and OECD push for Better Regulation Practices across the European Union:

"To assess regulatory governance, the OECD and the EU joined force to publish a report last month entitled Better Regulation Practices across the European Union 2022. The report argues that by ensuring integrated approaches to the design, delivery, and review of regulations, all EU Member States can achieve a seamless functioning of the Single Market. In a joint preface to the Report, Mathias Cormann (Secretary-General, OECD) and Maro? ?ef?ovi? (Vice-President, European Commission) point out the importance of ensuring –

'…that policy makers consider the most relevant alternatives before regulating and fully understand the expected impacts of rules, including those that may be felt across borders. Engaging with those directly affected by regulations is key to improving policies, boosting trust in government action. Ultimately, better regulation helps ensure that policies deliver the promised benefits to citizens....'"?Read the full blog here.

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