I thank the Minister of State for taking this question. I want to raise the issue of the proposed amalgamation of Shanbally and Ringaskiddy national schools in County Cork. They are two existing schools in older buildings. Ringaskiddy has a school population of approximately 60 students and Shanbally is larger with approximately 199 students. The proposed amalgamation has been on the cards for a decade and a half at …
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 of State for the reply. I appreciate the response. As the Minister of State said, this is to be a new 16-classroom primary school with four classrooms for children with special education needs. This facility is so badly needed in the local community and the constituency that I represent. My main reason for submitting this Topical Issue matter was to get a status update. I appreciate that the Mini…
I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Government's housing plan, delivering homes, building communities. I thank the Minister for his opening remarks. As has been said, this is a very ambitious plan. We know the overall target is 300,000 houses between now and 2030, with 12,000 social homes and 15,000 starter homes. These are critically important. This is a plan of substance and actions. There are up to 80 action…
105. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of tests his Department’s laboratories have carried out for suspected HPAI H5N1 since 1 September 2025; and, of these tests, the number that were positive for HPAI H5N1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66460/25]
130. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on his work in relation to the negotiations for the Common Agricultural Policy post 2027; if he has had meetings with his ministerial counter parts in other EU member states on the matter; if he has had meetings with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66461/25]
4. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures he will be taking to support first-time buyers under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030; if he will be reviewing the terms and qualifying criteria of existing schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66122/25]
I ask the Minister to outline the key measures he will be undertaking to support first-time buyers under the delivering homes, delivering communities plan. In particular, does the Minister intend to review the terms and qualifying criteria of existing schemes and will he make a statement on the matter? I hope he appreciates -I know he does - that many first-time buyers find themselves falling outside the criteria at …
I appreciate the Minister's answer and the measures in the housing plan that will be there to support first-time buyers, in particular the 15,000 starter homes per annum, which will include affordable purchase, first home scheme properties, help to buy and the vacant refurbishment grant. They are all very welcome. The point I really want to drive home - I know the Minister is aware of this and is looking at it - is t…
I appreciate this is a complex matter, and I know the last thing the Government wants to do is have schemes in place that will only lead to further price inflation. That is obviously a huge concern, and the Minister has to balance those concerns. For me, the reality is, as I said, that many first-time buyers are no longer able to avail of these schemes simply because of those qualifying criteria, particularly around …
Will the Minister for housing to outline the key measures to increase social housing availability under the delivering homes, building communities plan?
I particularly welcome the overall target in the housing plan of 12,000 social units per annum, building on the progress made on the Housing for All plan, which, it must be acknowledged, made significant progress in the area of social housing. There are new initiatives in this plan to help deliver social housing such as the performance fund for local authorities, which is critical. Many local authorities do a great j…
I think the emphasis on new builds is welcome across the House. I particularly welcome the emphasis on local authorities and indeed the approved housing bodies directly building social homes, which is critically important. Of course, to achieve the targets we need a combined approach. There will also need to be continuation of turnkey and, of course, the delivery of social housing through the Part V provision is also…
Will the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage outline the key measures to increase the use of modern methods of construction under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 and make a statement on the matter?
I welcome the strong recognition for modern methods of construction in the new housing plan. That is critically important. The construction sector is very much up for embracing MMC and the additional measures in the plan to incentivise the construction industry to take up those measures are critically important. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach will know a development in his constituency, Longview in Ballyvolane, where th…
I strongly believe the construction sector is onboard for modern methods of construction. It recognises the advantages, cost savings and that it can deliver with greater efficiency, which is critically important. It is also important the Government is leading in this way in the provision in the plan for 25% of social and affordable units to be delivered through MMC. That message is very important. Indeed, other measu…
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will appreciate the great work done by the Passport Office. I wish to raise a specific issue with him in regard to that office. When a family has travel plans made, has a date booked and is waiting on a new passport for a child, great stress can be brought on that family when that passport application is returned. Very often this is close to the issuing date bec…
I know the Tánaiste values the importance of front-line policing. It is very welcome that An Garda Síochána conducted two recruitment campaigns this year and that the budget for 2026 set aside funding for the recruitment of 1,000 gardaí. Cork city has been under-resourced for many years, due to disproportionately low allocations. Our Garda units serving on the ground are stretched beyond what they can achieve in term…
3. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46844/25]
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. He mentioned the importance of investing in the future. Critical to that is investment in our city centres. Will he give an update on the task force for Cork city?
The programme for Government states that the model applied to the Dublin city task force will also be applied to Cork and will happen shortly. I hope this task force will deal with such strategic issues as improved tra…
I thank the Minister of State for facilitating this debate. Obviously, I roundly welcome the Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2025. It sets out to do something very simple which is to increase the statutory borrowing limit for the Housing Finance Agency, which is critically important, from €12 billion to €13.5 billion. Last year, in 2024, that limit was increased from €10 billion to €12 billion. This reflects …
To follow on from what the Minister of State said, this is a significant budget that involves expenditure of almost €117 billion and an additional package of €9.4 billion. Those are significant figures. It is about securing our future. Investment in key infrastructure is central to the budget, particularly infrastructure that will enable a continued supply of housing to be activated and progressed. That is critical. …
I thank the Ministers for being here this evening. I raise the issue of the need for a better protocol to be put in place in relation to the offence of spiking. To explain what I am referring to, we are all aware that, when people are out enjoying themselves on social occasions, there are incidents of their drinks being spiked. Essentially, drugs are put into their drinks without their consent or knowledge. This is a…
I thank the Minister of State for the response. I acknowledge that the Government is committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Of course, I also acknowledge the zero-tolerance strategy and its recent launch, and also the additional funding provided. It is welcome that the programme for Government specifically includes a commitment to introduce stronger la…
I very much welcome the establishment of the housing activation office. This idea came from the work of the Housing Commission. The Minister took it on board and brought forward his own proposals in relation to it, and that is very welcome. As he says, working under the one roof and having the various forms of expertise from the local authority sector, the utilities sector, the Department officials themselves and the…
I thank the Minister for his update on the work of the office. I want to get a sense of the work plan over the coming months of the office and the level of activity that will be undertaken in trying to unblock some of these barriers. I ask the Minister to clarify when he feels that the head person of that office will be in place to lead it and the very important work it undertakes.