-----that hate crime legislation was not needed. We have a real problem.
TDs / Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Taoiseach
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0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
688,766
words spoken in the chamber
686,628 as a minister, 2,138 as a TD
197
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
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Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 6,546 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 11 |
| January 2025 | 6 |
| February 2025 | 438 |
| March 2025 | 518 |
| April 2025 | 317 |
| May 2025 | 426 |
| June 2025 | 424 |
| July 2025 | 344 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 146 |
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| February 2026 | 529 |
| March 2026 | 229 |
| April 2026 | 385 |
| May 2026 | 474 |
| June 2026 | 425 |
| July 2026 | 181 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 198 |
| October 2026 | 222 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 6,426 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Cork South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Taoiseach 23 January 2025 to now
I certainly will revert to the Government in respect of that and will also ask the relevant Ministers to engage with Coimisiún na Meán on this. It is hate across different sectors. What happened to Citywest was appalling, as was the deliberate attempt to burn out a family in Drogheda. These are new thresholds that are being crossed. Children could have been killed. It was a very lucky escape for children and a family…
I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this issue. Obviously, the big challenge facing this country is energy sustainability and security into the future. That is a significant challenge. We are importing about 80% of our fossil fuels from the United Kingdom essentially through the gas interconnectors. We have developed a very strong onshore wind performance nationally, which is to our credit. It is at about 48%, but that …
I take the Deputy's point. By the way, Galway East is a strategic region of growth for the Government. We are putting a lot of money into towns like Ballinasloe, Loughrea, Athenry, Gort and Portumna. They are being strengthened as a result of residential, commercial and service centres. We want to create more investment flow into east Galway, more economic opportunities, better regional balance and so on. There is bi…
Pepsi did a rooftop one, which provides 25% of Pepsi Cola manufacturing plant's energy. There is a role for solar, but nobody can argue with the need for planning guidelines.
We committed in the programme for Government to work with like-minded states, particularly France, Poland and Italy, in respect of the Mercosur deal. Additional safeguards which resulted from that endeavour are now, hopefully, being translated into a legal instrument. Of course, we still have concerns with the Mercosur deal. There are many issues on the agricultural portfolio that I am dealing with. The Minister, Dep…
The draft multi-annual financial framework only gives farmers about 80% of what we got on the last occasion. That is a big issue we have to negotiate down the line with the Commission as well. On the blocking majority, all countries are engaging with the Commission, including those countries the Deputy mentioned, in respect of Mercosur. It is not as clear as Deputy McDonald suggested.
The lifelong package is there. We have a liaison person from the HSE and there is an office working with survivors and victims of the thalidomide drug. It is substantial. No one wants to get this concluded more quickly than I do, and indeed the Tánaiste and others do. We met recently with the group. We had a very good meeting. We will be meeting again in early December. We had set up a mediation process and a judge w…
I am somewhat surprised by the Deputy's comments. Most people who are working will make a contribution to their accommodation and food.
For those who are working that is the general view across society. It was always provided for in legislation in respect of those working in direct provision who have residency and could be earning good wages. Surely it is not too much to say that they should make a contribution to their upkeep. That is all. The Deputy is way out of order to suggest that it is something extraordinary to ask for or put in place. There …
What is that?
I have not seen the Bill. Normally what happens is that a Bill is published and people look at it and make up their minds whether they want to support it. The colonial appellation is a new one on me.
A lot of people have practised this throughout rural Ireland historically. They have been involved in hunting. There is always balance in debates of this kind. We await publication of the Bill.
The first thing the Government did when coming into office was to commit to establishing a national in-school therapy service. Within a very short time we will establish it, with €16 million allocated to that in the budget. CDNTs are now supporting almost 45,000 children, an increase of 5% since December last year. Waiting lists have come down by 21%. Workforce capacity within CDNTs has grown significantly; it has in…
I thank the Deputy for so eloquently articulating the situation in the two beautiful towns of Broadford and Cooraclare. The Minister recently brought a memorandum to Government to deal with the issue. The scheme was announced some time back when local authorities were given supports. To be fair, the Deputy is correct when he said there has been a problem in the delivery of those schemes. The Minister recently introdu…
It is a good idea to follow up with the newly appointed Minister for Finance on this issue. I agree with Deputy Neville. We have to look more generally at disincentives to investment and returns. This also affects quite a number of other areas. We need balance. When we try to do something like this, there is an inevitable cry that we are only looking after wealthy people and so on. We are trying to release money and …
I am glad the Deputy has raised this matter with the National Transport Authority, which has statutory responsibility for it. The sectoral transport plan under the national development plan will be published today, although that is for bigger projects. There is substantial money for public transport if the need and demand is there. I do not understand why Bus Éireann and the NTA do not provide additional capacity on …
Does the Deputy expects me to bring clarity to that presentation?
Revenue is the guiding light, obviously, in this matter. I will discuss it with the new Minister for Finance but I would have thought Revenue implements the impact of the legislation faithfully and dutifully.
If the Deputy can do so, I would appreciate it. There were some challenges some time back in terms of that entire issue. If I am thinking of the same issue the Deputy referenced, there was a reason change had to happen. Revenue will identify what is required.
The Deputy knows the answer to that. I am as anxious as he is to get a flood relief plan enacted and implemented as quickly as possible. The Deputy does not have a monopoly on concern. I went down to visit and meet with people who were victims of the floods on that occasion.
The sooner we can get this done the better.
The Deputy has a habit of making commentary that is not accurate and I take issue with that. He did this on a previous occasion in respect of another issue, when what he said was inaccurate and wrong. He is doing it again today in saying I was disdainful. He is saying to the people of Castlemartyr and Killeagh that I am disdainful. That is what he is trying to imply. It is…
This is a serious issue for people. The Deputy should not underestimate my commitment or that of the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to dealing with it. The Deputy knows it involves a lot of stakeholders and a lot of consultation with people. The sooner we get it done the better and the Government is committed to getting it done.
I thank the Deputy for raising a very important issue. He is correct that the NTA has statutory responsibility in this matter. The authority is currently finalising plans for late-night services over the Christmas period and will publish full details of those arrangements late next week. The Deputy has been a strong advocate for this service and for clarity around it. I will alert the authority again of his concerns.…
As I outlined earlier to Deputy Dolan, the Minister for housing is looking at guidelines and will bring forward a national planning statement that will create guidelines and frameworks for both onshore wind and solar energy. The entire objective is to balance energy security and sustainability with ensuring development does not impinge on residential amenity or people's quality of life.