The 2 cent cut on home heating oil is an absolute slap in the face for people as it is. The fact that the Government is going to take it back off them in a couple of weeks makes it worse. It is going to give a very meagre amount with one hand and it will take it back in a couple of weeks knowing, as it does, that going into this latest crisis that 320,000 people are in arrears on their electricity bills, knowing that…
TDs / Louise O'Reilly
Louise O'Reilly
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
769
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
109,508
words spoken in the chamber
Across 611 contributions. Plus 82 contributions from the chair, not counted
400
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
161
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 769 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 611 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 4 | 18 |
| February 2025 | 31 | 58 |
| March 2025 | 36 | 41 |
| April 2025 | 39 | 15 |
| May 2025 | 96 | 43 |
| June 2025 | 40 | 34 |
| July 2025 | 34 | 52 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 23 | 45 |
| October 2025 | 24 | 52 |
| November 2025 | 62 | 20 |
| December 2025 | 19 | 21 |
| January 2026 | 52 | 34 |
| February 2026 | 28 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 39 | 13 |
| April 2026 | 34 | 36 |
| May 2026 | 20 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 133 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 16 | 19 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 29 | 19 |
| October 2026 | 10 | 12 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 370 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 Dublin Fingal West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
I thank my colleague Deputy David Cullinane and for bringing forward this motion this evening which gives us the chance to have this very important discussion. I also thank him for the proposals he has consistently brought forward which would make a real and meaningful difference not just for patients but also for people working in our health services.
As was rightly pointed out, the issues that are faced in the can…
This is my tenth time to speak on statements on International Women's Day. On International Women's Day, I generally pay tribute to women activists. I am really lucky that there are loads of them in my party, in my family and in my life. However, this afternoon I want to record the loss of an activist, a feminist, a trade unionist, a campaigner and my own mam, Mary O'Reilly, who died last September. However, when I l…
There is legislation.
I start by thanking Deputy Doherty for tabling this motion and for tabling legislation which I think the Tánaiste was unaware of but, happily, he is up to speed with now.
This afternoon legislation was tabled and this evening we will debate a motion and there will be a voice vote later.
That is how it is going to work. I will very clearly thank Deputy Doherty because he recognises there is an emergency. The Tánaiste's response is that the Government actively prepares for a variety of scenarios. I can tell the Tánaiste what scenario is unfolding in homes the length and breadth of this State this evening. It is husbands, wives and partners sitting down and talking about how they are going to be able t…
158. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the direction to local authorities will issue to allow victims and survivors of domestic abuse to move from one local authority list to another and retain their years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17577/26]
The Minister will be aware that last month, as I have done many times before, I raised the issue of victims and survivors of domestic abuse being able to carry time they have accrued on waiting lists from one local authority to another, primarily where that is necessary for their own safety and that of their children. The Tánaiste confirmed that the Minister would be issuing a direction to rectify this. I am looking …
That is not exactly what the Tánaiste said. He said, "the Minister for housing has said he will issue a direction to all local authorities to make sure that issue is rectified." It should have taken the Minister two seconds rather than two minutes to answer. Either it is going to issue or it is not. What the Minister is saying is that a protocol is being developed. That is very welcome, but the Minister might provide…
I fully agree with the Minister. The officials I deal with in Fingal County Council lack neither understanding nor capacity but they do lack basic direction from the Government. As the Minister has said, basic and all as this is, it will take at least until this year to get that done, although it is welcome. As I have said, it is an issue I have raised many times. The Minister will be aware of it. It is not going to …
Is breá liom Seachtain na Gaeilge. Is maith liom a bheith ag éisteacht le gach duine agus iad ag caint as Gaeilge. Tá Gaeilge álainn san Oireachtas seo. Níl a lán Gaeilge agam agus níl a lán confidence agam caint as Gaeilge ach is breá liom páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht seo inniu. Agus mé ag tabhairt faoin óráid seo a scríobh, thug mé faoi deara go mbeadh gá le téarmaíocht nár fhoghlaim mé ar scoil. Ionas go mbea…
1. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the rising rates of youth unemployment; the strategies he is developing to address this issue; if his attention has been drawn specifically to the causes of unemployment for the 18- to 24-year-old cohort; the extent to which he has investigated the impact of automation and AI on the youth labour market; and if he wil…
My question, as the Minister will see, is simple and straightforward. I hope he has plenty of very enlightening answers for me. The question concerns the issue of youth unemployment and, in particular, the impact of automation and AI, which is causing a bit of what might be called a bottleneck. Where previously there would have been a pipeline to move through, a lot of younger people are getting stuck because jobs th…
That will be welcome. A number of factors need to be considered. I welcome the fact that the Minister is concerned because I am, too. I feel that when we are both concerned about something, we might be able to do something about it, which would be good.
I welcome publication of the report into AI. However, there is an issue. Youth unemployment is rising at a faster rate than that of the general population. Therefrom…
I thank the Minister. He mentioned that Intreo staff are engaging intensely. He might provide me with a note on the type of engagement and where it is that Intreo is directing people. We know that 50,000 young workers are either working part time or on low-hours contracts. In some instances, much and all as they should not be, they are on zero-hours contracts.
I met representatives of the National Youth Council of I…
3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to equalise the youth jobseeker’s rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15403/26]
This question relates to the youth rates of jobseeker's payments and whether the Minister has any plans to equalise them. Coming from a trade union background, we always said there should be equal pay for work of equal value. However, for those dependent on a social welfare payment, it would be wrong to assume it is pin money or is somehow not relevant to the young person and his or her family.
My constituency has the youngest population in the State. Youth unemployment is rising at three times the rate for the general population, as we have discussed, and constituencies like mine will feel that the hardest. A total of 18% of 25-year-olds went back to their parents' house after attempting to live on their own and 43% have never left. This means 60%-plus of young adults remain in their family home. The Minis…
The purpose of jobseeker's payments and other social welfare benefits should be to help people to get back on their feet and back into the labour market. However, having subminimum reduced rates for younger people cuts them off and leaves them further adrift. The two-tier element is not a good thing. I appreciate that the full rates are available for those participating in training and employment opportunities but th…
5. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his engagement with the CRU, or energy providers, in relation to pay-as-you-go, or hardship metres; to detail the full extent of this engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15404/26]
My question relates to the engagement the Minister has had with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, or the energy providers, or hopefully both, in relation to pay-as-you-go meters, or as they are sometimes called, hardship meters. We had a discussion yesterday at committee in relation to a particular incident. I will not ask the Minister to comment on that but there is an issue of what I would call micro…
It is very expensive to be poor in this State, if a person finds themselves on a pay-as-you-go meter. I do not give a continental what the energy companies say. Many people are on those meters and they do not want to be. They either believe they have no choice or they are put onto them. They are then charged the most expensive rate of electricity. Thanks to my colleague, Lynn Boylan MEP, we learned in the newspapers …
I welcome that. It is good work to be done but the question was specifically about the engagement the Minister might have had with the CRU or the energy providers. I appreciate that he is going talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I wish him the best with that with. However, it would also be important that the Minister would engage with the CRU. I do not think people are engaging with this issue. I see it, and I…
I thank the Minister for acknowledging my interest in this, and particularly in the role of meals on wheels, which is in the community, already delivering healthy, nutritious meals to people. I would differ with Deputy Hayes. I do not believe there are benefits to being reliant on the private sector. I think that is a backwards step but we are all different in our own lovely ways. Has the Minister had any formal enga…