Shocking new figures were published in The Mirror today about Irish horses slaughtered in English abattoirs. They suggest that 782 horses with Irish passports were slaughtered in England last year. A total of 538 of those had racing industry passports. In other words, they were racing horses. At least 46% of these were five years old or younger. To be clear, these were not euthanised. They were stressfully transporte…
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
If we want to tackle gender-based violence, then we have to call a halt to the tidal wave of misogyny coming at young men on social media every day. It is disgusting that the big social media corporations - the so-called big tech "broligarchy" of Zuckerberg and Musk - are profiting from pushing misogynistic, sexist content at teenage boys and men. Rapist and human trafficker Andrew Tate, now embraced with open arms b…
The motion is right that there has been a lot of waste by this Government so far and by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments down through the years. The motion and the analysis and speeches we have heard from the proposers, however, fail to look under the bonnet and figure out why this waste is happening. The solutions proposed would actually make things even worse. The motion seeks to double down on a ne…
Is the Taoiseach aware of the report into hip operations at Children's Health Ireland, which has been reported on in The Ditch? It suggests, incredibly, that nearly 80% of hip operations carried out on children in Cappagh hospital, and 60% of those operations in Temple Street, were unnecessary surgeries done on children. A whistleblower suggests they may have been done "purely for financial gain". Will this report be…
We are in the midst of a manufactured moral panic. To divert attention from away from its failures on housing, health, disability and climate, the Government prefers to have endless statements on policing and to pass more laws that erode our civil liberties. The programme for Government contains a frightening litany of attacks on civil liberties, all under the guise of getting tough on crime. Of course, it is never w…
Bhí oibrithe na heagraíochtaí Gaeilge amuigh ar stailc an tseachtain seo caite. Bhí siad go tógáil raic agus iad i mbun ágóidíochta in aghaidh na gciorruithe atá á gearradh orthu. Deir siad go bhfuil sé soiléir anois go bhfuil struchtúr maoinithe Fhoras na Gaeilge briste. Tá thart ar €17 milliún níos lú ag Foras na Gaeilge inniu nó mar a bhí acu in 2002. Le boilsciú curtha san áireamh, is ionann sin agus ciorruithe d…
You addressed it yourself.
What the Taoiseach is attempting to do with this stroke with the Lowry group of Independents is an authoritarian manoeuvre.
It is.
It might not be comfortable for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and their supporters in the Lowry group to hear that truth but this is about diminishing the capacity of the Opposition to hold the Government to account.
Something that has not got much coverage in this-----
Government Members can try to shout me down but the Taoiseach and the Government propose to halve the number of Taoiseach's questions in any given week.
At the same time as he pretends to be standing up for the rights of backbenchers, the Taoiseach is halving the opportunities that exist for backbenchers and others. Why is he doing that? It is because he wants to play this game of allowing people to pretend they are in the Opposition when they are in the Government. It will be resisted.
Have you read the UN charter?
3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on the implementation of the well-being framework launched by his Department. [6432/25]
It is hard to imagine a more impactful measure on the wellness of both people and the planet than insulating people's homes. I want to raise an incredible case in my constituency where a family is being threatened with prison for retrofitting and insulating their home. In 2018, Clive Ryan from Kilnamanagh received a Government grant from the SEAI to retrofit his home with external wall insulation. This is exactly the…
It was just regular. Then they said that he needed planning permission but he does not have it, and he must pay a fine or take it off.
Yes, but so far it has been denied. It has not been accepted.
11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Disability will meet [6433/25]
On Friday parents of children with additional needs were forced to sleep outside the Department of Education to try to fight for appropriate school places for their children. Earlier that day, the Government announced 254 new special classes in schools. That is much less than the 400 that had been promised. However, when you delve into the detail there are not even 254. I have correspondence with multiple schools say…
9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide details of the proposed changes to the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6071/25]
8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach for an update on the establishment of a Cabinet committee on water quality. [6090/25]
33. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [6431/25]
11. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will abolish subminimum wages for young workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6496/25]
Will the Minister finally abolish the legalised discrimination and super-exploitation of young people in this country who are currently legally paid as little as €9.50 an hour, purely on the basis of their age? Will he abolish these subminimum wage rates whereby those under 18 can legally be paid less than the minimum wage? The can has been kicked down the road for years now. It is time to abolish these rates.