I welcome the opportunity to speak on these statements. I would like to have the opportunity to talk about the potential benefits and the approach we need to take to reap those benefits and mitigate the potential negatives. This debate will have a significant focus on the real negatives. We did not have to imagine them because they presented in very clear terms. The Garda confirmation yesterday of 200 active investig…
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
Uisce Éireann Infrastructure Delivery, Accountability and Repair Timelines: Motion [Private Members]
Along with Deputies Ó Broin, Guirke and Gould, Sinn Féin and I introduced the Water Services (Amendment) Bill last year with the specific aim of holding Uisce Éireann to account in cases of water outages and disruptions in supply. It is good legislation. The Government should enact it. It would mandate Uisce Éireann to have a dedicated response for vulnerable domestic and business customers, have a detailed communica…
5. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [69705/25]
7. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [71907/25]
Will the Taoiseach immediately publish a full and detailed account of all legal, political and diplomatic actions that the Government has taken or intends to take to oppose the ratification of the Mercosur trade agreement and outline definitive steps to ensure that Mercosur beef cannot enter the Irish food chain under any circumstances? Will he actively and publicly support the legal action taken by Members of the Eu…
21. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination will next meet. [71906/25]
I want to raise the issue of access to judicial review and costs. We all appreciate the need for the delivery of critical infrastructure, housing, transport and all the necessary infrastructure we need for our communities. There is a consultation going on at present on the issue of costs for judicial review. This could potentially mean that where local communities and individuals take a judicial review, they would be…
These are cases where people win.
Given the clear State obligation to provide an appropriate school place for every child with additional needs, can the Tánaiste explain why parents who applied after the NCSE's 1 October deadline are being excluded from the process of securing a school place for next September? There is silence from the line Ministers and a standard response from the NCSE telling parents who applied after the 1 October deadline: "The…
I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill from my perspective as Sinn Féin's spokesperson on education and youth. Sinn Féin supports a ban on single-use vapes. We have called for a ban for years. They are an environmental scourge and a public health concern. Their proliferation has been a testament to regulatory failure.
While we support this specific measure, we must criticise the Government's entire approach…
11. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [69703/25]
I want to raise the issue of child homelessness. In October there were 5,274 children in emergency accommodation. More than 150 of those were in my county, Meath. There is an expectation that at Christmas there will be more than 5,000 and that almost 1,000 of those will be in emergency accommodation for their second or third Christmas. Are there specific measures the Government will take in advance of Christmas, now …
21. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at COP30 in Belém. [69704/25]
One of the most effective ways we can reduce emissions is by encouraging people on to public transport. I want to raise the lack of public transport in Bellewstown, County Meath. A 13-year-old boy, James Black, has started a campaign there and has hundreds of petition signatures calling for a public bus services for the village of Bellewstown. Fair play and well done to him for that. He has got an amount of media att…
I thank Deputy Cullinane for bringing forward this motion. The value of blister packs is far beyond the monetary cost of the plastic. They provide independence, confidence, reassurance and safety for patients and their families. They bring reassurance that patients will be safe and will be able to manage their own medication.
Last week's announcement has had an impact on many people across the State. It has caused h…
88. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of notifications through the NCSE's parent notify portal by the 1 October 2025 deadline; the number of parents who have contacted the NCSE after the deadline with a recommendation for a special class or a special school place; the way in which both categories of applications, pre- and post 1 October, will be progressed; and if she will m…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit, but he did not answer the question I asked. If he had done, he would have given me some numbers. He would have given me the numbers notified through the portal by 1 October and the numbers that have contacted the NCSE. Does he have those figures? It is a terrible reflection on the system if he does not have them because the whole point of this new procedure is that we have a syste…
This has been the experience for a couple of years now but I must say that I absolutely despair at the lack of basic information for Opposition TDs and the general public on this point. Earlier this week, another curveball or grenade - call it whatever you want - was thrown into the system and has caused major concern. That is the issue of what is now a recommendation. What does it mean for children and assessments o…
90. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools referred to the financial service support unit in 2023-24, 2024-25 and to date in the 2025-26 school year; the measures she is taking to support schools financially through the winter in the absence of a cost-of-living package this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71049/25]
I wish to ask the Minister of State the number of schools referred to the financial support services unit in the academic year 2023-24, 2024-25 and to date in 2025-26 and the measures he is taking to support schools financially through this winter in the absence of a cost-of-living package.
I thank the Minister of State for those figures, but they paint a picture that is a very stark one in terms of the financial challenge schools are going through. Regarding those numbers, we are not at Christmas yet and we have 18 schools referred to the FSSU so far this year and nine that have needed advanced payments. A number of schools, including Darver in neighbouring County Louth, have been high-profile in terms…
Costs are increasing and, in real terms, last year capitation per student in primary schools was €236 and €400 per student in post-primary schools. That is when we take the capitation and the cost-of-living aspects into account. This year, it is €224 per student at primary level versus €236 last year, while at secondary level, it is €386 per student compared with €400 last year. That is a net decrease in real terms a…
97. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on Oíche na hÓige; outline how she intends to build on the event through capital investment in youth facilities across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70748/25]
Will the Minister of State provide an update on Oíche na hÓige and outline how he intends to build on the event through capital investment in youth facilities across the State?
Oíche na hÓige was a success. In my constituency of Meath East, I attended open nights held by Ratoath Foróige and 5th Meath Kells Scouts.
They do such good and important work in the community. In both of those projects, like so many, it is about youth leadership, with young people leading. Is it planned that Oíche na hÓige will be an annual event? Has that decision been made or is it under consideration? It is some…