Following a recent meeting in University Hospital Waterford, UHW, attended by representatives and officials in my Department, I am advised that the pathologists employed at that location have indicated they are not available to carry out post mortems. On foot of this, my Department has been engaging with locum pathologists with a view to agreeing a solution to the situation in UHW from 1 January next. This approach i…
TDs / Jim O'Callaghan
Jim O'Callaghan
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
13
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
306,120
words spoken in the chamber
304,929 as a minister, 1,191 as a TD
360
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
8
topics asked about
Across 6 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 13 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,001 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 13 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 45 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 34 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 33 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 44 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 88 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 95 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 65 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 11 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 41 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 83 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 73 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 49 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 81 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 47 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 598 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Dublin Bay South 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Justice 23 January 2025 to 4 June 2025
- office Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 5 June 2025 to now
I agree with the Deputy that it is a very traumatic experience for a family after there has been a death if they are told that there has to be a post mortem and then there can be a considerable wait prior to the funeral. I would not like to see Ireland develop in the same way as other countries where there is a significant delay between death and the funeral. One of the things we do very well in this country is death…
I thank the Deputy. I will give the statistics in respect of University Hospital Waterford. There are nine sanctioned consultant pathology posts of which eight are currently filled with one vacancy to be filled next year. Two posts were filled earlier this year and these appointments have not been made on the basis of the autopsy element being excluded. The remaining six pathologists have provided the autopsy service…
As the Deputy knows, the Legal Aid Board is the statutory body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to qualifying individuals. There are two parts to it, one is legal advice while the other is legal representation. Eligibility for the scheme is determined by reference to a financial assessment. The Legal Aid Board provides enormous assistance, particularly in the area of family law and, indeed,…
It is important that I got the report, read it and published it and that we tried to consider how we could implement it. I regret to say that it cannot happen overnight. The Deputy might think that can happen in government, that a Minister can say, "I am going to do this" and that it happens. It is important to announce what one's policy objective is, however. It is important for me to say that I want to see the reco…
In terms of international protection, Deputy Carthy is right about that. A significant number of people are seeking legal aid from the Legal Aid Board in respect of international protection. In fact, 11,689 applicants sought legal aid services in relation to international protection last year, which was an increase from nearly 10,000 the year before. That is hugely demanding for the Legal Aid Board. I am increasing t…
I thank the Deputy for his question. One of the great privileges of being Minister for justice is to attend passing out ceremonies in Templemore. I have been to four already this year. They are wonderful occasions for the new Garda recruits and their families. One thing that stands out for me is that the numbers are increasing each time I go to each passing out. At the recent one I was at with the Taoiseach, 194 new …
I am being told by the Garda it could put 1,000 people a year through Templemore, which is an extremely encouraging number. It can take up to 225, perhaps more, in each intake. When an intake is approaching, a huge amount of effort is put in by Garda HR to try to process applications faster. I am pleased there is a very efficient processing within An Garda Síochána now. Previously I had heard complaint about people h…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Tá an ceart aige. Tá a lán Gaeilgeoirí sa Gharda Síochána. Beidh mé ag dul go dtí Dún na nGall inniu agus beidh mé ann amárach. Níl aon dabht ach go mbeidh mé ag labhairt Gaeilge leis na gardaí i dTír Chonaill. Tá scéim sa Gharda Síochána. Táimid ag lorg Gaeilgeoirí. Chuaigh mé go dtí Contae na Mí cúpla seachtain ó shin agus bhí mé ag labhairt Gaeilge le go leor gardaí. …
I thank Deputy Cahill for his very important question. As he will be aware, spiking is a crime that preys on vulnerability, undermines consent and can have devastating consequences for victims. I want him to know that as Minister, I am committed to the Government's zero-tolerance approach when it comes to all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Regrettably, it is the case that spiking incidents are g…
I agree with the Deputy. This is an extremely serious offence. It is an offence that is targeted predominately against women so that other serious sexual offences can be perpetrated against them. Gardaí inform me that incidents of spiking are more commonly reported alongside other primary offences.
I also regret to say that it appears that the number of incidents of spiking is significant. I am informed by the Garda…
I will raise with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, the protocols that are or could be put in place if someone presents at an emergency department who believes their drink may have been spiked or they may have been spiked. It is obviously important, if that occurred, for the purpose of the investigation that samples are taken so that proof can be provided that the spiking did, in fact, occur. It ca…
It is an essential part of the Government strategy in respect of responding to domestic violence that we have in place appropriate refuges and safe houses throughout the country.
Under the third national domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, this Government has committed to doubling domestic violence safe accommodation capacity to 282 units by the end of next year. Cuan, the statutory body that has re…
I thank Deputy Kerrane for her question. No doubt there will be an element of flexibility in respect of considering locations for refuges.
It is essential that we have refuges spread geographically throughout the country. What I want to see is not necessarily a refuge in every county, because in some counties you may need two because of the size of them, but locations that are close to where people are and are equid…
I should have pointed out that the refuge I visited on Monday was in Clonmel. I was extremely impressed by the service provided and the commitment of the staff. I was also at another event this week which is relevant to the discussion we are having about domestic violence. That was the launch of a report by an organised called Men Overcoming Violence, MOVE. We are never going to be really able to resolve or properly …
As the Deputy will be aware, this year we changed the payment under the accommodation recognition payment, ARP, from €800 per month to €600 per month. I know there were concerns about that change as to what impact it would have on those individuals being accommodated. I am pleased to say it has not had, in our opinion, a significantly detrimental impact and has not led to very many people who were being accommodated …
I disagree that it was blatantly obvious at the time it was introduced that it was going to have an impact on the private rental sector. We are not even sure at present that it is having an impact. There may be issues in respect of it. It is hard to definitively establish that. We are ensuring it will not be able to affect the private rental sector because we are going to limit eligibility for the ARP to properties t…
I do not recall Sinn Féin objecting to the ARP when the previous Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, introduced it at the time temporary protection was granted.
It was a necessary measure for the purpose of providing accommodation to the large number of people from Ukraine who came here. The Deputy said the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and I have not done anything but we have. We reduced it from €800 to €600. I would have thought it is clearly the case we are gradually trying to introduce further measures in respect of it. We are bringing forward legislation to ensure i…
I move the following Supplementary Estimates:
Vote 2 — Department of the Taoiseach (Supplementary Estimate)
That a supplementary sum not exceeding €3,389,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Department of the Taoiseach, including certain services administered by the Department and for p…
I welcome to the Visitors Gallery the women who have campaigned very vigorously to stop violence against women and girls. It is also very appropriate that this House is discussing the issue of violence against women and girls today, which, as Deputy Farrell says, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. That is a day that is not just recognised in Ireland but is recognised internationally.
…
I was reading section 46 of the sexual offences Act.
I am pleased to commend the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 to the House. No amendments to the Bill have been tabled on Committee Stage. I particularly acknowledge the co-operation and support that has been given to the Bill by colleagues and party spokespersons across the House. I also extend my thanks to the Oireachtas staff, in particular the staff of the Bills Office for their assistance…
I thank Deputy Ward for his contribution. This is an amendment that was mentioned previously by Deputy Carthy. The purpose of it is to try to provide for the payment to jurors of travel and subsistence expenses, and for reimbursement for financial losses incurred in the exercise of their responsibilities as jurors. It is important to point out that jury service is a very important civic duty. In many respects, it is …
I move the following Supplementary Estimates:
Vote 20 — Garda Síochána (Supplementary Estimate)
That a supplementary sum not exceeding €20,424,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Garda Síochána, including pensions, etc.; for the payment of certain witnesses’ expenses, and for payment o…