I am sorry. Could the Deputy please repeat that?
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.
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
I thank the Deputy for raising this very serious and sensitive issue for the family concerned. I will ask the Minister for justice to deal directly with Deputy Bacik and with the family as well in respect of endeavouring to bring closure to this for all concerned and a resolution of the issues outstanding.
In the past two to three years, some fundamental decisions were taken, for example, to provide free access to school meals, which is something that was not there previously on the current scale. Free access to school books has had a significant positive impact on low-income families. The Deputy does not acknowledge that at all.
The recent SILC report is concerning. I prioritised the reduction of child poverty for th…
First of all-----
Overall, the Irish people are very angry.
We have taken action.
Significant work has been undertaken in respect of endometriosis. It has been recognised as part of the work of the women's health task force. It was included in the women's health action plan 2024-2025. The previous Minister, Stephen Donnelly, did exceptional work on this issue. Regional hubs have been established in the Rotunda and Coombe hospitals, the National Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, and…
I will discuss this with the Minister for Health. The Deputy has mentioned the GPs, negotiations and discussions. There can be a number of issues on that agenda but there should be a mechanism by which the clinical guidelines can be adopted, but I will leave that to the Minister to discuss with the various interested bodies and come back to the Deputy on it.
I thank Deputy Dempsey very much for raising what is a very important point. If we look at our climate change objectives, I can see the logic of what she is advocating for. It might be difficult in terms of implementation. Navan does not yet have the rail line, although the Government is committed to it and work is under way. I will talk to the Minister involved and raise the point Deputy Dempsey has raised. I unders…
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. There are a range of grants out there now for vacant houses and for dereliction. They are quite substantial, and there are a lot of applicants. I know they may be more on the individual level. There is the town centre renewal programme. I think there is a town centre renewal officer in Kilcock. I know that the Minister will, obviously in the context of the forthcoming Estimat…
The Government is essentially five months - close to six months - in office. This will require capital allocation and provision. We are working off the budget of last year in terms of the Estimates that were provided to every Department, so there are limits to what the Government can do in 2025 if one takes on board that substantial additional capital moneys were allocated to housing - up to €700 million - and substa…
First, more generally, the Minister for rural affairs will be meeting the Gaelic Athletic Association in respect of the new rural future design programme. The GAA is having a huge impact the length and breadth of the country on many fronts.
On the housing front, it is not fair to say that there is no focus on housing in rural Ireland. There is. The derelict grants and the vacant grants have been particularly used in…
All of those apply to rural Ireland. The first homes scheme applies to rural Ireland.
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. He is raising very legitimate concerns and I will ask the Minister for Transport to review this. I will also ask him to consult the Minister for justice in respect of any road traffic regulations and laws. I saw a situation yesterday evening. I could not believe my eyes. There were two guys on a scooter and a guy on a bike was hanging on to them to get propulsion on a main ro…
First of all, I think about €3 billion is now being spent on medicines. I can clarify that. There is an ongoing issue, and there will be, because of the rapidity of discovery and new drugs coming onto the market. Ireland has a very significant pharmaceutical presence. I have engaged with most of the CEOs of the pharmaceutical companies in respect of tariffs, trade and so on and domestically, the European Public Healt…
We should work to improve our timelines.
I thank Deputy Smith for raising this issue. I know this is an issue close to his heart. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to all schools. Last year, the then Department of Education provided per capita grants to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. There are two grants: the capitation grant and the ancillary grant. Schools have flexibility to manage these gran…
This is an important point. In addition, the capitation grant payment in June 2025, which will be a balancing payment for the period of January to December, will include the new increased rates effective from September 2025.
The Deputy can send that note to the Minister for housing and copy it to me, and I will talk to the Minister for housing in respect of it. The Deputy should try to take it up directly with him. I will alert him to the fact the Deputy has raised it.
I reject completely the Deputy's assertions. She is guilty of severely exaggerated commentary on the reform of the RPZs announced last week. The bottom line is that as a result of those reforms, renters will have stronger protections than ever before. All renters will be covered by RPZs. It will be interesting that the first item on the agenda of our RPZ reforms will be something that Sinn Féin will have no choice bu…
It begs the question, though, as to how Deputy McDonald could, to date, oppose up to 1,700 housing units in her own area, in Clonliffe College, and likewise in Cabra. If the Deputy is saying it is an emergency across the country, how come it is not an emergency in her constituency or in the areas where her party objects?
She simply cannot have it both ways. This duplicitous approach to housing has to end. What we need from Deputy McDonald are concrete solutions on how we increase supply so that we can get a situation where we can build 50,000 units a year.
The Deputy's party's policies-----
I am not talking about Deputy McDonald personally; I am talking about the Sinn Féin Party.
The Sinn Féin Party's policy objective over time is to reduce the size of the private rental sector.