There is an expectation out there, as the Minister indicated. Those who have applied are waiting on the results of the O'Meara case. I am dealing with a number of people whose partners passed away before January 2024. The Minister mentioned not building up expectations. Is the Department considering making a payment to those people? Will the Minister give a commitment today that he will consider a payment for them? I…
TDs / Mark Wall
Mark Wall
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
875
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
89,139
words spoken in the chamber
Across 262 contributions. Plus 59 contributions from the chair, not counted
426
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
199
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 875 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 262 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 19 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 56 | 24 |
| March 2025 | 49 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 65 | 6 |
| May 2025 | 70 | 21 |
| June 2025 | 33 | 9 |
| July 2025 | 92 | 13 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 39 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 31 | 9 |
| November 2025 | 32 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 30 | 11 |
| January 2026 | 49 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 63 | 14 |
| March 2026 | 61 | 9 |
| April 2026 | 30 | 9 |
| May 2026 | 31 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 64 | 21 |
| July 2026 | 28 | 10 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 25 | 14 |
| October 2026 | 8 | 19 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 156 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 Kildare South 29 November 2024 to now
- party Labour Party 29 November 2024 to now
88. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of appeal officers working in the appeals office; the number for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8583/25]
How many appeals officers are working in the social welfare appeals office and how many have been working there over the past three years, and will the Minister make a statement on the matter?
I thank the Minister. I welcome that there are 20 additional appeals officers but, unfortunately, as far as I am concerned, appeals times are still growing. I am dealing with a large number of carer's appeals that have been in train for 12 or 14 months and invalidity pension appeals that have been live for more than six months. The problem is that it is very difficult to explain to a person who is under stress and wh…
I welcome the independence of the appeals office. It is a great system whereby we get a second opinion, and it is something I have used during my time as a public representative. I have always found the appeals officers to be very helpful.
With regard to the new appeals procedures, does the Minister have any indication of what the timelines for appeals will be or what he is working towards? That somebody is waiting …
I wish the three Ministers well in their new portfolios.
In our Private Members’ business of a week ago, I described what is happening with housing as an emergency. Indeed, the Housing Commission report calls for a radical reset of housing policy in Ireland. While every possible solution should be investigated, my party and I are of the opinion that the solutions should and must be led by the Government by way of id…
I raise the very serious matter impacting first responders in all our communities. Recently, a number ambulance officers were informed, many of them, indeed, trained paramedics, that they could no longer park their ambulances, their vehicles, at their own homes. Instead, they will have to park them at ambulance bases and primary care centres. This is having a knock-on impact on first responder response times, particu…
Unfortunately, it is impacting a lot of families.
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and apologise. I ask the Tánaiste for an update on the proposed closure of the fire station at the Curragh Camp and also provide an update on the provision of living quarters for enlisted members in the Curragh.
The Curragh Camp is the jewel in the crown of the Defence Forces, as I and many Members of this House and the Upper House have said many times. The first thing anyone who drives through the Curragh Camp will notice is dereliction and the closed premises on the main street. The news that the fire station is to close has been greeted with disbelief by people who live in the Curragh because it seems to sound the death k…
I welcome that the Tánaiste will visit the Curragh Camp. That is very important. I will take him up on his request that I accompany him on that visit because it will be important that we meet local representatives who are getting this on the ground from those who live in the Curragh and who have previously, as the Tánaiste said, served on the Curragh. The State needs to use the Curragh Camp and the Curragh itself mor…
I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his new role and wish him the very best. I also congratulate the Minister on her new role. As Labour Party spokesperson on children and disabilities, I look forward to working with her constructively during this term. I thank her for her engagement to date. Obviously, the waiting lists referred to in this debate are something we have to tackle, and that Government especiall…
I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. I wish the Minister of State well in his new role.
There has been a great deal of talk about the totally unacceptable statistic of 174 of our citizens dying on the roads, about young drivers and about allowing drivers to learn the rules of the road.
In the time available, I want to bring the Minister of State's attention something going on in my hometown of Athy t…
111. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action she intends to take to ensure that parents have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is a lack of provision; her plans to reduce the cost of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8541/25]
What actions will the Minister take to ensure parents can have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is currently a lack of such facilities? I also ask what actions she will take to reduce the cost of childcare.
I thank the Minister. Early Childhood Ireland outlined in January that statistics from Pobal state that 6,663 children under the age of one are on a crèche waiting list where there are only 223 places available. It also goes on to say that 12,208 children aged between one and two are on a waiting list where there are only 675 places available. The Minister mentioned that in the programme from Government, the Governme…
I thank the Minister. The other area I wish to ask about is childcare costs. I recently met a young family in Newbridge, County Kildare, who are paying €1,400 per month. The Minister will know, as it is often referenced in this House, that this is a second mortgage. However, it is obviously not just in Newbridge that those are the costs of childcare; it is throughout the State. Linked to those costs are the turnover …
I wish the Minister and Minister of State well in their new briefs. I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this important motion.
The lack of special school places in my area, Kildare South, continues to grow. Not a week goes by when I do not get contacted time and again by worried parents who simply cannot find a place for their loved ones. It was in late 2023 that the then Minister of State, Josepha Madigan, announced that…
Recent commentary talks about a housing crisis in this country. The term "crisis" does not describe what so many families and individuals are experiencing because what we have is a housing emergency. No other word can describe it. It is not a crisis when over 15,000 of our citizens, including over 4,500 children, are living in hotel rooms. That in itself is an emergency.
However, this emergency is not limited to tha…
I agree with my colleague, Deputy Smith. We recently met with Dublin Fire Brigade. We listened to unbelievable stories from individual members who went above and beyond on a daily basis for the people of Dublin. A young firefighter called Aisling says she is trying to build in her mortgage because she knows she may have to retire at 55 due to the nature of the job. Even after 40 years’ service and paying into a pensi…
If the Chair will indulge me for a moment, as this is the first time I have spoken in this historic Chamber as an elected Member of Dáil Éireann, I would like to thank the people of Kildare South for putting their faith in me. I assure them that I will work tirelessly for them, their families and all the great communities that we have in that most important county in the State. I thank my wife, Michelle; my sons, Eoi…