AS WE LOOK back on the first full year of this Oireachtas, the verdict is clear – this is a go-slow government and a dysfunctional Dáil.

A detailed analysis of the statute book shows that fewer bills have been enacted in 2025 than any year since the foundation of the State. When I challenged the Government Chief Whip on this in the Dáil, she said it wasn’t true. But, unfortunately the facts don’t lie.

By year end, just 21 bills have been enacted. This stands in sharp contrast to 2015 when 66 bills were enacted. A staggering fall in productivity from our government ministers.

In the history of the State, 2025 saw the lowest number of bills enacted of any full calendar year (there were just six bills enacted in 1922, but the Free State was only established in December of that year).

The next lowest were in 1944 and 2016, both with 22 new laws. However, both of these were election years. 2025 wasn’t. In fact, half of the years with the fewest bills enacted relatively were election years. 

A decade ago, 2015 had the highest number of bills ever enacted in Ireland, many of important substance. Both the Marriage Equality Act and the Gender Recognition Act were passed that year. We also had the Assisted Decision Making Act, Children First Act, the Climate Action Act and the establishment of the Low Pay Commission via the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission Act). Each of these acts made a real and lasting difference in people lives.

The 21 bills enacted in 2025 is far lower than the record high of 66 of 2015........

© TheJournal