I thank the Minister of State for facilitating this debate. In this House, there often are very different opinions on matters discussed. The one thing we can all agree on is the positive benefits of sport, which are vast. I always make the point that sport is a great character-building hobby for young people and individuals. It helps them tremendously through their self-development and teaches them many good-quality …
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 Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I raise the rent a room relief scheme. It is a good scheme, but I wish to discuss its income threshold of €14,000 in particular. We are in an acute accommodation crisis and this scheme could play a greater role in better utilising existing properties and empty rooms. Single person accommodation is extremely difficult to secure and student accommodation is also difficult to secure. T…
There has been a lot of criticism today of the school transport scheme but it has to be acknowledged that in recent times the scale of the scheme has ramped up significantly. Over 180,000 children are transported through the school transport scheme every day. It is a huge number. The programme for Government sets out far more ambition in terms of an additional 100,000. That is very welcome. We all know the obvious be…
3. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [46845/25]
At the outset, if I may, I will mark the passing of Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy from Cork. I served with Councillor Murphy for 17 years on Cork County Council. He was a great friend and colleague. His untimely passing is dreadfully sad for his family, friends and community. I wanted to add my voice to condolences here, and I thank the Ceann Comhairle.
I thank the Taoiseach for his update on the housing subcommi…
16. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the safeguards that are now in place to ensure large-scale public infrastructure contracts are completed on time and within budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40074/25]
I thank the Minister for taking this question. What safeguards are in place to ensure our large infrastructural projects come in on time and on budget? As we are about to embark on an ambitious national development plan review involving significant capital funding, it is timely that we set out the safeguards in place to reassure the public that we are managing the situation as effectively as possible.
I recognise significant work has been done in this area. We are about to embark on the national development plan. The current plan involves €165 billion and there will be additionality on that, which is very welcome. We will be spending significant money on water infrastructure, energy, transport, health, housing and more. It is important we rebuild public trust in our management of large-scale capital projects. Unfo…
I accept the Minister's point on balancing the process. We cannot become too risk averse. I fully understand that. Delivery of large-scale infrastructural projects is critical but we have seen examples of large-scale projects that were 100% over budget. It is critical we do not repeat that. I sit on the Committee of Public Accounts and listened to the national children's hospital development board speak of the number…
An Post was in the news this week, and thankfully it has clarified that its financial position is better than previously reported. The real issue here is the closure of post offices throughout the country. Since 2015, 34 post offices have closed in Cork county and 257 post offices have closed nationwide. As we know, a post office provides much more than just a service. It is a core part of community life in many town…
23. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [34041/25]
In advance of the new housing plan in the coming month or so, I stress again the importance of increasing our affordable housing targets. There must be a rebalancing towards affordable housing in the plan's targets. I have made the point previously to the Taoiseach that there is a growing cohort of individuals and couples who need support but are not receiving any. Their incomes are above the social housing threshold…
I thank the Minister for facilitating this debate. As many speakers have said, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a significant issue throughout our country. At the extreme end of it, 275 females have died violently in this country since 1996. That is a huge number. An Garda Síochána has said that in 2024, it dealt with 65,000 domestic abuse calls alone. The statistics are clear and while we could spend al…
I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this matter. I raise an issue in respect of certain organisations across the country and particularly their staff and workers, who have not benefited from the pay agreements of recent years. They are former section 39 organisations. I acknowledge that many of the section 39 organisations have benefited but there is a cohort out there which, because of a complicated…
I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate his response. Unfortunately, it has not addressed the core issue I raised regarding the handful of organisations that have not been brought into the tent in respect of the pay agreements. To elaborate further, prior to 2010, a section 39 block grant funded St. Luke's Home in Cork. Since then, it has had a number of different sources of funding, including the National Treatm…
I thank the Minister for being present for the debate and I welcome the opportunity to speak on this provision. Picking up on the Minister of State, Deputy Healy Rae, I also welcome these proposals. They are very sensible. Keeping planning permission alive is a practical and simple measure but an essential one and I commend the Minister on bringing it forward.
It is estimated in Dublin alone, there is planning permi…
I thank the Minister for being here to facilitate the debate on the Middle East. All of us in the House can agree on how horrified we are by what we are seeing on our televisions day in, day out in terms of the atrocities that are taking place in the Middle East. The massacre of human life is absolutely atrocious. A number of years ago we would not have expected to witness this in the year 2025. We had hoped the worl…
I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this question. It is critically important that we continue the downward pressure on interest rates in Ireland. I acknowledge significant progress has been made in recent times in reducing mortgage interest rates across this country and bringing them somewhat more in line with EU averages but, unfortunately, we are still above EU averages.
As the Minister of State …
I thank the Minister of State. His reply very much focused on the climate of reducing interest rates we are now in. As I said in my initial remarks, this is very welcome and exactly why it is important to raise this point now. The Minister of State referred to the ECB reducing interest rates on eight occasions since last summer, and again this is all very welcome. The ECB covers the entire EU, though, so this begs th…
I raise again the issue of school secretaries and caretakers. As the Minister knows, they have made a request for full public sector recognition and status. The Minister will agree school secretaries and caretakers play an integral role in the life of the school community and when many of us politicians visit these schools we always recognise secretaries and caretakers and the role they play along with teachers, SNAs…
I join with other Members in expressing my disgust and revulsion at what was exposed on “RTÉ Investigates”. When we see scenes like that on television, we think of our own relatives and friends who spend time in nursing homes. It makes every family wonder about the care they are receiving. Of course, it has to be said that what we saw results in a stain on all nursing homes across the country. However, as we know, th…
With regard to the overall changes proposed by the Minister recently, I compliment him on the balance he has struck. The Opposition will always try to pit landlords against tenants, and have the narrative around tenants versus landlords. We have to focus on both groups and that is the reality. This is about increasing housing supply and we have to deal with the needs of tenants and landlords. The Minister has struck …
10. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Taoiseach for an update on the Cork city task force. [25116/25]
I raise the Cork city task force. As we know, the programme for Government provides for the establishment of a task force for Cork city. Like all urban areas, Cork city needs renewed focus, funding, resources, collaboration between key stakeholders, and short-, medium- and long-term planning. I hope the task force will address issues around public realm, streetscape, urban design and investment in our urban design in…
I wish to raise the issue of Garda numbers in Cork city. I know it is a concern shared by the Taoiseach. There are 668 gardaí serving in Cork city. This is 9% down on the position three years ago. Despite the fact that many public representatives have raised the issue, including in the Dáil, the situation has got worse. After the recent attestation from Templemore, we received three gardaí. This follows on from an at…