The Minister calls ACRES a flagship scheme. I wonder about that. The ongoing and completely unacceptable delays in the issuing of ACRES payments is a matter of deep concern to farmers across the country. It is just not fair. Farmers who entered this scheme did so in good faith, on the understanding that they would be paid in a timely manner. Yet, here we are, halfway into 2025, and thousands of farmers are still wait…
TDs / Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
573
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
80,673
words spoken in the chamber
Across 244 contributions. Plus 188 contributions from the chair, not counted
170
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
160
topics asked about
Across 20 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 573 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 244 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 10 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 24 | 18 |
| March 2025 | 51 | 21 |
| April 2025 | 30 | 15 |
| May 2025 | 32 | 32 |
| June 2025 | 39 | 21 |
| July 2025 | 24 | 24 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 24 | 0 |
| October 2025 | 46 | 0 |
| November 2025 | 50 | 30 |
| December 2025 | 45 | 9 |
| January 2026 | 22 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 39 | 3 |
| March 2026 | 25 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 15 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 27 | 16 |
| June 2026 | 25 | 11 |
| July 2026 | 17 | 5 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 18 | 28 |
| October 2026 | 10 | 11 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 141 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 Tipperary South 29 November 2024 to now
- party Independent 29 November 2024 to now
It is not good enough.
I accept the Minister's bona fides. He is a farmer. I am a businessman. No one could operate in this manner, with farmers still waiting for payments from 2023 and hearing every excuse in the world. A man expected to get €5,000 of a corrective payment and he got €300. As I said, a dodgy salesman or a man at a fair who would spit in your hand would do better than that. In this day and age, this is shocking. I accept th…
This is a massive issue. I have discussed it with the Minister. For decades, we were waiting on planning guidelines for wind turbines, and here we are on the new craze of solar panels. We cannot blame farmers when they are being enticed to set aside land for long-term leases. The best of land in the Golden Vale, in Rathgormuck in County Waterford, and in east Cork is being taken up. This scéal is scary. There are far…
I am taking this question on behalf of an Teachta Barry Heneghan.
This policy has been a linchpin and a source of very important funding streams and supports for farmers for decades now. However, there comes a time when things need to be tweaked. That is why Deputy Heneghan asked for the geographical breakdown. We in Tipperary and other parts of the country have seen the conglomerates who get phenomenal payments under this scheme. There should be more balance shown towards the west…
The Minister makes a comparison with my neighbouring county and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's county, Kilkenny. We will be working other matters out on the field of play at the weekend. I hope it will be a good game, and may the best team win.
On a serious note, I accept those figures, but inside them, and to get to those averages, there are massive, phenomenal payments for big conglomerates and stronger farms. I am t…
I strongly oppose the first and third motions but I think I can support the second motion. With regard to the first motion, I cannot support any proposal that forces Ireland to accept an EU-wide list of so-called safe countries. This is yet another example of Brussels removing our ability to make independent decisions as to who comes into our country. It is a one-size-fits-all policy that undermines our sovereignty. …
This is a timely and sensitive motion. The programme on RTÉ shocked everybody. Many people knew of the many changes in nursing care and the methods of care in our nursing homes. I salute the many hundreds of small nursing homes and some quite big ones in Tipperary, in particular St. Martha’s and Bramleigh Lodge in Cashel and the many others I could name. They do an excellent job but they are under fierce pressure. Th…
I am glad to see the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is here. Cluain Training and Enterprise Centre in Clonmel is a wonderful institution for young and old but mainly for adults. It has pottery-making facilities, a workshop that repairs tools and many areas of art and design. It is a fabulous centre for young people and I congratulate the board, under Seamus Leahy and Gerry Flynn. They are brilliant people. The Min…
I believe it is a very retrograde step to remove a jury from this situation in the High Court. Juries have proven their worth in the justice system over time. The Minister had a different opinion himself when he was on the Opposition benches. I would be very concerned at what he is doing here.
