As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Burke, launched the Government's Action Plan on Market Diversification recently. It contains important actions aimed at supporting export-orientated sectors, including the agrifood sector. This focus on market diversification for the sector also aligns with the objectives of the Food Vision 2030 strategy, which is led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The…
TDs / Niamh Smyth
Niamh Smyth
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Portrait: Niamh Smyth (CC BY 4.0) · source file
994
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
67,002
words spoken in the chamber
67,002 as a minister, 0 as a TD
328
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
161
topics asked about
Across 19 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 994 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 160 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 41 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 40 | 24 |
| March 2025 | 61 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 59 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 47 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 30 | 6 |
| July 2025 | 34 | 10 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 101 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 46 | 2 |
| November 2025 | 61 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 39 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 45 | 15 |
| February 2026 | 51 | 4 |
| March 2026 | 63 | 4 |
| April 2026 | 56 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 56 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 58 | 8 |
| July 2026 | 35 | 14 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 59 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 12 | 1 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 110 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 Cavan-Monaghan 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment 29 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 2 June 2025 to now
As I said, the Department has encouraged the Irish industry to co-operate fully with the Chinese investigations, and the Commission will support its efforts to defend EU farmers and exporters on the matter. I am cognisant of the fact that the Minister, Deputy Burke, has done a huge amount in terms of particular sectors being able to take shocks like that, having that resilience in place. That is what the action plan …
I wish Deputy Connolly well in her campaign in the weeks ahead. She is a brave lady.
As the national competent authority for export controls, my responsibilities centre around the control of exports of dual-use and military items under EU and national legislation. These controls are administered by the Department in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a E…
I do not have exact details on the reasons the application was refused. I will look for clarity on that and furnish the Deputy with the details. There is extensive engagement between my officials and exporters should any questions or concerns arise regarding any application for any destination, including Israel. If, after engagement, there are any outstanding concerns that the goods being exported will not be used fo…
I reiterate that I will ask the Department, insofar as it can, to furnish the Deputy with much greater detail on the refusal I indicated and the reasons for it. My officials seek real-time geopolitical observations from the Department of foreign affairs in respect of all applications, and those views inform the final decision to grant or deny a licence. The assessment process is rigorous. The officials carry out a se…
I thank Deputy Wall for raising this important issue. He has raised the issue specifically around Kilcullen in County Kildare. Truthfully, however, the issue he has raised is more widespread than that. It is not so specific to Kilcullen, but I appreciate he is advocating for the parents in that local area who are left without childcare as an opportunity to allow them to go to work and to fulfil their daily lives and …
I thank Deputy Wall for raising what is a pressing matter for his area and people in Kilcullen. As he said, it has a population of 4,000, but 110 families are affected and 153 children are without a place. Kilcullen has a growing population. When a population is growing, we want to keep that population because of the impact on enterprise, including small and medium businesses, around the area and on schools, given th…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. No more than was the case in his area, busloads of people left Cavan-Monaghan at the weekend to support all things Irish language. It is heartening to hear. The Deputy is right. There is a groundswell of support for the Irish language and for seeing it adequately and properly funded as our national tongue. A day of protest, as the Deputy alluded to, was held last …
As I said, I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this. It is really important that we discuss the funding and vision for our national tongue here in our Parliament. Up to now, it has really been a groundswell of support. Some counties are doing fantastic while others do not have the same opportunities. For example, in County Monaghan, for example, there are four national schools and one secondary school. I do not think I…
I thank Deputies Butterly and O’Rourke for raising this important issue. I think all our offices have been flooded which tells its own story of the concerns and fear out there among SNAs, parents, schools and everyone involved. We need to defuse that but more importantly we need to give the information so that people are clear about what the guidelines will mean. I apologise on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy…
