Committees give people the opportunity to input directly into the work of the Oireachtas, usually by sending a written submission.
- A Committee may hold a public consultation on a specific matter and issue a call to the public to send submissions relating to it.
- A person who is invited to appear before a Committee is usually also asked to make a written submission.
- Anyone who wishes to raise a matter with a Committee may write or send a submission to the Committee at any time.
Whatever type of submission you are sending, be sure to follow the relevant link below and read our guidance notes.
You want to take part in a public consultation
Find all current calls for submissions on public consultations by Oireachtas Committees, along with guidance on how to make a submission.
You have been invited to appear before a Committee and make a submission
Find guidance on appearing before a Committee and making a related submission.
You want to raise a matter with a specific Committee
Anyone who wishes to raise a matter with a Committee may write or send a submission to the relevant Committee. Please read our guidance note on how to prepare and send your submission.
Petition the Oireachtas
You can also petition the Houses of the Oireachtas on matters on which it has the power to act. A special Committee of TDs and Senators, the Committee on Public Petitions, will consider your petition. The Committee will publish your petition and may invite you to speak directly to them.
Utterances having an adverse effect
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- How to send your submission
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- Please email an electronic document (searchable PDF or equivalent) to spcri@oireachtas.ie.
- Please do not send hard copies of your submission, as this may cause confusion and duplication.
- For groups or individuals who do not have access to email, please contact the Secretariat at +353 (0)85 880 3660 to make alternative arrangements.
- Please do not send your submission to individual committee members. The Clerk will ensure all members receive copies of all submissions.
- What to include in your submission
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Your submission should comprise the submission document and a separate covering letter. This allows the Committee to publish your submission without your contact details.
In the covering letter, please include:
- Your name, postal address, email address and contact telephone number
- If the submission is on behalf of an organisation, your position in the organisation
- A brief outline of why you are making the submission
- An indication of whether you would be willing to appear in public session at a Committee meeting
In the submission document, please include:
- A brief introduction, for example, explaining your area of expertise
- Any factual information that you have to offer from which the Committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other parties for their reactions
- Links to any publications you refer to - there is no need to send such publications as attachment
- Any recommendations to the Committee - be as specific as possible and summarise your recommendations at the end of the document
- If your document is more than ten pages long, an executive summary of the main points made in the submission
- Tips and Information on writing your submission
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- Keep your submission concise and to the point. Please do not include any unnecessary or superfluous material that does not relate directly to the topic.
- If you refer to other publications, include links to the publications. There is no need to send them as attachments.
- Please remember to number your pages.
- The Committee cannot consider submissions which deal with matters outside its remit
- The Committee cannot consider submissions which deal with individual cases
- Submissions sent to any other email address will not be accepted
- Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted and will be rejected
- Petitions and form letters may not be accepted or published
- Submissions made to a Committee may be published as received, either as part of a Committee report or separately, if the Committee decides to do so