We all know that defamation is very serious. I was a victim myself of it one time and it is a frightfully expensive process …
I, too, support this motion. I would question some aspects of it but the theme of it is very important. Are we going to abandon our forefathers and foremothers, people of our heritage? We had the Éamonn Bulfin Legacy Pipe Band from Argentina in Tipperary at the Liam Lynch national commemoration cúpla bliain ó shin. I thanked An Post because it obliged by giving the band a tour in there and allowing it to play in ther…
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for allowing me to share time with my colleague in south Tipperary, Deputy Michael Murphy, on this issue as it is of concern to both of us.
Management of the Tipperary ETB shared devastating news with the local training initiative co-ordinators, LTIs, at four centres in south Tipperary. It informed them that due to budgetary constraints from SOLAS, the LTI programmes will cease at…
I am disappointed to hear that. There is clearly a misunderstanding because there are students who have enrolled for courses in September. That is inaccurate information that Tipperary ETB has supplied to the Minister of State.
I will quote the comments of a student, who said the course made them come out of their shell a lot. The student said it is the best thing they have done and went on to say that everyone was …
I thank the Ceann Comhairle and her team for allowing both of us to contribute on these Topical Issue matters tonight. I also thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for his latitude. I also appeal to the Minister of State regarding this issue. I have many questions about Tusla and its operations. This facility we are talking about has been renowned for half a century and more. The Dolphin Swimming Club and many others hav…
I too support my colleague and implore the Minister of State in this regard. I have an issue with Tusla. God forgive me, it cannot even account for the approximately 50 children who have gone missing in State care in recent years. There is a meeting here to discuss this tomorrow as well. Why is Tusla involved in this premises at all? It is a wonderful facility. As I said, we have two wonderful schools in Cashel, Scoi…
I support this motion. How many more motions and debates are we going to have to get some realism and reality applied to the disastrous situation in which we find ourselves with regard to housing? It is organised mayhem. Every speaker – I had a chat last night with my colleague in south Tipperary – states housing is the number one issue. Our clinics are bogged down and there is so little we can do. There is so little…
I welcome the Minister. The motion regarding the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the motion regarding the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 are being taken together and are related. I call the Minister.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to speak. I support this amendment because this is a matter of choices. We can talk about the election and who did and did not get into government and what the results were. The fact is that we have a squeezed middle. The Minister's former leader was always talking about them - the men and women who get up early in the morning and go to work. They are particularly squeezed …
Everybody was shocked and disgusted at what we saw in the recent television programme but it is the tip of the iceberg as regards big business and what is going on with big conglomerates. I salute all the care workers and nurses in the small nursing homes in Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Cashel and Tipperary town.
I salute them and the work they do. I challenge HIQA. It is not fit for purpose and has not been for…
I am delighted to speak on this issue and thank Sinn Féin for tabling the motion. As we know, most parties in this House and in this country say they are in favour of a united Ireland. They say they are in favour of many things. It is nice to say. I want to put it on the record that I am fully in favour of a united Ireland. I come from a republican family. My late dad was in the War of Independence and spent 14 month…
6. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to address the huge delays associated with work permit applications, particularly for the licensed haulage sector in Ireland; if he has met with the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, to discuss the issues it is experiencing due to these ongoing delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33471/25]
What steps is the Minister for trade and employment taking to deal with the huge delays relating to the bureaucratic system that companies in Ireland face in trying to get work permits for foreign applicants? I refer especially to the IRHA and many other industries - agriculture, to name one - and parts of industries. Has the Minister met with the IRHA to discuss these issues? The ongoing delays are crippling the eco…
It was not too long ago that the Minister of State was on this side of the House. I wish him well in his new position. He is aware that the situation faced by our licensed hauliers is disgraceful.
Hard-working Irish businesses are trying to operate legally only to be choked by a lot of regulatory issues and a dysfunctional recruitment process. It is unbelievable. If a haulier in Tipperary in my constituency or anywh…
I do not believe those figures. They do not reflect my experience. People come here illegally and get all the treatment, including free housing and everything else. The message the Minister is giving out is to penalise those who play by the rules. Multinationals can get away with stuff as well. This affects small businesses. It is not just the hauliers; it is also agriculture and hoteliers trying to get people in. Th…