The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers

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</div> </header> <div class="c-hero -grey -section-more"> <div class="c-hero__content -extra-content-padding"> <h1 class="c-hero__title " >The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers</h1> </div> <div class="c-hero__share"> <div class="social-share -m-center -invert -breadcrumb"> <div class="flex-grow"> <div class="breadcrumbs"> <div class="breadcrumb-mobile"> <a href="/"><svg width="19" height="19" class="breadcrumb-home" viewBox="0 0 24 22" style="enable-background:new 0 0 24 22;"><style type="text/css">.st0{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#FFFFFF;}</style><path class="st0" d="M24,10.5L12,0L0,10.5L1.3,12L2,11.4V22h20V11.4l0.7,0.6L24,10.5z M20,9.6l-8-7l-8,7v10.6h3.9v-7.6h8.3v7.6H20 V9.6z M14.1,14.4v5.8H9.9v-5.8H14.1z"/></svg></a> » <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="breadcrumb-mobile-link">...</a> » <span title="The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers" alt="The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers"> The Office of Parliamentary Le... </span> </div> <div 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Houses of the Oireachtas." data-rss-url="" title="Share: The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers"> Share this page </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="main-content " role="main"> <div class="container row " > <aside> <div class="side-nav" id="side-nav"> <ul> <li class="section-link"> <a href="/">Home</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/" class=" section"> How Parliament is run </a> <ul> <li> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-commission/" class="">Houses of the Oireachtas Commission</a> <ul> <li> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-commission/membership/" class="">Membership</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/" class=" section">Houses of the Oireachtas Service</a> <ul> <li> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/library-and-research-service/" class="">Library & Research Service</a> </li> <li> <a 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class="simple-content large" > <p>The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers (OPLA) is the in-house legal team of the Houses of the Oireachtas.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="module text-only-module"> <div class="simple-content normal" > <p>As Parliament's lawyers, we are completely independent of Government, and provide specialist, non-partisan legal advice on a broad range of parliamentary, constitutional and corporate legal issues to Parliament, its Members and its staff.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-module c-accordion"> <h2 class="c-accordion__title u-text-h2">Our services</h2> <dl class="c-accordion__items" data-js="accordion" data-js-one-by-one="true"> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/opla/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-436" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Parliamentary legal advice for Members </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-436" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>Members of the Oireachtas can <a title="Contact the OPLA" href="mailto:OPLA@oireachtas.ie">contact us</a> for legal advice and support regarding:</p><ul><li>legal issues arising from membership of the Oireachtas</li> <li>legal issues arising in Oireachtas Committees</li> <li>examining and challenging Government-supported policy matters and Bills</li> </ul> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/opla/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-437" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Private Members' Bills legal advice and drafting services </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-437" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>Non-Government Members of the Oireachtas can <a title="Contact the OPLA" href="mailto:OPLA@oireachtas.ie?subject=PMB%20service">contact us</a> for assistance with the development of their Private Members' Bills (PMBs). We provide both legal policy advisory services and legislative drafting services. We can assist with:</p><ul><li>initial research</li> <li>development of the policy proposal</li> <li>drafting the Bill and amendments to it</li> <li>pre-Committee Stage scrutiny.</li> </ul> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/opla/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-438" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Litigation </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-438" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>We conduct litigation on behalf of Members, the Houses or Committees thereof, as provided for in the <a title="Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts" href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/find-bills-and-acts/?billType=all&keyword=houses+oireachtas+commission">Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts</a>.