I raise the local bus service in Cork city and suburbs and the failure of bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority to provide a reliable and dependable service. I should not have to raise this issue on the floor of the Dáil but I am forced to because countless efforts by me and other public representatives over many years are simply not being addressed in terms of the National Transport Authority and Bus Éire…
TDs / Séamus McGrath
Séamus McGrath
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
497
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
45,141
words spoken in the chamber
Across 181 contributions
429
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
163
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 497 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 181 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 6 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 28 | 8 |
| March 2025 | 13 | 12 |
| April 2025 | 30 | 10 |
| May 2025 | 23 | 25 |
| June 2025 | 22 | 9 |
| July 2025 | 50 | 12 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 59 | 4 |
| October 2025 | 25 | 9 |
| November 2025 | 28 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 19 | 10 |
| January 2026 | 17 | 9 |
| February 2026 | 25 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 28 | 8 |
| April 2026 | 25 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 19 | 14 |
| June 2026 | 35 | 4 |
| July 2026 | 14 | 5 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 12 | 3 |
| October 2026 | 19 | 9 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 153 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 Cork South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
I thank the Minister and Minister of State for facilitating this debate. I thank them both for their efforts in recent days and weeks in securing the additional funding to ensure that SNA numbers in our schools will not be reduced. This will allow the space to plan for the future properly. We all know the important work that SNAs do. It has been referred to many times this afternoon during this debate. They play a vi…
I want to raise an issue under the Tánaiste's remit as Minister for Finance, namely the help to buy scheme and the property price ceiling of €500,000. Despite some reservations about this scheme, I am a strong supporter of it. It has benefited over 60,000 first-time buyers, to purchase homes since its introduction and given them their tax back up to the maximum of €30,000. However, the Tánaiste will have seen yesterd…
66. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her assessment of the current situation in Belarus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8282/26]
I thank the Ministers of State for being here to facilitate this important discussion on road safety.
Looking at road safely overall in the past few decades, significant progress has been made and that has to be acknowledged. We went from 472 lives lost in 1997 to 137 lives lost in 2021. However, unfortunately, the progress has halted and we have seen an increase in fatalities on our roads in recent years. Last year…
This is critical because enforcement has to be a key part of road safety. I ask the Ministers of State to take that back.
3. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach for an update regarding the programme for Government. [71593/25]
The programme for Government commits that the Government will work to facilitate an easier return to Ireland for emigrants, including reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada and the creation of a one-stop shop to support and assist with obtaining PPS numbers and other administrative issues. As the Taoiseach knows, we need some of our Irish citizens to come back and contribute to the…
I thank the Minister of State for being here and facilitating the discussion this evening. I commend him and the Minister, Deputy Browne, on having the courage to undertake a fundamental reform of the rental sector, which was long overdue. It is critically important that reform has taken place in accordance with what is proposed here.
As we know, there is a chronic shortage of properties in the rental sector. Demand…
I thank the Minister for being here and for facilitating this discussion today. I commend him and his Department on the work done to date in trying to speed up the delivery of key infrastructure projects. Setting up the accelerating infrastructure task force and the action plan that emerged from that with 30 specific action points are very welcome. This progress is welcome.
I want to focus today on transport infrast…
I thank the Minister for being here. I raise the issue of section 254 licence applications, under the Planning and Development Act 2000, which permits the installation of telecommunications masts in communities. I believe this is a fundamentally flawed process and I will explain that in a moment.
Of course, we need to improve our telecommunications infrastructure. There is no doubt about that. However, we need to do…
I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I respect the fact that he is here this evening but, unfortunately, that reply does not in any way address the issues I raised in relation to these telecommunications masts being installed and erected close to residential properties and the fact that there is no provision whatsoever in the rules and regulations to ensure there is a safe and respectable buffer distance requ…
I raise the importance of having our Garda stations across the country open and accessible to the public. I acknowledge the outstanding work the Minister is doing in relation to garda recruitment and retention. Increasing garda visibility is critically important but so is access to Garda stations across our communities. I represent Cork South-Central, as the Minister knows, and the only Garda station in that five-sea…
1. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cork city task force will be established. [64215/25]
I know the Taoiseach is familiar with the Cork city issue. His Department and the Government have had significant contact with Cork City Council and others in relation to the establishment of this group. I understand it may not be called a task force and that is fine. What we want is a group of organisations and individuals in Cork with the sole purpose of trying to improve Cork as a place to live, work, do business …
25. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach for an overview of his Department’s annual report for 2024. [3744/26]
On the theme of sustaining the economy, I raise the need for an updated support strategy for retailers across this country on our main streets, high streets and towns and villages. We want our towns, villages and cities to be vibrant, busy and attractive places but many retailers are under severe pressure, whether it is due to the increased cost of doing business, the ongoing challenge of online shopping, or, of cour…
The three housing grants administered by local authorities are very effective. They need to be reformed in general but specifically the older person's grant does, which the Taoiseach will be aware, allows for works such as roof repair, heating repairs, windows and doors and so on. There is a minimum age requirement of 66 years of age. There is discretion at local authority level to go below that age in hardship cases…
112. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his plans to reform the home energy grants. [73000/25]
I thank the Minister of State for his response. I think we all agree reducing energy consumption at home is a critically important part of reducing our overall carbon output as a nation and of course reducing the costs for households of their energy use. Many households find the grants to be quite rigid and it is a case of perfection being the enemy of the good. For example, if a household wants to upgrade their wind…
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. As I said earlier, the importance of reducing energy consumption for domestic households is critical, for carbon achievements and to reduce costs for households and our dependence on international energy importation. That is also an important part. Therefore, I welcome the reforms the Minister of State announced that are in the pipeli…
1. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will meet next. [64216/25]
I thank the Taoiseach. I welcome today's announcement in relation to the vacant property refurbishment grant and the extension of this grant until 2030. This provides important certainty from a policy point of view in relation to vacant properties. We know they are still a very significant challenge. I also welcome the new initiative in relation to the above the shop grant. Up to €140,000, where multiple properties a…
19. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will meet next. [65887/25]
Central to a good infrastructure system is a good public transport system. I welcome the approval of BusConnects Cork by Cabinet to proceed to the planning phase. That is very welcome but we cannot wait years for improvements to the local bus service. I am sure the Taoiseach, like other public representatives in Cork, is inundated with unreliability issues relating to local bus services, such as buses not turning up,…