I appreciate the Deputy's questions. We are under no illusions about the impact of the cost of living on families and people. The reality is there was an excessive inflationary spiral coming out of Covid and as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequential increase in energy prices. That did impact and that is why there were exceptional once-off cost-of-living packages in addition to budgetary mea…
TDs / Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Taoiseach
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
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.
Month by month
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
Show as a table
| 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 |
| October 2025 | 375 |
| November 2025 | 291 |
| December 2025 | 281 |
| January 2026 | 326 |
| 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
The Deputy may be aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, has met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, and has asked it to conduct an analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, with a view to determine the existence of excessive pricing or not in an evidence-based way. We also have the equivalent of the agricultural ombudsman in terms of food prices. We are looking at strengthenin…
Let me make one comment, which is probably an observation on the political world we are in today: all the parties on the left favour universality in everything in terms of provision and have not argued once today for targeting or prioritising those left furthest behind.
It has been very interesting that in the past ten days, including today, their entire focus has been on giving everybody everything. Whatever scheme is brought in-----
Through the Chair, I did not interrupt anybody. It is a case of giving everybody everything. In the last budget, we took significant steps with the child support payments for both under-12s and over-12s.
Sorry, Deputy Hearne is not leader yet.
In the last budget, I itemised the issues. The free schoolbooks scheme is now part of the budget and of the base, which is very important. It is not once off or anything like that. It is the same with free transport for those aged between five and eight and the hot school meals programme. We did not extend VAT either. I have made it clear that in the next budget, for the Government and in the context of the programme…
There is only so much money-----
We could spend billions of euro but the challenge really is the question of whether those opposite have the political guts to target.
Yes, we do have the guts to take on anyone who is engaged in price gouging, absolutely.
I think we need an evidence-based approach.
There is an agency there, the consumer and competition authority-----
The Deputies opposite know that. People come in here and make assertions but we have to do our business in an evidence-based way.
In terms of the Agri-Food Regulator, we established it.
The former Minister for agriculture, Deputy McConalogue, brought that in precisely to get greater transparency in respect of the differentials between what the primary producer earns - the Deputies know the primary producer was a key motivator behind the introduction of that regulator - as well as making sure that the primary producer would get a better share of the entire supply chain in terms of the costs right alo…
The fundamental point is this. We recognise that there are significant high prices, particularly in groceries.
The issue really is in terms of the next budget and the Estimates, how best we use the resources we have to help those who need it the most.
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know it is very close to his heart and an issue largely upon which he was elected. I appreciate and understand fully where he is coming from. He has raised it on consistent occasions in the House. As he knows, the Minister, Deputy James Browne, met with various stakeholders in Donegal in May of this year, including representatives from the Mica Action Group along with a lar…
The Minister, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan and Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran will be meeting with the residents on that issue fairly shortly.
Shortly. Next week. The issue is acknowledged. That meeting will take place next week.
The Deputy does not want to build anything, does he?
You do not want to build anything.
I welcome the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Tipperary Volunteer Centre. We will maybe meet them all again in two weeks at the all-Ireland hurling final. I cannot say, "Up Tipp" or "Up Cork". I am going to try to be neutral but I think people know where my heart is.
On the issue of assessments of need, we set up a special Cabinet subcommittee on disability, which met yesterday. There has been progress on the i…
I share the frustration with this process. I will say two things in passing. First, notwithstanding the fact we await the signing off of the process, not on our side but by the group and the legal representation, a judge has been appointed. We sought nominees for the judge and accepted the nominations that were put forward. Meanwhile, anything relating to health is now 100% available for survivors, as is anything to …
Sorry?