The entire assessment of need process has to be reformed. That may involve and necessitate legislative change. The Government will work on this and will consult the Minister for disability and children on that issue. In addition, we have fairly set targets and objectives in respect of disability across the programme for Government, in particular with regard to developing an education-based approach to therapies in si…
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
705,467
words spoken in the chamber
703,329 as a minister, 2,138 as a TD
198
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 4 November 2026.
Contributions to debates 6,677 in all
Dec 2024Nov 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 |
| November 2026 | 131 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 6,554 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 agree with the Deputy. I believe the NTA has a huge agenda. There needs to be stronger engagement with both the Government and the Oireachtas, and maybe much more time could be saved, including in the development of BusConnects, for example. As I have said repeatedly, the scenario seems to involve publishing the worst possible plan, which ignites the greatest degree of opposition from neighbourhoods and residential…
I agree that the tenant in situ scheme is very important in preventing homelessness. It also helps to prevent child poverty. There is a significant crossover. If families end up in homelessness, their risk of poverty increases dramatically. That is an area on which I am particularly focused as Taoiseach. We hope we will have the figures available within the coming weeks.
I thank Deputy Smith for his commentary. One of the most immediate tasks is to ensure we have proper corridors wherever the transmission lines are. West Roscommon and Leitrim have huge issues with forests falling, or whole lines of Sitka spruce falling like dominoes onto the line. That can no longer be tolerated. We have asked the Ministers responsible – there has to be collaboration between Departments – to ensure w…
I accept it is a very serious issue for the people of Cobh, but also more broadly for the region in terms of housing and connectivity. It is a matter that will be evaluated in the context of the updated NDP to ensure sufficient resources are allocated to try to deal with it as a significant road project in its own right. With regard to access to Cobh, it is vital.
I congratulate the Deputy on her election. I also congratulate Deputy Noel McCarthy on his election.
Deputy Newsome Drennan probably did not get the opportunity to name the specific service. If she gives me the details on it, I will follow up with the Minister for children.
The broader point is that childcare has evolved quite significantly over recent decades in Ireland whereby we have many community-based and private childcare services, and some State childcare services, albeit in the minority. The taxpayer funds many of the services to get the fees down for parents, which we have done to a significant extent in recent years, to support staff and to create better career pathways and b…
I thank the Deputy for raising a very important question. I am familiar with the case, and I have read about it. It is extremely traumatic for the family of Joe Drennan to have such a situation unfold. I will talk to the Minister for Justice about it. Obviously, I do not want to comment on cases that might still be live in the sense of a potential appeal, but there are issues in terms of the law and in terms of sente…
The Government acknowledges the significant issue in terms of recruitment of GPs. That is why in the last 12 months decisions were taken to dramatically increase the numbers of doctors in training and people doing medicine in our third level colleges. I stand to be corrected but I think I read a figure whereby for every GP retiring, we have two in training. That is subject to correction, however. The Chief Whip tells…
First of all, I congratulate Deputy Timmins on his election for the first time to Dáil Éireann. The programme for Government is clear in its commitment to roads. Obviously, the updated national development plan will be an opportunity to try to identify our priorities. We understand that with the growth of population in Wicklow and so forth there are huge needs, particularly on the roads side and with the DART.
Deput…
A Cheann Comhairle, is onóir mhór a bheith tosaithe agus ainmnithe ag Dáil Éireann chun freastal mar Thaoiseach ar an saorphoblacht seo. Is pribhléid den scoth í seo agus geallaim nach ndéanfaidh mé talamh slán de go deo. Is maith is eol dom agus cuimhneoidh mé i gcónaí go bhfuil Oifig an Taoiseach ina seasamh mar chuid de chóras daonlathach níos leithne. Córas daonlathach ina bhfuil údarás agus mandáide an phobail a…
Today I am deeply conscious of the democratic tradition our country has developed over more than a century. We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dáil Éireann. Our democracy has remained strong through some of the gravest challenges of a turbulent century. We …
As I look at Ireland today, it is clear that there can be a degree of cynicism towards politics. Too often we dismiss the motivation of others, especially those we disagree with. I reject this. I believe in the good faith of those who seek to serve their communities in elective office, and I believe that politics remains a force for good - a force for positive change. I hope that we can have a co-operative Oireachtas…
B'áil liom cead a chur in iúl, mar eolas don Dáil, gur chuir mé m'ainmniú mar Thaoiseach in iúl don Uachtarán agus gur cheap sé mé dá réir.
I beg leave to announce, for the information of the Dáil, that I have informed the President that the Dáil has nominated me to be the Taoiseach and that he has appointed me accordingly.
The comprehensive programme for Government contains a significant number of matters which wi…
I move:
That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders—
(1) the Whips and other nominees shall appoint thirteen members to the Select Committee standing established under Standing Order 140 (which shall be called the Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny));
(2) a Minister or Minister of State shall announce the names of the members appointed under paragraph (1) for the informatio…
I move:
That notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders and until further notice in the 34th Dáil—
(a) the parties and groups shall appoint 19 members to the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform standing, established under Standing Order 128 ('the Committee'), as follows:
(i) 10 members appointed by the Government parties,
(ii) four members appointed by Sinn Féin, and
(iii) one member each appointed by …
I dtús báire, a Cheann Comhairle, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leatsa as a bheith tofa mar Cheann Comhairle. Lá stairiúil é gan dabht. Is tusa an chéad bhean a bheith ina Ceann Comhairle. Guím gach rath ort mar Cheann Comhairle agus táim sásta a rá go mbeidh mé féin agus muid i bpáirtí Fhianna Fáil lánsásta comhoibriú a dhéanamh leat. It is a great honour for you, a Cheann Comhairle, to have been elected as…
Of course, Sinn Féin continues to make things up as it goes along. Sinn Féin knows it lost significant support in the election. It knows it came third in the popular vote. It knows there is zero legitimacy for its demand that everyone else in this House stay quiet and give it power.
Deputy McDonald knows she made her case for radical change in government during the election.
She participated in the debates-----
-----and her party was fully heard throughout the media. I think we all well know-----
-----that breaking out the flags and celebrating an exit poll is more than a bit premature.
I wish to clarify; is it a three-minute speech?
What?
I just saw "3" up there on the wall.
Is seans iontach é an chéad teacht le chéile de Dháil nua chun machnamh a dhéanamh ar láidreacht leanúnach an daonlathais in Éirinn. Is ócáid í chun buíochas a ghabháil arís leo siúd a raibh baol agus íobairt ag baint leis an éacht a rinne siad chun Dáil Éireann a chur ar bun agus a chruthú.
Ar son Pháirtí Fhianna Fáil, is mian liom aitheantas a thabhairt inniu don obair a rinne…