I welcome the progress that has been made and I want to highlight those areas again. The first is disabilities and the €500 cost-of-disability payment. The Independent TDs and myself fought hard for the measure and we are pleased to see that has been established. I would like to see more but, obviously, it is a step in the right direction. I would also like more targeted measures, especially for those with disabiliti…
TDs / Barry Heneghan
Barry Heneghan
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
2,229
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
120,522
words spoken in the chamber
Across 483 contributions. Plus 42 contributions from the chair, not counted
368
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
366
topics asked about
Across 20 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 2,229 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 483 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 95 | 9 |
| March 2025 | 61 | 14 |
| April 2025 | 140 | 21 |
| May 2025 | 163 | 35 |
| June 2025 | 89 | 23 |
| July 2025 | 175 | 23 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 43 | 4 |
| October 2025 | 56 | 16 |
| November 2025 | 214 | 36 |
| December 2025 | 123 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 141 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 186 | 26 |
| March 2026 | 125 | 22 |
| April 2026 | 128 | 42 |
| May 2026 | 176 | 46 |
| June 2026 | 111 | 33 |
| July 2026 | 101 | 17 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 49 | 16 |
| October 2026 | 53 | 28 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 326 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 Dublin Bay North 29 November 2024 to now
- party Independent 29 November 2024 to now
Tá trí rud sa cháinaisnéis seo a gcuirim fáilte ar leith rompu. Níos luaithe sa bhliain, vótáil mé in aghaidh an Rialtais nuair a cheap mé go raibh sé riachtanach amhlaidh a dhéanamh. Níl mé ag rá go bhfuil gach rud sa cháinaisnéis seo foirfe, ach tá mé an-sásta le go leor rudaí a fuair na Neamhspleáigh agus mé féin. Ba mhaith liom níos mó a bhaint amach, ach is maith an dul chun cinn atá déanta, go háirithe maidir l…
Aontaím le go leor daoine a bhí ag caint faoi seo. I support the increase in excise duty on tobacco products. I smoked previously. I have seen the increases we see at the moment. We have to be clear, though. A €1 increase is not really acceptable when young men and young women go into petrol stations and see luminous blue double apple Red Bull-flavoured vapes, with clear targeting for children, which increase their l…
5. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps being taken by her Department to recognise and further strengthen Ireland’s historic, cultural and diplomatic relationship with France, as Ireland’s closest European Union neighbour; and whether consideration is being given to initiatives to mark the historic links and friendship between the two countries. [69692/26]
Ireland and France are neighbours, not simply through geography but also centuries of shared history. I have raised this matter in parliamentary questions previously. On 31 August, I had the honour of attending the ceremony beneath the Arc de Triomphe, attended by Deputy Ward last year. A wreath was laid to honour the Irish who fought with French armies. La France se souvient de l’Irlande et l’Irlande doit aussi se s…
I have spoken to the Minister about this before but one person who brings much of the shared history together is General Charles de Gaulle. His ancestry comes through the McCartan family from County Down. His ancestors served in the Berwick's Regiment as part of the great Wild Geese tradition. Ireland fascinated the de Gaulle family intellectually. His grandmother, Josephine Marie Anne Maillot, wrote a biography of D…
I welcome that. As the Minister said, we have already joined that framework. We should not allow the Presidency to pass without leaving something permanent. I welcome the Minister's commitment to chase this up with the OPW. There is much connection between Ireland and France, about which I am learning more and more. For example, after the Second World War, the Irish Red Cross established hospitals in shattered Norman…
99. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to ensure that the delivery of large-scale housing developments is matched by the guaranteed provision of essential community infrastructure, including community centres, libraries, childcare and other local amenities; and whether additional funding or supports will be provided to areas experi…
I will always support housing and building it, but in my constituency, the communities need to be built at the same time. Belmayne and Clongriffin have been developing for 20 years, yet residents are still waiting for basic infrastructure and services to catch up, and building is continuing at pace. Will the Minister commit to ensuring that major housing delivery is matched and funded with timely delivery of communit…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Is é an fhadhb ná go mbíonn daoine ag bogadh chuig na háiteanna seo, ach níl an t-infreastruchtúr iontu. People are moving into these houses now, but those things are not there. They are told the infrastructure will come five or ten years down the road, but they are in their homes right now. In Clongriffin alone, hundreds of additional apartments are coming, which is brilliant because w…
We need to build healthcare centres and community facilities, but that will mean very little if we cannot adequately staff the services they provide. The Land Development Agency says Clongriffin, Belmayne and the neighbouring Stapolin lands have the potential for thousands more homes. Will the Minister work across government to ensure that the planned population growth is linked directly to funding for the workforce …
Táim an-bhuíoch as go leor rudaí sa Bhille seo ach tá a fhios ag gach duine sa Teach nach bhfuil sé maith go leor. Tá go leor rudaí ag tarlú ar na traenacha agus ar na busanna faoi láthair. Táim sásta go bhfuilimid tar éis an Bille seo a dhéanamh ach tá go leor rudaí eile gur féidir linn a dhéanamh.
