It is unacceptable that the review of wind energy guidelines has taken several years. It is a dereliction of duty from the Government while these developments are causing such unease in our communities. We all recognise that this is something that will never be perfect. There will always be controversial developments, but the Government, at the very minimum, needs to step in to put some kind of plan or framework in p…
TDs / Louis O'Hara
Louis O'Hara
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,081
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
64,653
words spoken in the chamber
Across 288 contributions. Plus 4 contributions from the chair, not counted
432
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
242
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 1,081 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 288 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 44 | 5 |
| March 2025 | 43 | 11 |
| April 2025 | 41 | 9 |
| May 2025 | 51 | 23 |
| June 2025 | 51 | 6 |
| July 2025 | 49 | 12 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 55 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 26 | 13 |
| November 2025 | 80 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 44 | 17 |
| January 2026 | 59 | 13 |
| February 2026 | 73 | 27 |
| March 2026 | 70 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 87 | 12 |
| May 2026 | 74 | 14 |
| June 2026 | 91 | 26 |
| July 2026 | 41 | 17 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 46 | 19 |
| October 2026 | 47 | 14 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 210 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 Galway East 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
Access to dental services is fundamental to a person's overall health. A person's income or means should not be a factor as to whether he or she can access the dental services he or she requires. However, we have seen a total collapse in the school screening programme, while adults with a medical card find it increasingly difficult to access care under the dental treatment services scheme, DTSS. Over the past number …
I wish to raise the issue of energy developments in County Galway. My constituency has seen some of the highest concentration of wind energy projects across the State. There are proposals for a large solar project in Monivea and two large-scale gas-fired generation plants in Athenry and Portumna. These projects are causing huge unease in communities. They are extremely divisive and they are all being led-----
We have wind farms, a solar project in Monivea and two large-scale gas-fired generation plants being proposed in Athenry and Portumna.
In general, yes. All these projects are very divisive. They are all being led by private investors that are only interested in extracting a profit from local resources and are not interested in the communities around them. The public consultations on these projects are nothing more than box-ticking exercises. There is no input from communities and many large-scale projects are in close proximity to residential areas.…
I am not rejecting them. I am just about talking about guidelines for where they should be going in.
The cost-of-living is too high but the Government is in complete denial about this reality. It seems to believe that the cost-of-living crisis is over and it is ruling out a cost-of-living package while households struggle. It is clear the Government is totally out of touch. Every week in my clinics, I have people coming in to me who are struggling to make ends meet, with high energy costs, rent and childcare and fue…
105. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will reverse his decision to increase the student contribution fee for third level undergraduate students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37415/25]
Following on from the earlier questions, I again ask the Minister whether the fees will be €2,000 or €3,000 for the next academic year. I have had countless people, students and families, in touch with me to tell me that, if the fees are increased for the next academic year, they will not be able to afford them. This is wrong. It is not a position people should be put in. We need clarity from the Minister on this as …
The comments the Minister made on national radio caused great uncertainty on this matter. We still do not have clarity on the issue nine days on. I will tell the Minister about the impact this uncertainty and the proposed hike is having on people. He said that he did not understand how people would not be able to afford this increase in fees. A mother in my constituency who has two children in college told me that sh…
I raised the case of a woman in my constituency, and I ask the Minister for a response to that particular case and the questions that woman has about how she is expected to afford an increase in fees. Students need to be able to plan and budget in advance for the upcoming academic year and they need certainty around this. I want to know because this is the second time in recent weeks that students have been thrown un…
The differences are striking when we look at a map of Ireland's current rail network compared to the network of 100 years ago. I refer in particular to the absence of infrastructure from the west, the north west and Border counties. The reality is that we have gone backwards in recent decades. Plans are one thing but we need implementation to progress new projects in a timely manner and to address the imbalance in re…
The General Post Office is one of the most respected sites on this island. It allows us to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of the 1916 rebels. It is our responsibility, as the generations who come after them, to commemorate their sacrifices and to work to realise the aspirations of the 1916 Proclamation. Therefore, the Government's plans to redevelop parts of the building into a mixed-use precinct, which would …
I bring to the Tánaiste's attention proposals for the development of Portumna Forest Park in County Galway being led by Coillte. This is a natural and public resource for the local community. The Protect Portumna Forest Park Community Group has carried out an extensive survey in the local community. The results show clear opposition to the idea of building tourist accommodation in the forest park and strong support f…
The office of President is one of great symbolism and standing and our President is the representative of all the Irish people on the international stage. The Good Friday Agreement recognises the birthright of the people of the North of Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish, British or both, while the Irish diaspora around the world were and continue to be a driving force to encourage international …
Dunguaire Castle is an iconic cultural and heritage landmark in Kinvara on the Wild Atlantic Way but it remains closed off to the public. That is a huge loss for Kinvara and south Galway as a whole in terms of tourism, heritage and employment. This loss is being felt as we enter the summer months. Dunguaire is a 16th century castle with great history, but it has been closed for two years. Huge numbers of tourists pas…
The issue is not just the purchase of the castle but also bringing it up to a safe standard. As outlined, Galway County Council estimates that could cost millions of euro. The grant schemes the Minister of State has outlined, such as one offering €100,000, will not be sufficient for Galway County Council to acquire the castle and bring it back into use.
The Minister of State mentioned some of the Clare assets of the…
As the Minister of State is aware, Athenry has been without bus services to Galway city for nine months since the previous operator ended its service in September 2024. This is an unacceptable situation for a town of the size of Athenry. It is an enormous loss that has caused real difficulties for workers, students, people accessing hospital appointments and so on. It has caused particular difficulties for those who …
Week in and week out, I have people in my clinics who are distraught because they cannot afford the cost of rent. A woman had to leave her home due to domestic violence and found herself and five kids moving in with elderly parents. A couple have to leave their home in two weeks' time and do not know where they will leave their personal belongings or their pets or whether they will be able to access emergency accommo…
Lives continue to be lost because of the State's failure to provide adequate mental health care. Each year, more than 50,000 people try to access mental health services for the first time through hospital emergency departments. A petition started by the family of the late Adam Loughnane has received more than 17,000 signatures. It calls for alternatives to emergency departments for people in a mental health crisis. O…
Flooding has caused significant damage to the properties of and given rise to costs for and anxiety among residents in my constituency of Galway East. I recently met representatives of the Save our Shannon Organisation who represent more than 600 farming families whose livelihoods are severely impacted by summer and winter flooding in the Shannon Callows. Flooding is also causing the destruction of the bird populatio…
The Palestinian people have been subjected to starvation, occupation, dispossession and genocide at the hands of Israel. This is ethnic cleansing and a human tragedy of unimaginable scale. Israel has shown no restraint in its onslaught on the Palestinian people, and the Irish Central Bank is supporting this violence by facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds.
The Government has said it will do everything in its p…
78. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, application (details supplied) can be expedited given the declining condition of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25392/25]
Can the RRDF application submitted by Galway County Council in regard to the redevelopment of Gort convent be expedited? It is an urgent project, given the declining condition of the building. It is important to the local community and I urge the Government to approve it as soon as possible.
This application is about progressing plans to transform the convent into a remote working and cultural and community hub. I acknowledge the work of the Gort Town Team and other local groups on this project. There are many active groups in the area that would like to make use of such facilities, including the resource centre, the forge and many more that do fantastic work in the area.
This is an iconic building in t…