This is the first opportunity I have had to address the House since the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was elected. I want to do publicly what I have done privately and congratulate him on his election. He has a reputation for representing the interests of Members of this House fearlessly, and that will serve him well in the office of Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish all the best in the future.
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
Not enough questions on record to compare.
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 also welcome that we are having statements today on policing and safety in our communities. As Minister for Justice, I assure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and Members of the House that my priority is to ensure the people can live in communities which they regard as enjoyable and safe. That is not just my priority. I know it is also the priority of my colleagues in the Department of Justice and the Ministers of State, …
I welcome the fact that Members have come in. The point I was making is that we need to be aware of what people expect of our justice system and policing in our community. People expect that, if there is criminal activity, An Garda Síochána will investigate it promptly. They also expect that, if there is suspicion of criminal activity and there is sufficient evidence, it will be brought before the courts and dealt wi…
Maybe I am driving people away. We have five.
Will I continue then? We have five with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
This is a serious debate; it is an important debate. Policing and safety in our community comprise one of the issues raised with me and my colleagues most regularly by constituents and I do not believe it should be used as an opportunity for playacting or trying to use the rules for some short-term political gain.
If we want to have safety in our co…
There are six Deputies present. As I was saying, this is an important debate and I would appreciate it if people would listen to what we are saying. There is an important message that the Government wants to put out. As I said, I will be unhesitatingly supportive of An Garda Síochána in the pursuit of law and order. I ask other Members of the House to be supportive of An Garda Síochána as well. It is extremely import…
Thank you.
Yes. The Deputy might give me his name after the debate.
I know it well.
I commend Deputy Coppinger and her colleagues on using their Private Members' time to table this extremely important motion. As the Deputy indicated, the Government will not oppose the motion. I assure her that is not a case of the Government saying to leave it in our hands. I am fully aware Government will not have all the answers on this issue. Many proposals have been put forward by the Deputy and her colleagues w…
I know but I think it is appropriate that-----
-----I go down and launch that Hardest Stories campaign by Cuan. It is also working in partnership with the Department of education.
I thank the Deputy for the motion. The Government is not opposing it. This is an issue that requires full attention from Government but I reiterate the Government will not have all the answers. There is a requirement for more and I will listen to all suggestions that come from this Hou…
We will.
We will.
I raised that issue in the Department shortly after I was appointed. I am aware that the review has been ongoing. It is not yet completed but I agree with the Deputy regarding the urgency of it being published. I will go back to the Department and find out the date of publication.
I have been told by my Department that a contract has been signed in respect of Clonmel Garda station, which, as the Deputy knows, is badly needed. I am also told that it will be finished by the end of 2026, which is very good news.
Obviously, we are doing our best to ensure we recruit up to 1,000 gardaí each year. The intention is that they will be spread around the country. Obviously, Clonmel in the Deputy's const…
There must be a multifaceted response to knife crime. One of the responses has to be ensuring that we have greater numbers of gardaí on the streets to seize knives. Last year, over 2,100 knives were seized by An Garda Síochána. That is part of the solution.
Another part has to be powers for An Garda Síochána in order that gardaí can stop and search people so that they can seize knives from them if they suspect they …
I am certainly happy to meet the board and organise for that to take place. I will get back to the Deputy in respect of that. I will speak to the relevant authorities on investment in Ballymun. I am conscious it is an area which requires investment but I do not think there will be any shortage of commitment from the Government on that.
Seo hé mo chéad díospóireacht mar Aire agus ar dtús ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach agus a rá gur onóir an-mhór í a bheith mar Aire dlí agus cirt. Is post an-tábhachtach é a bhfuil freagrachtaí tromchúiseacha air. Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall a chinntiú go bhfuil an pobal sábháilte agus go dtugtar tacaíocht don Gharda Síochána.
This is the first time I have had an opportunity to contribute to a…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure:
Council Decision auth…
Thank you,
I thank the Deputies for their contributions, which I listened to carefully, and for their best wishes on this, the first day on which I am dealing with a debate in the House as Minister for Justice. I also wish Deputy Carthy well in his position as Opposition spokesperson on justice and, indeed, Deputy Kelly. I do not have all the answers in respect of justice issues and I do not think the House would expect me to. …
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirleach Gníomhach.
I am aware of the tragic case of Joe Drennan. As the Minister said, I will get back to the Deputy in respect of it. Obviously, I cannot deal with issues arising from specific sentences imposed in individual cases but it is the case that in certain instances, consecutive sentences appear to be more appropriate than concurrent sentences. There is a benefit in clarifying that across the board.
I thank the Deputy. I was asked a straight question yesterday and I gave a straight answer. Before I was appointed as Minister for Justice I was asked whether parts of Dublin are unsafe at certain times and I said that they are. I am not going to change my answer simply because it is convenient to do so. I emphasise, however, that I would have thought that if people in this House were asked whether Stoneybatter was a…