The Government is to establish four new joint Oireachtas committees.
One of these will be a new committee on children to agree the wording of a proposed referendum on child protection.
A referendum on child protection could be held next year, possibly at the same time as a poll on the new EU treaty.
The plans also include a new committee to oversee the implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
Under a strategy drawn up by Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt, there will also be a new committee on the Constitution, which will replace the previous all-party committee on the Constitution.
A new administration committee, which will be an amalgamation of the joint house services committee and the members' services committee, will make recommendations on the service requirements of the two Houses of the Oireachtas and their members.
The Oireachtas committee set up to investigate the behaviour of Judge Brian Curtin will be discontinued.
