I stand in firm opposition to this destructive legislation. It is the most profound change to the regulation of the private rental sector in a decade and will have a severe impact on renters across the State. At a time when families are already crushed by a cost-of-living crisis, this Bill is not a reset; it is a surrender. The rent-hike Bill of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will allow vulture funds and big landlords to …
TDs / Darren O'Rourke
Darren O'Rourke
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,809
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
93,019
words spoken in the chamber
Across 530 contributions. Plus 27 contributions from the chair, not counted
435
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
270
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 1,809 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 530 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 25 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 112 | 30 |
| March 2025 | 96 | 8 |
| April 2025 | 54 | 17 |
| May 2025 | 91 | 38 |
| June 2025 | 121 | 28 |
| July 2025 | 198 | 41 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 76 | 13 |
| October 2025 | 97 | 21 |
| November 2025 | 109 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 71 | 29 |
| January 2026 | 77 | 32 |
| February 2026 | 181 | 52 |
| March 2026 | 100 | 22 |
| April 2026 | 90 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 60 | 31 |
| June 2026 | 129 | 39 |
| July 2026 | 42 | 22 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 27 | 16 |
| October 2026 | 53 | 22 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 407 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 Meath East 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
I do not mind.
16. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment which has taken place of the potential impact of the Mercosur trade deal on the Irish beef industry; the measures he will take to mitigate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5369/26]
What assessment has taken place of the potential impact of the Mercosur trade deal on the Irish beef industry? What measures will he will take to mitigate this?
The impact is tens of millions of euros and a very significant question mark over food safety, standards, quality and the environmental impact. “Non-negotiable” is an easy thing to say but we know in practical terms, whether in food safety or technology, that there are many examples and huge potential for this to be the thin end of the wedge. That is the reality of this. It is a concern, and all we have to do is look…
The twin-track approach the Government took in relation to Mercosur was that it was for it and against it at the same time. If we look at the Government’s actions and efforts to oppose it, they fell far short of what was required, and they certainly were not successful in delivering what Irish farmers needed. We look at how Government MEPs voted on the referral to the European Court of Justice. They literally did bot…
Yesterday the Minister for Education and Youth listed 105 priority new school building and extension projects to proceed to tender and construction in 2026 and 2027 as part of the national development plan, NDP. While that is welcome for those communities, there were no objective criteria set out and no explanation as to why particular projects were selected for prioritisation over others. There was very significant …
I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. I thank the Social Democrats for bringing it forward. People with disabilities are disproportionately at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Households that include people with disabilities require between 41% and 93% extra disposable income to achieve the same standard of living as households with no disabled members. A budget that leaves them significantly - by €1…
The Government's plans are an admission of a profound failure on the part of successive Governments that consistently failed to co-ordinate and deliver. In County Meath, the Government's legacy is one of broken promises. We have unaffordable housing without adequate water and wastewater infrastructure in Dunboyne, Duleek, Kells and elsewhere. Communities in Ashbourne, Ratoath, Kells and elsewhere are without working …
9. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the G20 in South Africa. [5795/26]
18. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach for a report on his attendance at the EU-African Union summit. [5796/26]
144. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to address the lack of affordable housing in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3349/26]
Affordability is the single biggest housing issue in County Meath.
So many people who are working are above the social housing threshold but they cannot get a mortgage. The numbers the Minister talks about are nowhere near enough. In addition, they are not affordable. I can give the example of Foxwood Park in Kells that is about to come on stream. I am sure they are fine houses and the people who get them will be ab…
Could I specifically raise the issue this time round in relation to the design of the scheme? The question specifically relates to the redemption and realisation of the council equity. I do not think people are aware of the fact that there is a premium on the council equity. If it is 10% on a house costing €405,000 today, the percentage relates to the current market value. If I am in that property for 30 years and I …
I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill, notwithstanding the well-made points that have been raised regarding its miscellaneous nature and the number and range of proposals and measures therein. The Bill presents itself as progress but on the most contentious issue before us, the use of counselling notes in sexual violence trials, it represents a profound failure of ambition and a direct rejection o…
I welcome the opportunity to speak on the River Boyne Task Force Bill. I thank Deputy Nash and the Labour Party for bringing it forward. I am sorry I did not speak after Deputy Nash, because I was enthusiastic at that stage. I am now coming after the Minister of State and he has put us on a downer.
It is an important piece of legislation and it deals with one of our greatest national and natural resources, the River Boyne. It relates to the Save the Boyne campaign and the effort to reject the proposal from Dawn Meats to emit waste into the Boyne. That campaign was successful and I was happy, along with Sinn Féin colleagues, to support that effort and to play our part. However, the real credit, as anyone who was…
I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and thank the Labour Party for bringing it forward.
The people in County Meath are in a daily battle for reliable transport. Our infrastructure is failing to keep pace with our growing population, leaving commuters stranded and communities isolated. Motorists are crucified with increasing costs of petrol and diesel and toll charge increases. The infrastructure defici…
I welcome the opportunity to speak today. Priority or urgent areas of focus for me include the need for new water mains in Dunboyne and Duleek but with the limited time available to me, I will restrict my comments to the urgent need for investment in surface water and wastewater infrastructure in Kells, County Meath. These issues are long identified but the responsible authorities from top to bottom and bottom to top…
22. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach for an overview of his Department’s annual report for 2024. [3647/26]
141. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to outline his investment in public swimming pools; the new pools that will be opened in 2026 and 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3342/26]
I thank the Minister of State for that response. I was prompted to submit this question, in the first instance, by the Swimming Pool Gap Analysis Report, which the Minister of State will be familiar with, published in December and commissioned by Swim Ireland and, second, as a parent trying to access swimming lessons for my kids. I recognise the picture on the front of this report. It is of Kells Swimming Club, which…
I mentioned my experience as a child going to school in Kells. We had pretty unique access to Kells Swimming Pool, which is a public swimming pool. There are a number of important findings in the report. I am glad the Department commissioned it. I hope it pays attention to those findings and acts on them. The important piece is access. I talk about Kells, and we think of areas in Leinster, Connacht and south Munster …
I welcome the opportunity to raise this matter and thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting it. This is an issue I have raised consistently and to which I have had numerous responses at a State-wide level from the HSE. The HSE points to the number of people, over 22,000 adults, in receipt of HSE-funded disability day service supports at 1,200 locations, working with 97 service providers. It acknowledges that many peop…
I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I know she understands the importance of these services for Noah and everybody else who accesses them for fulfilment, engagement, development and independence. She has articulated here and in the responses I have got before that a unique set of circumstances exist in Meath. It is a frustration for us in Meath that they were there. It is different now for people coming into…