163. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he has discussed the potential total funding that will be available for the next round of the community sports facilities fund; if his Department has completed the review of the last round of the same fund; the timeline for the next round of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16720/26]
TDs / James O'Connor
James O'Connor
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
499
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
16,905
words spoken in the chamber
Across 80 contributions. Plus 30 contributions from the chair, not counted
371
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
143
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 499 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 80 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 44 | 5 |
| March 2025 | 17 | 5 |
| April 2025 | 17 | 8 |
| May 2025 | 41 | 11 |
| June 2025 | 43 | 1 |
| July 2025 | 26 | 10 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 30 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 28 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 38 | 7 |
| December 2025 | 14 | 2 |
| January 2026 | 37 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 21 | 2 |
| March 2026 | 14 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 31 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 26 | 15 |
| June 2026 | 26 | 4 |
| July 2026 | 18 | 3 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 3 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 24 | 0 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 70 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 Cork East 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case:
Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the national planning framework and the sustainable rural housing guidelines
Deputy Shane Moynihan - Plé a dhéanamh ar stádas DEIS do Ghaelscoil Lir.
Deputy Peter Roche - To discuss review of SNA deployment toolkit and elig…
We will start with Deputy Willie Aird and his Topical Issue matter to the Minister for Health to discuss the issue of Droimnín private nursing home, Stradbally.
I apologise to Deputy Ardagh because I missed her second contribution. That concludes her Topical Issue question. I thank her. Before we proceed, I thank the Minister very much for his constituency visit with me last week. It went down very well. I very much appreciate him taking the time to come to meet the Youghal Socio-Economic Development Group.
I want to raise the issue of the return of the Midleton to Youghal railway. As a TD for the constituency of Cork East, I want to report to the House and to the Minister that the overwhelming view of constituents in my area is their desire to see further expansion of the east Cork rail corridor beyond Midleton, restoring it once again to the town of Youghal and opening the stations in the villages of Mogeely and Kille…
I appreciate the feedback. It is clear there is that opportunity next year with CMATS.
I want to be crystal clear and honest with people on this. Making this happen prior to the construction of an upgraded N25 between Midleton and Youghal is going to be a difficult challenge. Politically, everybody whom I have dealt with here in Dáil Éireann wants the return of the rail. That is the prevailing view of the TDs in the…
Deputies from around the House have been speaking about the importance of what SNAs provide in education settings for our most vulnerable students. As Deputy Connolly noted, it is very regrettable that we have ended up in this situation, where there is such anger and hurt. As a TD representing the people of Cork East who is conscious of the very good work SNAs do in our schools, I saw at first hand in my time in seco…
I am sharing time with my colleague, Deputy O'Connell, on the important issue of flooding. I represent the constituency of Cork East and have the honour and privilege to do so in Dáil Éireann. It is well known that Storm Babet in October 2023 did unmerciful damage to a huge number of homes and businesses across the constituency. Over 800 homes and premises were badly damaged. Many people's homes were destroyed and ne…
9. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employees in County Cork registered with My Future Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2683/26]
20. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will meet next. [67601/25]
19. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Taoiseach his Department's plans to co-ordinate a range of actions aimed at regulatory reform. [65261/25]
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC gave a very stern warning to the Government yesterday about our level of expenditure. What I want to raise is an important project that the Government could get behind to try to grow our domestic enterprise and entrepreneurial activity in Ireland. I gave a presentation to our parliamentary party in relation to having a national, fully supported accelerator grown and developed i…
10. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his plans to draw up planning guidelines for solar farms for local authorities; to outline the discussions his Department has held with other Departments; if his Department have considered the EU's RED III directive within its plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65840/25]
120. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered drawing up planning guidelines for solar farms; if he will outline the stages in this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65841/25]
This is an important question. On behalf of the people of Cork East, I want to ask about the position regarding the publication of solar guidelines. There has been an explosion in the number of solar projects across Cork East as a constituency, as well as in Deputy O'Sullivan's constituency of Cork North-Central and other parts of the country where developments have occurred, often at very large scale from 500 to 600…
I thank the Minister. I acknowledge that he has provided a response. As a TD, I have no issue with the need for renewable energy and the decarbonisation of our economy but when it comes in the form of using thousands of acres of land in highly commercial agricultural areas - the Cork East constituency has some of the best land in the country - that represents one issue, and the second issue is the scale of these deve…
It will take more to deter us than a few cheap shots in op-eds in the Irish Examiner criticising me and others for having the courage to come in here and raise these matters. Deputy O'Sullivan is right that we need the guidelines. Local authorities need those guidelines and they need leadership from the Government. A message must go back to the custodians of the status quo who have let this matter carry on for so lon…
79. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who will gain from the changes in the means test for the carer’s allowance announced in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62283/25]
According to the Central Statistics Office there has been a drop-off of almost €50 billion in inbound foreign direct investment value into Ireland. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Tánaiste will understand the importance of connectivity for a small island economy. The reality is that the world economy is moving further east all of the time. Only one flight leaves this country for Asia and that is di…
This is my first contribution since the Dáil returned. I look forward to the next number of months. I thank the Minister of State for his ongoing engagement regarding school transport. I will address the pilot scheme for the Kilcredan school area. When this was brought forward, a lot of us were thrilled because we felt it would bring about a permanent solution. It has been very difficult dealing with school bus issue…
7. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of flood schemes for Rathcormac, Midleton, Castlemartyr, Mogeely and Killeagh and any others in Cork East that his Department is considering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40173/25]
9. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department will consider a new retrospective scheme for residents of Midleton who wish to purchase higher barriers to protect their premises from any flooding that may occur in the future, considering that parts of Midleton town were under four feet and more of water during Storm Babet; …
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I am sorry. I apologise because I am chairing a select committee this morning, too.
Go raibh maith agat. I just wish to reiterate the point regarding the need to expedite the flood schemes for Mogeely and Castlemartyr in terms of tranche 2 schemes and for Rathcormac as well, and the importance of this being done. Deputy McCarthy and I are in the House this morning as local Government TDs. The communities impacted post Storm Babet need to see this critical flood infrastructure being put in place. The…
85. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of school building projects across Cork county of which her Department is aware, in tabular form; the stage of the process they are currently at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40175/25]