I am pleased to contribute to this debate. I have watched it from the start. There have been many contributions. I say to Deputy Healy-Rae, if I may, that my wife has Kerry roots, albeit not quite first generation as her family is second generation. He would know the family.
TDs / Kieran O'Donnell
Kieran O'Donnell
Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
113,996
words spoken in the chamber
113,996 as a minister, 0 as a TD
426
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
The record holds no parliamentary questions from them in this Dáil.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 256 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 10 |
| March 2025 | 15 |
| April 2025 | 12 |
| May 2025 | 17 |
| June 2025 | 15 |
| July 2025 | 15 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 11 |
| October 2025 | 12 |
| November 2025 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 6 |
| January 2026 | 30 |
| February 2026 | 18 |
| March 2026 | 10 |
| April 2026 | 2 |
| May 2026 | 20 |
| June 2026 | 9 |
| July 2026 | 10 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 4 |
| October 2026 | 17 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 191 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Limerick City 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage 29 January 2025 to now
To deal with the topic at hand. As the Minister, Deputy Browne, has stated, we are opposing this Bill because the introduction of the household water conservation charge is not in the programme for Government. It will not be introduced. That is categorical.
By way of background, the legislation to implement water charges was contained in the Water Services Act 2014, which was repealed by the Water Services Act 2017.…
I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue on the provision of an ambulance base at Recess, County Galway. I know how important this issue is to them. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of Minister for Health. As the Deputies are aware, this Government has a consistent track record of investment in the National Ambulance Service, NAS, with significant increases in funding since 2019. Budget 2025 conf…
The update we have been given is that planning permission has been secured, which the Deputies already know. The design team is finalising a detailed design, including a fire safety certificate and a disability access certificate with a view to having a stage 2C report submitted to HSE local estates review in the coming weeks. Approval will be sought to proceed to issue tender documents.
There were two specific ques…
I thank Deputy Timmins for raising this in his role as TD for Wicklow. Under Housing for All, the Government has committed to delivering 47,600 new-build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022 to 2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new-build projects delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, AHBs. The number of new-build …
The Deputy made practical points and suggestions. I suggest that he follow up on his detailed proposals directly with the Minister, Deputy James Browne, and Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. In my own role in the Department, I am over housing for the elderly in the context of local authorities.
I will respond to the Deputy's point about An Bord Pleanála. Under the new Planning and Development Act, An Bord Pleanála …
I thank Deputy Neville for raising this issue and offering me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Foley. Ryevale House in County Kildare is an International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, accommodation centre, contracted to the Department since 2023. It provides shelter to approximately 90 women who are applying for internatio…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am taking this matter, as I said, on behalf of the Minister for children, disability and equality, Deputy Foley. The points the Deputy raised will be brought to the attention of the Minister.
I reiterate the Department understands there is ongoing engagement between the provider, the local authority and An Bord Pleanála in the courts in relation to planning matt…
I thank Deputy Cummins for raising this important issue and for offering me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley. I can see the Deputy's commitment to the area. She has lived it and breathed it so I can see how important it is to her on both a political and personal level.
The Minister is committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for y…
I again thank Deputy Cummins for raising this important matter today. I note the points she made and her acknowledgement of the survey and the benefits it will bring. I note her point on a committee for young people. That matter will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Foley.
While providing adequate funding of youth work and youth services is essential, it is also paramount that youth workers themse…
I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising the need to discuss the water supply issues in Duleek and Stalleen. I am taking this Topical Issue debate on behalf of the Minister for housing, Deputy James Browne, who is my colleague in the Department. I appreciate Deputy O'Rourke's concerns for the services and businesses affected. He has outlined it very well.
The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of the public water …
I once again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I acknowledge the patience and co-operation of residents and businesses in Duleek, Staleen and surrounding areas who have been affected by these outages. Uisce Éireann would like to assure customers that when an unplanned outage occurs, local water services crews are immediately dispatched to do repair work as soon as possible. It is always about ensuring that the…
In terms of my role as the Minister of State with special responsibility for older people, and the specific aspect in terms of women in the context of the issue raised by the Deputy, I am going to work with the Minister on the matter. More specifically, I am going to work on the issue raised by the Deputy regarding women moving into their older years. It is something I am very strong on and I will work with the Minis…
I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue and for giving me, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne, the opportunity to update Members on the issue of vacancy and dereliction in Clonmel town.
Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government. To address this, a number of structures have been established, including a dedicated vacant homes unit in m…
I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue and I note his genuine concern regarding Clonmel town. As he stated, a new Garda barracks will be located in Kickham Barracks. The Deputy referred to the site and the people who served there. It is a formerly inaccessible military site which will be turned into a new civic, cultural and educational quarter as part of Clonmel 2030. The regeneration will have 1,00…
I thank Deputy Kelly for raising this important matter. By way of overview, long-term residential care is a crucial part of the overall continuum of care throughout the country. Our HSE community nursing units and community hospitals play a vital role in the provision of long-term care and other services. I am also very conscious of the importance of strengthening the capacity and resilience of our health system thro…
The intention is this summer and that continues to be the case.
I thank Deputy Kelly for raising that matter. He might provide me with the correspondence he has received.
I will repeat particular clarifications on a number of points. First, the decision to utilise the Nenagh community nursing home building on an interim basis as a step-down sub-acute and rehabilitative facility was taken to alleviate the significant pressures at UHL. It is about the pressures and that is a fact. I also reiterate the HSE is working towards a HSE-led model of delivery at Nenagh community nursing unit wi…
On behalf of Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank Deputy Kerrane for the opportunity to update the House on the delivery of pre-hospital emergency care in County Roscommon and the important emergency response role delivered by our National Ambulance Service.
The National Ambulance Service serves the county of Roscommon out of three bases located in Roscommon, Boyle and Loughglinn, which all operate on a 24-7 b…
I note the points the Deputy raised in respect of Roscommon and the roster. There are currently two vacancies. I understand an offer has been made for one of the posts through the National Ambulance Service national transfer process and options for the filling of the second post are being examined. I have asked my Department to follow up on that issue with the NAS and to look at the particular issue of rostering for …
Hear, hear.
As the Deputy said, there is a new and enhanced adaptation grant scheme, which brings in a lot of new innovations, including deductions from nursing homes fees and carers' fees.
The particular point he raised is something we are looking at. We will come back to him on it. This is an issue that is arising. We are looking at that aspect of the scheme.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Finance. As Deputy Byrne will be aware, the programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, includes a commitment to "Consider measures, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, to encourage gym membership and active participation in sport and exercise". The programme for Government also acknowledges that "sport holds …