If he wishes to pursue it-----
TDs / Mary Lou McDonald
Mary Lou McDonald
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
193
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
141,893
words spoken in the chamber
Across 1,424 contributions
172
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
56
topics asked about
Across 12 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 193 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,424 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 10 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| February 2025 | 15 | 76 |
| March 2025 | 22 | 80 |
| April 2025 | 22 | 73 |
| May 2025 | 19 | 157 |
| June 2025 | 14 | 113 |
| July 2025 | 4 | 111 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 12 | 47 |
| October 2025 | 9 | 85 |
| November 2025 | 4 | 71 |
| December 2025 | 1 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 13 | 59 |
| February 2026 | 22 | 92 |
| March 2026 | 3 | 53 |
| April 2026 | 10 | 84 |
| May 2026 | 3 | 88 |
| June 2026 | 4 | 68 |
| July 2026 | 1 | 38 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 5 | 31 |
| October 2026 | 10 | 44 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 1,197 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
- constituency Dublin Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
-----I ask him to set out clearly the salary level and his justification for it.
Are there people earning €430,000? How many?
How many are there?
Almost €500,000 on a job share. That is shocking.
The outrageous salary the Taoiseach proposes to pay his new housing tsar is €430,000. It is nearly half a million euro - an astonishing amount of taxpayers' money for the salary of just one person. It is more than the Taoiseach's very generous salary. It is even more than the President of the United States is paid. It is equivalent to the starting salary of 11 new nurses, 11 new gardaí or 13 new special needs assista…
We have had the most expensive bike shed in the world, the €1 million security hut and the €9 million on phone pouches so people already know that the Taoiseach's Government is a serial waster of public money but this one really takes the biscuit. It has actually gone to the trouble of making up a job with a salary of €430,000 simply to give the appearance of Government action when it is doing nothing at all except g…
The Government built fewer houses last year than the year before, and the indications are that it will fail to meet targets again this year and build less. The evidence is there for all to see in growing costs and in the levels of homelessness. All the evidence and data are there. More importantly, the reality is lived every day, so the Taoiseach can stand up and spoof and shout at me and point his finger but he cann…
Why does the Taoiseach have so little confidence in him?
Perhaps, in reality, he agrees with all of us-----
-----that neither he nor any Government Member is up to the task.
But I did refer to the €430,000.
What about the €430,000?
Where is the Minister?
I want to raise an issue.
Under Standing Order 35(3).
Any Member is permitted under the standing order to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I propose that we need statements and questions taken by the Minister for Health in respect to the emerging scandal around hip dysplasia surgery and unnecessary surgeries, it seems, on very young children.
And questions.
And questions.
She will not be answering questions.
There is a shocker.
23. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [15989/25]
I want to read to the Taoiseach a letter from Nikita Clarke, who is from Dublin and who I met recently. She suffers from suspected endometriosis:
Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this letter. Please listen carefully, this is not easy to talk or write about. I am 18-years-old and instead of getting my driver's licence, picking out a Debs dress, studying for my leaving cert, going out with friends or …
Nikita is 18-years-old. I am more than happy to forward the correspondence to the Taoiseach and the Minister. Nikita will travel to Romania to get the care she requires. Despite the assertions in his response, the fact is that the level of care here is simply unacceptable.
I know of a woman who lost a kidney to endometriosis. I know a 27-year-old who went through a radical hysterectomy because the disease, in her case, had eaten away at her pelvic organs and bowel. The services are not available to women and there should not be any attempt to dismiss or downplay the real experiences of women and girls.
They are asking now for proper investment. Have a framework by all means but we nee…