I thank the Members for this very important motion and for giving me the opportunity to discuss dentistry services and to provide an update on the developments in the sector and the oral health action plan. The Government allocates over €240 million to the provision of public oral healthcare services every year across the Department of Health and the Department of Social Protection. This ongoing investment shows our …
TDs / Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Minister of State at the Department of Health
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
71
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
73,689
words spoken in the chamber
73,206 as a minister, 483 as a TD
397
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
28
topics asked about
Across 17 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 71 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 156 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 33 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 3 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 5 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| June 2025 | 2 | 5 |
| July 2025 | 4 | 1 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 4 | 2 |
| October 2025 | 5 | 3 |
| November 2025 | 6 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 2 | 11 |
| January 2026 | 1 | 10 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 3 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 15 |
| April 2026 | 1 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 9 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 17 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 1 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 4 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 79 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Carlow-Kilkenny 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Health 29 January 2025 to now
I do understand the challenges that are there. I see them daily. With our new action plan, going forward, we want to make those changes. We are not opposing the motion.
I thank Deputy Burke for raising this very important issue. The Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention and maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and timely access to treatments. The availability of appropriate, fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is critical to the safe and timely delivery of cancer care.
Since the launch of the national cancer strategy in 2017,…
I thank Deputy Burke. As he said, this is a serious issue. I know the Government is committed and I will certainly bring it back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and timely access to treatment are priorities for the Government. Access to state-of-the-art and fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is fundamental to the safe and ti…
I thank the Deputy for raising this serious issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people and housing, Deputy O'Donnell. Long-term residential care is a crucial part of our healthcare system. Across the country, our HSE community nursing units, CNUs, and community hospitals play a vital role in the provision of long-term care and other services. The Government is commit…
I thank the Deputy for highlighting this matter. The opening at the end of June is a priority for him. I reiterate the older persons' service in Killarney and surrounding areas will be enhanced by the opening of the new state-of-the-art, 130-bed community nursing units. The new CNU in Killarney is part of the overall CNU programme, which will deliver seven public private partnership, PPP, projects and provide a compl…
I want to acknowledge that the Deputy, in bringing this Bill before the House today, is motivated by public health concerns and reducing the impact of alcohol harms on our society. The Government shares that motivation. However, the Government is opposing this Private Members' Bill, which seeks to amend our Public Health (Alcohol) Act, because there is not enough evidence at this time to determine the impact of low- …
I thank the Deputy for highlighting this important issue. I am taking this on behalf the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has drafted the general scheme of the short-term letting and tourism, STLT, Bill in full alignment with the EU short-term rental regulation, which is what the Deputy is talking about. We have a collaborative approach between…
This is an important matter. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has worked closely with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and is committed to developing a fair and balanced approach to the short-term letting question, which is crucial. As the Deputy said, as a proud Kerryman, he has always highlighted the needs in this area. I absolutely agree. It is about all of the differen…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and highlighting the role that pubs play in Irish life and culture by providing a central hub and meeting place in towns and villages across the country. The Government’s commitment to the sector was most recently demonstrated by the reduction in the VAT rate to 9%, recognising that the sector is highly labour-intensive. It forms a key part of the domestic economy a…
What the Deputy has spoken about is really concerning. He can be assured I will go back to the Minister for Finance. I am aware of the importance of local pubs to Irish culture and the Irish economy, particularly in local and rural areas, which we are both from.
Recent years have been challenging to the hospitality sector as a whole, particularly through the period of Covid restrictions. We saw huge changes then. Ho…
I am taking this today.
I know.
The Minister is coming. I am taking the first slot and then the Minister will be in later.
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that:
— the Government reiterates Ireland's longstanding policy of military neutrality;
— Ireland's policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances, or common or mutual defence arrangements and this policy choice has been practised by successive Governments since the Second …
I thank all the TDs who contributed today. Nursing in Ireland is a modern and highly skilled profession built on education, research and continuous professional development. This evening we heard from across the Chamber a shared understanding and deep appreciation of the vital role that nurses play across our health service. There is also a shared commitment to ensuring they are supported. My own daughter is a nurse …
I compliment my colleague and everybody involved because I know a lot of work has gone into this Bill. I know the commitment and dedication that there has been. I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, several times about dual diagnosis, which I feel is really important and this is going to be addressed in this Bill. To everybody involved, as other TDs have said, this is groundbreaking legislation. Having kno…
I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
I am delighted to be here today to introduce the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill to the House. The purpose of the Bill is to reduce the appeal and accessibility of e-cigarettes, vapes and other nicotine products such as pouches to young people. This Bill and the single-use vapes Bill together with the 2023 Act mean th…
I thank everyone who spoke today in the Chamber. We can see the passion on this and the urgency of the Bill. A lot of issues were raised. I only have ten minutes.
The issue of flavours was the big thing. As for why we are banning all flavours except tobacco, this is what is most likely to reduce the appeal to our younger people. Today is about children and young people. In balancing this protection of young people w…
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Football is one of Ireland's most popular sports and we as a Government are proud to back it at all levels, from grassroots clubs where our youngest players take their first kick to professional academies that will shape the next generation of our Irish international players. Football is a hugely popular sport in Carlow and I could take up my entire time slot here naming every footb…
We are facing a global crisis in the supply and the cost of fuel. This is the reality here in the Chamber. The situation in Iran is unpredictable. Nobody knows. It is global. The Government did introduce the package aimed at easing the impact of the cost-of-living increases with cuts to excise on fuel and further supports for those to get their fuel allowance.
This was only ever going to be the first package of supp…
The Government is really showing support. It wants to work with our hauliers, our farmers, our agricultural contractors and our bus operators. It is important that people have certainty, particularly those involved in businesses and who are the hardest hit.
I know that some are struggling. We all know that. Some people in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny have come to me over the past few days about the cost of hea…
-----and I understand more supports are needed.
I spoke-----
I spoke to my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, today-----