I thank the relatives for being here and for the sacrifices they themselves are making, including extra familial responsibilities and the worry they are going through. I thank them for the sacrifice their relatives are making in putting themselves in danger. The flotilla they are participating in is at the vanguard of a global uprising of millions of people against genocide, Zionism and imperialism.
It helped to ins…
TDs / Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,527
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
205,529
words spoken in the chamber
Across 1,276 contributions
383
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
314
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 1,527 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,276 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 2 |
| January 2025 | 78 | 10 |
| February 2025 | 138 | 69 |
| March 2025 | 120 | 75 |
| April 2025 | 115 | 100 |
| May 2025 | 97 | 97 |
| June 2025 | 88 | 70 |
| July 2025 | 92 | 52 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 66 | 60 |
| October 2025 | 50 | 82 |
| November 2025 | 84 | 73 |
| December 2025 | 59 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 94 | 61 |
| February 2026 | 71 | 78 |
| March 2026 | 49 | 41 |
| April 2026 | 76 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 50 | 40 |
| June 2026 | 58 | 95 |
| July 2026 | 67 | 59 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| September 2026 | 30 | 23 |
| October 2026 | 45 | 64 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 977 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 Dublin South-West 29 November 2024 to now
- party People Before Profit-Solidarity 29 November 2024 to now
4. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when subminimum pay rates for young workers will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50574/25]
In the run-up to last year's general election, the Government promised to abolish subminimum wage rates for young workers. When will it do it? Will this turn into another broken promise to workers and young people, alongside a week's sick pay and the promise of a living wage?
Did I hear the Minister correctly? Did he say he will not do it until 2029? Is that what he said?
It is an over and back exchange. That is the nature of the format. The Minister said the rate would not be changed until 2029 or he would consider it at that stage. I ask him to clarify that. It is incredible. We introduced a Bill to get rid of this legalised superexploitation of young people in 2022, which was passed on Second Stage. It would have gotten rid of the rate in 2023, with a timed amendment. The Governmen…
The Minister's bluster will not disguise what is a viciously anti-worker and anti-young person policy. The Minister is saying that 19-year-olds, 18-year-olds and 17-year-olds do not deserve to get the minimum wage - the inadequate minimum wage - in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. The Minister is saying that people who go to work and do the same work as the workers next door to them, who happen to be a little b…
This question is about subminimum rates.
If they cannot afford to pay the minimum wage, they should not be in business.
The nightmare for the people in Gaza continues to worsen. For two years, they have been facing an Israeli genocide. More than 65,000 people have been killed, more than 20,000 children among them. Some 92% of homes have been destroyed or damaged. All the hospitals have been destroyed or damaged. Two hundred and fifty journalists have been murdered. Since March, famine has been deliberately created by Israel. Every sin…
The Spanish state has also sent a vessel to help protect it. There are 22 Irish citizens on board, including Senator Chris Andrews, with Deputy Barry Heneghan due to join him. Their lives are in danger. What is the Government going to do protect them? What accountability will there be?
Will the Government at the very least send a representative to join the legal observer boat to be a witness?
I welcome the words of concern and support and the consular assistance being provided. Respectfully, I asked what are you going to do, not what are you going to say. This is a microcosm of the Government's position on Palestine in general whereby it is able to correctly say that what is happening is a genocide but the action does not necessarily follow. It is welcome that the matter is going to be raised at diplomati…
On a point of order, the Government did not allow a motion to be passed to be further discussed. That is not what happens. The Minister knows that. That might happen with a Bill but the motion was passed. The position of the House, with the Minister’s agreement, is these awful reactionary policies that were proposed.
The Simon Community is in the Dáil today to highlight the devastation the Government’s housing polic…
There was a huge protest on Saturday in Dublin, called Cearta. The streets were dearg le fearg with 25,000 people coming out to demand action on funding for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht as well as action on education, the housing crisis and language rights. The turnout speaks to, on the one hand, a moment for the Irish language of a renewal or resurgence from below, with more and more parents wanting to send …
I dealt with funding and housing to some degree in the introduction, so I might now deal with education and language rights, which are the other two features of the protest and the demands of the movement. The striking thing in education is the mismatch between parents' aspirations and wishes and the reality of school availability. Almost one in four parents say that if they had the option in their local community of…
I have apologies from Deputy Coppinger. Our group will divide the time equally between the three of us. I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. One thing it does very well is draw a straight line between handouts for big business and child poverty and homelessness. It is utterly scandalous that the Government is planning to hand over €675 million in unnecessary VAT cuts to hotels, restaurants and f…
I seek confirmation from the Government that it agreed to have statements next week on Gaza. I think we do have that confirmation. We might get an initial response. Micheál Martin made a significant statement at the UN yesterday opposing the right of Palestinians to self-determination. Is that now the position of the Government?
I wish to raise the issue of funding for rare diseases. Rare diseases are not all that rare, given that 300,000 people are affected by one rare disease or another in Ireland, involving over 8,000 different diseases. While each individual disease is very rare, as a total they are quite common and have a big impact on people's lives. Often they suffer from a lack of research into their condition which then impacts trea…
I might just quote from Elizabeth who was in touch with me to let the Minister of State hear her voice.
... I would like you to explain to [the Minister] Leo's everyday struggles (he has autism, a heart murmur, a learning disability, and muscle weakness) these are all due to his ocnds [Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome] diagnosis I would like you to explain that though deteriorating isn't a noted symptom this i…
Yes.
He is seven.
Yes.
It is called international law. We do not just get to invade other countries.
Where is the Tánaiste going to send them?
Where are you going to send them?