TDs / Paul Lawless

Official portrait of Paul Lawless

Paul Lawless

Aontú Mayo TD in this Dáil since 29 November 2024

Official Oireachtas profile

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
MonthQuestionsContributions
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

  1. constituency Mayo 29 November 2024 to now
  2. party Aontú 29 November 2024 to now
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
575. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her position on the increasing practice in post-primary schools of requiring students to purchase a personal laptop as part of their education; if such a requirement is mandated, recommended, or optional under Department policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39515/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
576. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any element of the junior certificate cycle or leaving certificate curriculum requires students to have access to a personal laptop outside of school; if project work associated with the revised senior cycle programmes can be fully completed using existing school information technology facilities; and if she will clarify her Department's guidance …
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
577. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on schools including schools participating in DEIS requiring families to purchase high-cost digital devices. [39517/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
578. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if guidance has been issued to schools regarding procurement models for digital devices, including rental schemes, leasing arrangements, or shared-use models; if schools are permitted to recommend specific suppliers or devices; and the safeguards in place to ensure value for money and avoid undue financial pressure on families. [39518/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
581. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her assessment of the impact of the revised senior cycle programme, particularly the increased emphasis on continuous project-based assessment across multiple subjects; the way she intends to address concerns that this has created an expectation that students must have access to a personal laptop; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3952…
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
582. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the planning or impact assessment carried out by her Department prior to the introduction of the revised senior cycle programme in relation to students' access to digital devices; if the financial burden on families of providing laptops was considered; and the measures put in place to mitigate this. [39523/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
583. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional resources, funding, or supports that have been provided to post-primary schools to meet the increased digital and project work demands arising from the revised senior cycle programme; and if such supports are intended to remove the need for families to purchase personal laptops. [39524/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
584. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department considers it necessary for each post-primary student to have their own personal laptop in order to fully participate in the revised senior cycle programme; and if not, the alternative arrangements that should be in place within schools. [39525/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
596. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the legal basis for her Department's position that guidance on best practice arrangements for opt-outs arise only from the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018, given that section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998 already requires that students not attend instruction in any subject contrary to the conscience of a parent or student; and if she …
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
597. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied that her Department's current approach does not create a two-tier system resulting in less favourable treatment of parents and students seeking to exercise conscience-based opt-out rights under section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998 in respect of non-religious instruction, including instruction objected to on religious or mora…
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Education
598. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether, in light of Departmental circulars indicating that opt-out arrangements for SPHE/RSE are a matter for individual schools, if she is satisfied that this approach does not reproduce the same difficulties previously identified in respect of religious instruction opt-outs, including inconsistency between schools, lack of transparency for familie…
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Housing
732. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will examine the potential for supporting domestic reed harvesting for thatching, given that Ireland has abundant natural reed beds, yet thatchers are forced to import reed due to lack of capacity and support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40173/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
798. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps being taken to address ongoing difficulties in the enforcement of court ordered maintenance arrangements, particularly in cases where repeated non-payment occurs but arrears are cleared immediately prior to court hearings, resulting in matters being struck-out without judicial consideration of the pattern of breaches. [39310…
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
799. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration is being given to reforms that would allow courts to examine patterns of repeated non-compliance with maintenance orders, even where arrears have been discharged shortly before a hearing, in order to prevent the system being used to avoid accountability. [39311/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
800. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures in place to protect individuals from incurring significant legal costs in pursuing enforcement of maintenance orders, particularly where proceedings repeatedly collapse due to last minute payments; and whether reforms are being considered in this area. [39312/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
801. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average time taken to bring enforcement proceedings for maintenance arrears before the courts; and whether delays in progressing such cases are being examined as part of broader justice system reform. [39313/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
802. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the supports available for lay litigants in family law proceedings, particularly those seeking to enforce maintenance orders without legal representation; and whether additional measures are planned to ensure they are afforded fair access and adequate time before the courts. [39314/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
803. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the frequency with which attachment of earnings orders are granted in maintenance cases; and whether the threshold for granting such orders is being reviewed in light of repeated non-compliance scenarios. [39315/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
804. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any assessment has been carried out into whether individuals with higher incomes or professional standing are better able to delay or avoid enforcement of maintenance obligations; and the safeguards that exist to ensure equality before the law in such cases. [39316/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
805. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Department has examined the broader social and emotional impact on parents and children arising from prolonged enforcement disputes in family law; and the supports that are available to affected families. [39318/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
806. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration is being given to the establishment of a more robust, centralised system for the collection and enforcement of maintenance payments, similar to models in other jurisdictions, to reduce reliance on repeated court applications. [39319/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
866. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the statutory responsibility for individuals who are released from prison with no fixed abode, including whether responsibility rests with the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, or the relevant local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40026/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
867. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the person or body responsible for monitoring, supporting, and supervising individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation, including whether responsibility rests with the property owner, the local authority, the Probation Service, or another State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matte…
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
868. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rehabilitation supports provided to individuals released from prison who are placed in private emergency accommodation; whether these supports are delivered by qualified professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40033/26]
Paul Lawless Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
869. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a risk assessment is carried out prior to placing an ex-prisoner in emergency accommodation, including assessment of the individual's offending history, risks to the community, and proximity to schools, preschools, and facilities for vulnerable adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40034/26]