-----by an alleged asylum seeker-----
TDs / Paul Lawless
Paul Lawless
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,995
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
94,569
words spoken in the chamber
Across 496 contributions
391
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
300
topics asked about
Across 19 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 1,995 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 496 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 34 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 27 | 26 |
| March 2025 | 32 | 18 |
| April 2025 | 59 | 23 |
| May 2025 | 104 | 49 |
| June 2025 | 49 | 28 |
| July 2025 | 63 | 30 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 97 | 24 |
| October 2025 | 43 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 136 | 44 |
| December 2025 | 119 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 151 | 28 |
| February 2026 | 141 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 162 | 10 |
| April 2026 | 181 | 34 |
| May 2026 | 214 | 18 |
| June 2026 | 139 | 20 |
| July 2026 | 56 | 15 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| September 2026 | 115 | 21 |
| October 2026 | 73 | 23 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 278 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 Mayo 29 November 2024 to now
- party Aontú 29 November 2024 to now
-----who had received a deportation order.
We have raised this on so many occasions.
I am speaking about the mismanagement of the budget funds in terms of IPAS centres.
It is budget-----
-----overspend in relation to this.
I commend the motion before the House and commend Deputy Charles Ward on tabling it. The work of Mary T. Sweeney in Donegal with him must also be commended. I am very proud to speak on behalf of the people and families of Mayo, who have been so desperately affected by the defective blocks scheme. It is a travesty that it has been allowed to drag on for so long. It is really shocking we are still in this situation; de…
I welcome the opportunity to contribute. I recently met Irish Grain Growers and Tillage Industry Ireland. As Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned, the tillage sector is fundamentally important for every part of the country. For example, the beef and sheep farmers across Mayo rely on it for bedding, foodstuff and so on. If we lose this sector, we will have to rely on international markets and we have seen how volatile they ha…
I welcome the Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill. The increases it will provide to local authorities and approved housing bodies is very welcome and we will support the Bill. While the HFA funding is a powerful tool in the housing crisis, I want to be clear that it is only as important as the hand which wields it.
Unfortunately, I think this Government is a continuation of the previous one when it comes to hous…
I welcome this motion before the House. There is a significant cost to having a disability and for families with a person with disabilities. Indeed, the Indecon report clearly outlines that cost being in the region of €10,000 per year. In that context, I welcome the motion calling for the introduction of a cost-of-disability lump sum payment and an increase to the disability allowance. There is no question but that t…
15. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has raised the implications of the proposed EU legislation on hate speech at an EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37589/25]
Is it the Minister's intention to reintroduce the hate speech legislation brought forward by his predecessor in the previous Dáil that was a such dramatic failure?
I welcome the Minister's response and the sea change in the Government's approach to the hate speech legislation. His predecessor, Deputy McEntee, was a big proponent and driver of this hate speech legislation, so I commend the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, on what he is doing. This House should always protect freedom of speech. We saw in Germany recently that pro-Palestinian protesters were treated in the harshest w…
We abhor hate and I firmly believe that we should all speak respectfully. However, the previous Government set out essentially to define what hate would be. That is obviously a dangerous road to go down. There is movement throughout the European Union to push hate speech laws. Is the Minister saying today that is not going to happen and we are in compliance and we are going to say "No" to Europe on this matter?
The Tánaiste has acknowledged that there is a viability issue in terms of apartment construction. However, the Government has ignored the fact that this issue is having an impact right across the construction sector. That is why we have the paradox whereby we have a housing crisis but so little development, particularly in rural counties like Mayo. Housing commencements for the first six months of this year are among…
Why has the Government ignored middle Ireland and ordinary families across Mayo? Why is ignoring couples who choose to self-build as well? These people are totally locked out of housing schemes and so on.
I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue. The issue of mental health and suicide is devastating. It affects many families and communities across Ireland. I will speak on a couple of specific issues. The first is that of farmer mental health. This has been very topical in my own constituency in recent days. The last weeks of September were particularly wet and what was essentially a slurry ban was in…
A person would not recognise this budget from the pre-election and electioneering that went on in Fine Gael last year. This budget has much more to do with the election cycle and the fact that there will not be an election for a number of years. It is important to remember what Fine Gael and its leader Simon Harris said last November in terms of making work pay. Has this promise been delivered on in this budget? Abso…
I welcome this move, which is positive. Expanding the role of healthcare professionals in our community is fundamentally important. Let us be honest: this should have been done a long time ago. Offering, for example, screening programmes is a positive move, as is offering immunisations. The integration in the ehealth system is obviously positive and will help pharmacists deliver in their communities. I wish to be cle…
Britain's digital ID card - the so-called "Brit-card" - may be a domestic policy, but the consequences will not respect borders. By making the ID digital card mandatory for work, housing and basic services, Britain risks displacing thousands of people from the grey economy. If we consider for a moment where these people will go, are they likely to return home or to come to Ireland via the North? We already know that …
What analysis has been done in terms of immigration and the number of asylum seekers in relation to the Brit-card and will the Government establish an Irish Sea border for people?
It is good to be able to speak on the sports capital today. It has been a tremendous scheme for many rural communities across Mayo and the country. I recently attended the opening of my own club, Aghamore, which received sports capital to develop a gym and dressing rooms, etc. Parke Keelogues Crimlin recently opened a floodlit pitch and a walkway around its facilities. It will be hugely valuable for that club, and We…
The cost of insurance is crippling to so many young people. This Government has already priced young people out of the housing market, and out of the opportunity to have their own home. Now the Government is pricing them off the road. The Government is taking away their independence. That is what is happening. Over recent years, premiums have risen on average by almost 10%. The major issues are the lack of competitio…
101. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department is taking to improve regional and rural transport connectivity in the west of Ireland, with particular reference to rail and bus links serving County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51780/25]
Will the Minister outline the steps he and the Department are taking to improve regional connectivity, particularly rail and bus services in Mayo?