Deputies debate parenting benefits, social media bans in Leinster House
The Joint Committee on Public Petitions gathers at Leinster House to examine diverse citizen requests ranging from parental equality to digital restrictions. Stakeholders and government departments will present evidence during three evening sessions this Tuesday.
The Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen, chaired by Deputy Louise O'Reilly, convenes in Leinster House for a significant session of public engagement. Scheduled to commence at 6pm on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, the committee will operate across three distinct sessions within Committee Room 1.
The first session runs from 6:30pm to 7:15pm, focusing on Public Petition No. P00085/25 regarding equality for parenting standards in Ireland around benefits. This discussion features stakeholder Mr Shane Cusack and is followed by a continuation with the Department of Social Protection between 7:15pm and 8pm.
The final session, lasting from 8pm to 8:30pm, addresses several pressing legislative and social issues. These include consideration of Petition No P00016/26 on amending learner driver accompaniment requirements. The committee will also scrutinise petitions calling for social media bans for under-16s (Petitions P00027/26 and P00028/26), the enactment of the Control of Economic Activity Bill 2018 regarding occupied territories, and a petition concerning a Good Friday for the Kurdish 'Troubles' (Petition No P00037/26).
Committee proceedings are accessible to the public via the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for both Apple and Android devices. For media inquiries, contact Stephen Higgins at the Communications Unit, Leinster House, Dublin 2.