Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development to discuss Community Enterprise Sector and pre-legislative scrutiny of Social Welfare Bill
Apr 28, 2026
The Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development will meet tomorrow, Wednesday, 29 April, for separate engagements on the Community Enterprise Sector and pre-legislative scrutiny of a Social Welfare Bill.
The meeting at 9:30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will be split into two sessions:
9:45am – Assessment of the Economic Value of the Community Enterprise Sector in Ireland, including Enterprise Hubs with representatives from the Community Enterprise Association Ireland.
10:45am – Pre-legislative scrutiny of a general scheme: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) on the General Scheme of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill 2026 with officials from the Department of Social Protection, Department of Rural and Community Development and The Gaeltacht, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Paul O’Shea said: “In our first session, the Committee will discuss the Community Enterprise sector and Enterprise Hubs and the important role they play in Ireland today. Over the last three decades the, sector has grown significantly, with some 150 community enterprise centres and innovation hubs across the country, supporting businesses, jobs, services and opportunities rooted in rural and regional communities.
“In our second session, Members will commence pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill 2026 with Department officials. The Bill proposes amendments to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and the Civil Registration Act 2004. It also proposes amendments to the Charities Act 2009 to facilitate the work of the Charities Appeal Tribunal.
“The Bill proposes amendments to the Public Services Card (PSC) including enabling the PSC to be used by the cardholder, at their own discretion, as a form of identity, and to allow the date of birth of a cardholder to be inscribed on the PSC – where a person requests this – in order to use the PSC as a means of verifying age.
“Proposed amendments to the Civil Registration Act 2004 include enabling a State agency to register or re-register the birth of a child with the father’s details on foot of a court order, and to exempt the mother of a child from providing details of the father of the child in cases where the father is deceased.”
The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
