I want to raise three topics under tourism. The first is short-term lets. Short-term lets provide the only form of tourist accommodation in many parts of rural Ireland. They bring tourists from all over the world to places that would never otherwise receive tourists. I know because I live in a village in rural west Wicklow and have witnessed what these short-term lets bring. These industries were here before the hous…
TDs / Edward Timmins
Edward Timmins
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
268
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
27,719
words spoken in the chamber
Across 174 contributions
442
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
117
topics asked about
Across 18 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 268 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 174 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 5 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 3 | 10 |
| March 2025 | 7 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 11 | 7 |
| May 2025 | 18 | 8 |
| June 2025 | 8 | 4 |
| July 2025 | 22 | 28 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 12 | 5 |
| October 2025 | 16 | 12 |
| November 2025 | 23 | 20 |
| December 2025 | 18 | 12 |
| January 2026 | 14 | 7 |
| February 2026 | 18 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 6 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 23 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 16 | 9 |
| June 2026 | 16 | 6 |
| July 2026 | 10 | 4 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 10 | 6 |
| October 2026 | 12 | 10 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 148 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 Wicklow 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
I want to raise the issue of the residential zoned land tax and how it applies to county councils. Councils were originally led to believe that they would not have to pay this tax. In Wicklow in the past year, the council paid €1 million in residential zoned land tax, which impacts on reducing services in County Wicklow. This does not work correctly because it penalises forward-looking councils like Wicklow that purc…
147. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will reintroduce indexation for capital gains tax to eliminate this annual stealth tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39883/26]
Indexation for capital gains tax relief was abolished in 2003. Will the Minister of State consider reintroducing this indexation, something that, at the moment, is effectively an annual stealth tax because there is no indexation?
I will give a simple example to illustrate this better. If you had €10,000 in savings, you bought shares today and they gained by 20% over the next five years, say, 4% per annum, that would mean they would be worth €12,000 in five years' time. If inflation is a similar rate, which may well happen - 20% over the next five years - your €12,000 in five years is worth the same as €10,000 today because the 20% inflation h…
I understand this is a tall order because the position has not changed since 2002. That is 24 years. It has been an issue every year since then but various finance Ministers have chosen not to act. I would also argue that capital gains tax is different from income tax, gift tax and inheritance tax. In fact, tax credits and bands have increased considerably over the past 20 years. The exception has been capital gains …
96. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the bovine TB eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35737/26]
I want to raise the issue of rural planning. It is an issue I have raised here previously with the Taoiseach. I am pleased that the guidelines are to be amended and I ask the Taoiseach to support any proposed changes that will help genuine applicants. This is an important component in dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four county development plans in Wicklow over 20 years and made many changes…
Ireland has benefited enormously from our membership of the European Union. From the huge value of structural funds to the attraction for American multinationals of having an English-speaking base in the EU, Ireland has been transformed for the better by this membership. This has led to a standard of living our grandparents could never have imagined, not only economically but also culturally, socially and educational…
I met with the NTA in April 2025 and I was advised that the 132 bus service would double from four to eight buses a day at the end of April 2025. Since then, nothing has happened. I still have no clear explanation as to why. Expanding the bus service is part of the programme for Government. I ask that the current service, the only public transport for most of west Wicklow, be at least reliable. It is regularly cancel…
I will raise a broad range of issues affecting rural Ireland. I will start with one close to my heart, that of rural planning. This is an important component of dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four county development plans in Wicklow and made many changes to help with rural planning. There are currently many aspects of it that make it difficult and we must make changes. First, social and eco…
------it is important that non-agricultural contractors are recognised-----
-----in the Government's response to the fuel challenge.
8. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the expansion of the school transport service to reduce the distance criteria to recognise feeder schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29143/26]
As part of the programme for Government, we set out to implement the terms of the school transport review to reduce distance criteria and expand eligibility. I want to raise the importance of recognising feeder schools as part of this criteria.
In west Wicklow, St. Brigid's National School in Manor Kilbride is a feeder school to Blessington Community College. Some families attending Manor Kilbride school are told they cannot receive bus tickets to Blessington. This is because five other secondary schools in County Dublin are closer but they cannot get into those schools as it is not a feeder school to those schools. This is a crazy anomaly.
It is important…
School bus services in County Wicklow are critical, especially in west Wicklow where public transport is limited. Some schools are on narrow roads with limited parking and no footpaths. School bus travel is essential and will make school drop-off and collection time safer, reduce traffic congestion and will be more environmentally friendly. It also allows parents to continue working, as many have given up employment …
Last night, in Baltinglass in rural west Wicklow, I met a group of 12 people. These were small businesspeople ranging from contractors to farmers. What they all had in common was the massive impact of the fuel crisis on their livelihoods. These were very reasonable people whose livelihoods are under threat. The package announced ten days ago will not solve their problem. It does not cover all contractors, such as tho…
I will raise the issue of flood damage to roads in County Wicklow caused by Storm Chandra. The recent floods caused severe damage to many rural roads. The council has costed the repairs needed at several million euro. Wicklow County Council has submitted a detailed report to the Department seeking emergency funding assistance to facilitate the timely delivery of the required remedial works and to ensure continued saf…
I wish to raise the issue of spending control, cost control and improved outputs in various Departments. This issue does not get enough of a hearing in this Chamber. We should not assume spending increases should automatically match economic growth. Often when we spend more, we feed inefficiencies. All increased spending must be matched by improved outputs and all existing spending should be justified. This will auto…
It feeds inefficiencies.
13. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the carer’s benefit for teachers who are not on full time hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15591/26]
The carer's benefit scheme allows people who are working to take time off to care for family members, often children. It is not means tested and it is based on PRSI contributions. It has a requirement that people must work a minimum of 16 hours per week in the period prior to their claim. This is patently unfair to teachers who work, say, 11 hours per week and are deemed not to qualify.
I thank the Minister for that. I am aware of all that information but I am focusing on something different. I refer to the qualification based on the number of hours carers work. Sixteen hours is the number. I will explain this briefly. There are two particular circumstances in relation to teachers and even if one were applied in the qualification process, then a teacher on fewer than 16 hours would qualify. At the m…
I will expand a bit more in relation to teachers. Teachers do much more than 22 class-contact hours. They are required to do many more hours outside the 22 hours and this was outlined in the Croke Park agreement. It includes yard supervision duties and class supervision. There are many other requirements, including planning and setting exams, contact with parents on many issues and continuous professional development…