Madelaine Dennison

Head of Library and Research Services

Houses of the Oireachtas

Introduction

From documents laid to legislative briefings: how the parliamentary library contributes to a well-informed parliament

4 June 2015

CONUL annual conference

Content

Context Lesson

Align Impact

Future

Houses of the Oireachtas

1000 people226 members21 committees

The parliamentarian

…those elected to public office are expected to possess indefinable qualities to

accomplish an indescribable job.

(Coghill et al, 2008, p.74)

L&RS looks like this…

40 staff, collegiate Multi-disciplinary teams

…and this

Impartial Member-focus

What we do

Expert info and research

Professional info and records

Contribute towell-informed

parliament

Transformation

…library/research function has been transformed …and is on

a par with other relevant parliaments in the breadth of

services provided to Members…

VFM 2014

Key lesson learned

againand Start again

Oireachtas strategies

Improving services toparliamentImproving services to

membersEnhancing service

capability

Services to parliament

- legislative analysis

- committees’ research

- documents laid

Services to Members

- on demand

- Notes series

Service capability

- FOI

- records management

L&RS contribution

Sound legislative decision making?

A more vibrant democracy?

L&RS contributionProceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2014): Second Stage [Private Members] (Continued)Dail 8 May 2015Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan:

…I looked at the note from the L&RS and was struck by a couple of things…Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining StagesSeanad Thursday, 18 December 2014Senator Sean Barrett:

…. We have seen massive price rises, estimated by the L&RS….

Different-iators

VehiclesStaging Econ.logic

Arenas

Future L&RS

Source: Hambrick & Fredrickson, 2001

Conclusion