</p> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/opla/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-439" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Areas of law the OPLA advises on </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-439" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>Typical areas of law that the OPLA advises upon include:</p><ul><li>Parliamentary privilege and other constitutional law queries</li> <li>Committee remit, the rights of witnesses, the application of natural justice and fair procedures in the parliamentary context</li> <li>Interpretation of Standing Orders and the application of parliamentary rules and procedures</li> <li>Administrative law</li> <li>Employment law</li> <li>Ethics in public office legislation</li> <li>Electoral law and statutory obligations vesting in the roles of Clerk of Dáil Éireann and Clerk of Seanad Éireann</li> <li>Corporate law issues such as procurement, contracts, copyright, freedom of information (FOI) and data protection</li> <li>Members’ allowances and facilities</li> <li>Interpretation and application of legislative provisions of particular relevance in a parliamentary context</li> </ul> </dd> </dl> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full "> <div class="c-content-module__header" > <figure class="c-content-module__figure"> <span> <img src="/assets/Uploads/OPLA-staff-13.jpg" class="responsive" data-anchor="top-left" alt=""> </span> <div class="c-content-module__slug"> <p>Guides</p> </div> </figure> </div> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> Guides to our services </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p>These guides will give you more details about our services. Members of the Oireachtas may <a href="mailto:OPLA@oireachtas.ie">contact us</a> to avail of our services.</p> </div> <ul class="c-publications-downloads"> <li class="c-publications-downloads__item"> <a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/corporate/other/2023/2023-02-08_quick-guide-to-opla-services_en.pdf" class="with-title" data-file-type="pdf"> <span> Quick guide to OPLA services </span> </a> </li> <li class="c-publications-downloads__item"> <a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/corporate/other/2023/2023-02-08_opla-private-members-bills-services-a-step-by-step-guide_en.pdf" class="with-title" data-file-type="pdf"> <span> OPLA Private Members' Bills Services - A step-by-step guide </span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full -right "> <div class="c-content-module__header" > <figure class="c-content-module__figure"> <span> <img src="/assets/Uploads/OPLA-mellissa-english.jpg" class="responsive" data-anchor="centre-centre" alt="Chief Parliamentary Legal Adviser"> </span> <figcaption class="c-content-module__caption"> <p>Mellissa English</p> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> Chief Parliamentary Legal Adviser </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p>The OPLA is headed by the Chief Parliamentary Legal Adviser, Mellissa English S.C, Assistant Secretary. As an Assistant Secretary, Mellissa sits as a member of the Management Board of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service.</p><p>Mellissa leads a team of 22 lawyers, each of whom is experienced and professionally qualified as a solicitor or barrister in the State, along with legal researchers and administrative support staff.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full -top "> <div class="c-content-module__header" > <figure class="c-content-module__figure"> <span> <img src="/assets/Uploads/OPLA_Team.jpg" class="responsive" data-anchor="top-centre" alt="The OPLA team"> </span> <figcaption class="c-content-module__caption"> <p>Sinéad O’Brien, Kieran Mooney, Mellissa English, Cathy Egan and Ramona Quinn</p> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> The OPLA team </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p>Comprising a total staff of 33, the OPLA team consists of Advisory Counsel, Assistant Parliamentary Counsel, legal researchers and administrative staff. They provide services across four constituent parts, each headed by a Principal Officer:</p> <ul><li>Ramona Quinn, solicitor - Parliamentary Services Legal Adviser</li> <li>Sinéad O’Brien, solicitor - Corporate Legal Adviser</li> <li>Cathy Egan BL - Private Members’ Bills Legal Adviser</li> <li>Kieran Mooney BL - Parliamentary Legislative Drafter</li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full "> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> What is the OPLA's remit? </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p>The OPLA and the Chief Parliamentary Legal Adviser’s functions are provided for in the <a href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/find-bills-and-acts/?billType=all&keyword=houses+oireachtas+commission">Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2021</a>. An unofficial consolidation of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2021 is provided here.</p> </div> <ul class="c-publications-downloads"> <li class="c-publications-downloads__item"> <a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/corporate/other/2024/2024-11-25_consolidated-version-of-the-houses-of-the-oireachtas-commission-acts-2003-to-2024_en.pdf" class="with-title" data-file-type="pdf"> <span> Consolidated version of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2024 </span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div id="contact" class="module contact-module"> <h2 >Contact details</h2> <div class="contact-container"> <div class="contact-item" > <p>The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers<br>Leinster House<br>Kildare Street<br>Dublin 2<br>D02 XR20</p> </div> <div class="contact-item" > <p> </p><p>(01) 618 3657</p><p><a title="OPLA" href="mailto:OPLA@oireachtas.ie">opla@oireachtas.ie</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> 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