I am very glad to stand up here and support this budget. I do so on the following grounds. With regard to the VAT reduction for the hospitality sector and hairdressers, I have heard a lot of criticism by people to the effect that this is a budget for companies like McDonald's and that the VAT reduction is for them. I remind people that in the county I represent, many of our takeaway businesses and many of those fast …
TDs / Michael Healy-Rae
Michael Healy-Rae
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
898
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
41,713
words spoken in the chamber
33,601 as a minister, 8,112 as a TD
302
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
201
topics asked about
Across 18 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 898 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 254 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2025 | 24 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 94 | 11 |
| March 2025 | 47 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 35 | 9 |
| May 2025 | 45 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 39 | 9 |
| July 2025 | 64 | 3 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 53 | 3 |
| October 2025 | 43 | 48 |
| November 2025 | 53 | 29 |
| December 2025 | 38 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 35 | 10 |
| February 2026 | 26 | 61 |
| March 2026 | 17 | 9 |
| April 2026 | 31 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 81 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 54 | 13 |
| July 2026 | 29 | 1 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| September 2026 | 43 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 47 | 7 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 91 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Worked out by computer from the subject headings of each TD's questions, giving more weight to headings few TDs use. It shows shared subjects, not shared views.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Kerry 29 November 2024 to now
- party Independent 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 29 January 2025 to 14 April 2026
I will answer that in a second-----
With regard to the VAT reduction, this is something that is most welcome in the tourism capital of the western world, which is County Kerry. We want to see that being implemented. I will be very frank and say that I would rather have seen it come into force next March rather than July, but that is an issue we will deal with again.
However, when it comes to misinformation, I am very glad a man mentioned something the…
If you were to listen to those people putting up things last night on YouTube, you would swear to God there was a vote. There was not. There was a vote a number of years ago. There will be no more votes until 2030, so the people who voted that way-----
I voted the way I voted a number of years ago.
I stand over that 100%.
I was not one of those over there who at one time was saying we were not going far enough quickly enough. I remember people over there saying that with regard to carbon taxes but they hate being reminded about that.
I absolutely did. I was there, and I know exactly what way I voted.
I did not go on YouTube last night telling lies.
Well, at least I have a soul.
At least I have a head.
I have a very short amount of time and I would like to use it.
Was there a vote on it last night? The Deputy does not even know what he is talking about.
The Deputy did not see what I am talking about. He does not know what he is saying.
I am factual in what I am saying. What was put up last night was lies.
Can I carry on?
Thank you. With regard to the €2.3 billion we have for agriculture, we have a very important to job to do in agriculture in that TB is posing a grave threat to Ireland at present. I am so glad we have ensured we will have proper funding in place to eradicate TB and to arrest those figures and bring them down. At the same time, we are not in any way endangering or taking money away from other very important programmes…
In my own section, forestry is going to have a proper reconstitution scheme, which I am glad we were in a position to announce today. That will ensure a reconstitution scheme for the people who were affected - over 12,000 ha in private ownership - so they can use their land again and grow trees. I am very glad we were able to do that while also taking on the very serious issue of TB eradication. It is so important fo…
With regard to licensing, the Leas Cheann-Comhairle knows there was an issue, problem and delay before with licensing. I am sure everybody in this House will be delighted to know that since Kerry won the All-Ireland, the Department's office in Wexford has issued 400 licences for thinning and clear felling of trees. We have completely turned around the whole licensing structure. You would nearly want a tractor and tra…
Nobody over there would want to hear that because it is a success story.
I am after instilling confidence into forestry, a thing that not one of the Deputies opposite would probably know anything about. I am very glad that I have that job of work done. There is a confidence in the sector now.
I have ensured that we have planted double the number of trees this year as against last year. Has any one of the Deputies got a problem with that?
I am also very glad with regard to farm safety. Farm safety is very important to all of us and we have an additional 17% of funding which will bring us to €3 million. This Government takes very seriously the issue of farm accidents and farm deaths. I am very glad to be able to support an AgriAware scheme for schools. We have people going out to marts dealing with farmers, not just on their physical health but also th…
-----if you were going to be fair and balanced about it, you would have to welcome them.
It is very easy to just shout and roar about negatives-----