There are definitely sensible and necessary provisions here. One of the best, particularly for north Dublin, is the pu…
This issue has been raised and it will continue to be raised. We have all met Susan Russell and Sinead Tucker. The Department has confirmed to us that the budget has been approved. That sounds positive but the centre has still not received any money. Speaking to the parents would break your heart. The Department told me that the funding would enable the centre to remain operational while the board, Pobal and Dublin C…
I welcome the Minister of State's confirmation that the funding was approved on 7 September. That was sent to us. What the service is still telling us is that it is operating with minimum staff and may have to close classrooms. The outstanding question is when the money will be paid. Will the Minister of State urgently bring Pobal, Dublin City Council and Moatview together to resolve this immediately? The staff do no…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Whitmore agus leis na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta as an rún seo a chur chun tosaigh. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go mbíonn go leor cainte faoi chúrsaí fuinnimh sa Teach seo. Tá a fhios ag an Aire Stáit go bhfuil mé an-ghnóthach sa réimse seo.
I understand the intention and I thank Deputy Whitmore and the Social Democrats. Bringing this to the House is what we should be doing. We need to speak a…
126. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether changes to the tax system are being considered for budget 2027 to better recognise the additional costs faced by persons with disabilities, including the cost of transport, energy and medical and assistive equipment; and whether additional or enhanced tax reliefs in this area are under consideration. [68536/26]
Are changes to the tax system being considered? I understand that the Tánaiste will not be announcing anything this evening, but I ask that anything relating to people with disabilities, particularly in the context of the cost of transport, energy, medical and assistive equipment, be pushed. Are additional or enhanced tax reliefs in this area under consideration? Is the Department working on anything relating respite…
I will always push for plug-in solar. The Tánaiste sent a lovely letter to my office regarding finance and directly helping on that. We need to make it easily available for people across Ireland and do a pilot scheme for those with disabilities or those who live in rented accommodation. I appreciate the support I got from the Tánaiste's office in that letter.
I recently attended the Before We Die national assembly a…
I appreciate that. I look forward to next week. In respect of the budget, what the Independents and I have been pushing for is relief for those with disabilities. They need to be protected and looked after, particularly in the context of what the Before We Die campaign has highlighted. They also need to be catered for in relation to the greater context of energy and how plug-in solar, battery storage and other smarte…
You have to be.
I am sure the Tánaiste is aware that a recent poll in The Irish Times is showing that nearly 90% of people are finding it hard to manage financially. I am hearing directly from families and parents across my constituency that go leor daoine are struggling with bills at home. Many of them are also being asked for voluntary contributions or to hold fundraisers just to keep the local school that their kids are attending…
Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Teachta Ahern for bringing this Bill forward. I agree with him about the fair question. The LEUs across our grid need to come up with solutions as to how they power themselves, how they are benefiting communities and how they are actually contributing. That is where I agree with him in the context of the Bill I brought forward, but there some parts of this Bill I will not be able to supp…
Good. I look forward to working with the Deputy on my Bill.
I like what the Deputy is trying to do with the Bill. What we really agree on and always will is that section 34 needs to amended. The CRU needs to be at the centre of this. As the Deputy and I know from our work on the climate and energy committee, there is a finger-pointing act going because no one wants to be responsible. Giving more powers to the CRU is…
I thank the Deputies for bringing this forward. I really love talking about energy and savings. Last year, the Minister of State confirmed an underspend of €120 million. I understand that since then the SEAI has been spending it. The Minister of State will have no doubt heard me talk about plug-in solar. I want to imagine how that €120 million could be used immediately for the Irish public. Let us take a ballpark fig…
I move:
That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration pursuant to Standing Order 187.