I thank Deputies Butterly and O'Rourke again. No more than them, I have had many meetings with principals. Prior to the guidelines being printed over the summer or the beginning of the school year, the allocation of SNAs was a source of concern and upheaval for schools. Principals were ringing around trying to make sure they had everybody in place. I take on board what Deputies O'Rourke and Butterly said and I will r…
I congratulate the Deputy on the work he is doing in the artificial intelligence committee. I listened in to most of this week's meeting. As the Deputy has said, the young people who spoke were very articulate and great advocates for the young person's perspective on artificial intelligence and the impact it will have. I thank the Deputy and the committee for the work they are doing. They are doing us all a service i…
I think the Deputy knows my work rate and work pace. I certainly intend to be a driving force to ensure this happens. As he has said, three big things have to happen as quickly as possible in the lifetime of this Government. The first is the establishment of the AI office. The second is the establishment of the AI observatory, which is critically important to predict the impacts AI will have, including where jobs wil…
I thank Deputy Lawlor for moving his Bill. I do appreciate the concern he has around this issue, and it is laudable. I stand before Members to debate a Private Members’ Bill that proposes to amend provisions governing the operation and constitution of joint labour committees. This Bill seeks to address situations where employers or workers fail to engage in consultation with the Labour Court, by granting the Labour C…
I thank colleagues for raising this. I know they are here on a Thursday evening to raise this matter because they feel passionately about it, and they have raised it in a very articulate and passionate way. Unfortunately, the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, cannot be here this evening. I have taken copious notes on the issues that all three Deputies have raised in case clarity is needed on anything. However, the po…
I would not agree.
I thank the Deputy for her heartfelt request and for raising this important issue. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on this matter on behalf of the Department of Health.
Under the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange medical services for himself or herself and his or h…
As I outlined, eligibility for the medical card is primarily based on means and a financial assessment conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970. The HSE has put in place a range of measures to assist people in applying for the medical card, which includes the availability of medical cards online. All of this the Deputy knows. I concur with the sentiment of her proposition that for cancer patients a…
I thank Deputy Brennan very much for his very eloquent, heartfelt and almost emotional contribution. He is speaking from experience in the aftermath of his visit out there. I know he has been very active and vocal on the occupied territories Bill at the committee, which is what he is seeking a response on today.
I concur with the Deputy's comments about Senator Frances Black. She has done enormous work. She has work…
I concur with the Deputy’s sentiments. His parting thoughts leaving at the weekend were of the young people and the mentality of the young people having suffered what they had suffered. Yesterday, during Leaders’ Questions, we discussed the occupied territories Bill. The Taoiseach talked how if it were not for media and social media, we would be blind to much of what was happening. However, we are not blind. We do kn…
I thank the Deputy for his presentation. I concur, particularly with his opening piece on the vulnerabilities within Ireland. I disagree with him in the sense that he talked about the vulnerability. I sit on the trade forum established by the Tánaiste since the trade war, or the utterance of trade wars, began. All the Government agencies and State bodies, such as Fáilte Ireland and the IDA, as well as the IFA are aro…
The Tánaiste and other Ministers have been vocal and constructive voices at the table to ensure the EU's approach remains measured and appropriate. The Government's constant and consistent position has been, and remains, that we need substantive, calm, measured and comprehensive dialogue with the United States. This is also the position of the EU. Our objective remains to reach agreement on a mutually beneficial deal…
I thank the Deputy for her emotional presentation. I know she is acutely aware of the requirements that should be in place. She has the experience of a school that is doing the job really well. As she asked, why fix something that is not broken? Her experience of this school has obviously been a positive one.
The Government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more comp…
Deputy Ardagh has made the case well for Scoil Eoin. It is important that we, as public representatives, who have the opportunity to listen to the real-life stories of parents and teachers, such as in Scoil Eoin relay that to Department officials as well as the Deputy's sense that to make any change will dismantle something that works, that is good and that is providing the care and the educational atmosphere needed …
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after " Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that the Government;
— recognises concerns with regards to the rising cost of groceries and the financial pressure on households;
— shares the commitment to ensuring fairness, transparency, and competition in the retail sector; and
— are actively progressing a range of targeted measures to support consumers and…