Will the Minister outline the details of the new RAPID programme announced in budget 2026? Communities have been eager to see renewed investment in their areas and clarity about how the programme will operate is really important. Will he outline the main features of the new scheme and indicate when he expects it to become fully operational?
TDs / Robert O'Donoghue
Robert O'Donoghue
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988
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
61,781
words spoken in the chamber
Across 173 contributions
419
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
221
topics asked about
Across 19 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
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The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
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Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 988 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 173 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 35 | 4 |
| March 2025 | 46 | 6 |
| April 2025 | 45 | 8 |
| May 2025 | 35 | 15 |
| June 2025 | 27 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 46 | 5 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 34 | 2 |
| October 2025 | 58 | 26 |
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| December 2025 | 29 | 0 |
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| April 2026 | 65 | 6 |
| May 2026 | 60 | 15 |
| June 2026 | 49 | 14 |
| July 2026 | 62 | 16 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 16 | 4 |
| October 2026 | 23 | 5 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 114 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 Fingal West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Labour Party 29 November 2024 to now
The Minister outlined quite succinctly that the RAPID programme has been really important over the years in tackling disadvantage and dereliction and breathing life into new towns. The previous scheme made a real difference in places like Athy, where that targeted investment helped communities deal with deprivation and improve local facilities. As the Minister moves forward with the new RAPID programme announced two …
I am taking this question on behalf of my party colleague Deputy Mark Wall so I might as well use the opportunity to give my constituency a plug in the hope we can secure funding for local projects that make a difference. My hope is that the new RAPID scheme will be a funding model that will also allow smaller grassroots projects for local groups, volunteers and small-scale interventions to take place. They need Stat…
I want to raise the case of a child in my constituency, Dublin Fingal West. She will be nine next month. I have permission from her parents to use her name, which is Willow. She was waiting for two years for an assessment for speech and language therapy. Thankfully, she has got the assessment and it has been confirmed that she needs speech and language therapy now. However, her parents have been told that it will be …
I wish to address the ongoing issue of communication, or more accurately the lack thereof, from Bus Éireann with public representatives. Numerous emails from my office and from colleagues I have talked to have gone unanswered. In other cases, I was even asked to provide written consent from constituents confirming I had their permission to contact Bus Éireann on their behalf. I did exactly that, yet weeks later there…
We are all aware that it is there because we all use it. However, what parents and public representatives need are results. We need a good communication channel and we need Bus Éireann to start replying to those emails. We need accountability in a system that works. It is simply not acceptable that elected representatives, who are trying to resolve issues for their constituents, are left for weeks without a basic res…
I speak today on behalf of the constituents of Dublin Fingal West, dealing with the stress caused by their houses literally crumbling around them. Families did everything right. They saved, they waited for their homes to be built, took pride in their home and now they live in fear, with cracks going up the walls, through the floors and the ceilings yet the response from the Department is painfully slow.
Its slowness…
The budget that was announced two weeks ago has revealed what this Government really thinks about Irish agriculture. Despite the pre-election promises, farming received barely a minute's mention across the two ministerial budget day speeches on 7 October. Within that silence, the story of the Irish tillage sector stands out as truly symbolic, a measure of neglect and a reflection of how disconnected Government policy…
89. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to developing and implementing a comprehensive resilience and recovery plan now to ensure that rural and agricultural communities are protected when the next major storm occurs (details supplied). [55112/25]
Storm Éowyn exposed significant vulnerabilities in our national preparedness and recovery systems. Rural Irish communities endured prolonged power and communications outages while many small family-run farms were excluded from State supports due to restrictive eligibility criteria. We cannot continue to respond reactively to such crises.
Will the Minister commit to developing and implementing a comprehensive resilie…
I appreciate the Minister’s response in regard to horticulture, but I want to return to the reality facing many small farmers after Storm Éowyn. These people are on modest incomes, with nothing in reserve, yet they are central to food production and rural life. Many of them suffered genuine damage, including polytunnels torn apart and crops lost, yet they could not insure those structures, nor did they qualify for ma…
I appreciate the support. I might, in the future, talk to the Minister about this outside the Chamber. I thank him.
99. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to developing an integrated national food security strategy that strengthens local production, addresses food poverty and ensures that our food system is both environmentally and socially sustainable (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55119/25]
Farmers are under pressure and families are struggling with food costs. Communities want to see more local produce on shelves. Is it not time we had a new joined-up national plan to make this happen?
The recent Irish Country Living feature on Talamh Beo's Gorse Farm and Hinterland highlights what food security should mean in Ireland, namely farmers and communities working together to grow healthy, local food and keeping value in the local economy. These groups are doing that with little or no Government support. They call for exactly what is missing, which is a joined-up national food security strategy that suppo…
103. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the measures being taken to strengthen existing animal welfare laws and enforcement mechanisms; if his Department intends to engage with campaign representatives to progress the aims of Stout's law (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55118/25]
What the Government showed on Tuesday is just how completely out of touch it is with some of the struggles of normal people. It announced the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector and handed out rewards to developers, fast food chains and lobbyists - the well-connected who do not need a cent of the money involved. Meanwhile, the people who keep this country running by going to work and paying their taxes did not get…
2. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider transferring certain State services, such as voter registration, motor tax payments, or cash collection, to An Post with a view to supporting its long-term viability, preventing further post office closures, reducing pressure on other public services and allowing people with lower levels of digital literacy skills…
Post offices are far more than service providers; they are the beating heart of the community. They bring people together. Therefore, it is not just about posting a letter or paying a bill; it is about human interaction. In rural towns and villages, post offices often serve as the only local retail outlet, frequently integrating with shops and newsagents. This makes them indispensable in providing everyday goods and …
It is good to hear that the Department is seeing this as a challenge to the organisation because that is key in all of this. I urge the Minister to support the IPU in its calls for €15 million in additional funding for budget 2026. This is just to keep them viable. It is to stop them closing their doors. However, what they really need is a long-term plan. As the Minister outlined with physical mail deliveries, that i…
9. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures he is adopting to ensure that independent radio and broadcasters have fair access to funding in budget 2026, particularly in underserved or rural areas; the means by which he plans to support current affairs and local news provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52422/25]
What measures is the Minister adopting to ensure that independent radio stations, such as Live 95, which covers the constituencies of the Chair and the Minister, have fair access to funding in budget 2026, particularly in underserved rural areas? By what means does he plan to support current affairs and local news provision?
I thank the Minister for the response. Independent radio is a trusted voice for 2.5 million people across Ireland. For less than 1.4% of total media funding, we can protect and strengthen that service, with just €4.5 million coming from the budget. It is good to hear €3 million will be kept ring-fenced in order to continue delivering independent, high-quality news and public service content. A total of €1.5 million i…
I thank the Minister.
Sport has always been more than just a game. It has the power to unite people, create memories, give us moments of pride that last a lifetime and improve health outcomes. I was a soccer referee for 15 years, which was good for physical and mental health to some degree.
Over the past year, Ireland has enjoyed some truly great sporting highs. Last weekend Shane Lowry played a key role as Europe clinched an historic wi…