I come from the constituency of Dún Laoghaire, which is not necessarily known for huge fishing fleets. We do, however, have a fishing fleet in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, made up of a number of trawlers. There are also a number of smaller fishermen based in small harbours, such as Bullock and Coliemore Harbours, who make their livelihoods from fishing. It would also be remiss of me not to mention the Dalkey Lobster Festiv…
TDs / Barry Ward
Barry Ward
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
3,718
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
143,980
words spoken in the chamber
Across 316 contributions
364
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
380
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 3,718 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 316 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 62 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 74 | 18 |
| March 2025 | 62 | 19 |
| April 2025 | 107 | 7 |
| May 2025 | 69 | 20 |
| June 2025 | 88 | 12 |
| July 2025 | 201 | 20 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 177 | 15 |
| October 2025 | 114 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 199 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 259 | 30 |
| January 2026 | 315 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 364 | 12 |
| March 2026 | 271 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 457 | 13 |
| May 2026 | 294 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 156 | 12 |
| July 2026 | 95 | 5 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 258 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 96 | 26 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 193 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 Dún Laoghaire 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
This is a fantastic and really important opportunity for Ireland. I applaud those who have pushed it, particularly our academics. They are not gold-plated academics, as described by another Deputy in an absolutely glib and throwaway remark. That remark is part of the myopia that sometimes goes along with initiatives that involve spending money. An investment of €1.9 million in the context of what we spend on research…
The Future Ireland Fund is a very important planning instrument for the future of the economy, particularly in light of shocks we know are coming down the track. Will the Minister outline how the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund are being used and their status at this stage?
It is very important to acknowledge the importance of these funds. The Minister mentioned demographic change. We know a crisis is coming in terms of the shift from those who are working to those who are retired and how the working population here will have to support those people. I want to put on record my support for and acknowledgement of the importance of these funds and the fact that they will be here in 16 or 1…
I appreciate that. To what extent does the Department keep an eye on the appropriateness of those financial vehicles in terms of any human rights element? Is this a consideration?
12. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Finance to report on the progress of ensuring access to cash and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28047/25]
As the Minister is aware, cash is increasingly something many people do not use. One will often hear people say they do not carry cash at all but rely on credit cards and banking apps to make the payments they need to make. While that is very progressive in lots of ways, will the Minister tell us what he is doing to ensure cash remains available for those who need and want to use it?
I acknowledge that the Government takes on board this issue. Exactly as the Minister says, it is an inclusion issue, particularly for people who might not be tech savvy or might even have bad Internet coverage. The lack of access to cash can be a real stumbling block for them in accessing financial services and paying bills. I therefore appreciate that there is a governmental and legislative acknowledgment of the imp…
I appreciate the Minister's perspective and his commitment to that. Beyond the banking sector, there are businesses that will sometimes try to dictate to their customers how they will effect payment for a service or a good. Some people will say not just that they want a card payment but that it must be through a particular method - PayPal or whatever it might be. Does the Minister perhaps see a role in regulatory ter…
Throughout the country, there are only three sites that have UNESCO world heritage status, namely, Brú na Bóinne, the Giant's Causeway and Sceilg Mhichíl. Dún Laoghaire Harbour is a site of particular significance, nationally and internationally in the context of the role that it has played in the history of this country. It is a Victorian harbour that has seen the emigration of tens of thousands of Irish people to t…
No.
This is a very important debate and one that is very close to my heart. I have spent quite a lot of time in the occupied territories in Gaza and in the West Bank. I have eaten iftar with friends in Hanunas. I have sat down with people in Rafah, Gaza City and other cities such as Nablus and Ramallah in the West Bank. This is a centuries old conflict. It is not something we will resolve quickly or anything like that. I…
When I stand up to speak on agricultural issues, it causes great mirth among my colleagues in the parliamentary party but it is an important issue for all of us. The sooner we realise that agriculture affects everybody in this country, not just those in rural communities, but those of us in all constituencies, the better. I come from a constituency where we have farms, even though people do not seem to know about it.…
Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na hAirí. Tá aithne agam ar an mbeirt acu agus táim ag tnúth go mór leis an obair atá le déanamh acu agus an seans atá acu chun an obair sin a dhéanamh. Go háirithe, táim ag labhairt faoi smaoineamh an Aire, an Teachta Lawless, iarraidh ar lucht taighde ar fud an domhain, go háirithe dóibh nach bhfuil seans acu obair taighde a dhéanamh ina dtíortha féin, teacht anseo go dtí ár n-ollscoilean…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht a bheith anseo don cheist thábhachtach seo. There are heritage harbours all over the coast of Ireland. They are extremely valuable historical and heritage assets. I want to talk about the one that is local to me, which is Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It is more than 200 years old and it celebrated its bicentenary a couple of years ago. It is a Victorian harbour of immense proport…
I thank the Minister of State for his response.
I appreciate the suggestion that the Government is fully committed to the protection and preservation of our maritime cultural heritage. Regrettably, I do not think the evidence is there to support that statement. If we were serious about maintaining these important heritage harbours, we would put in place a scheme to do that, and not say that there is a load of grants…
Tá mé thar a bheith bródúil labhairt ar an ábhar seo. Tá sé tábhachtach dúinn mar thír, ach tá sé tábhachtach domsa freisin mar Theachta Dála. The value that we have as part of the European Union is enormous, so I am hugely proud to consider myself a European but also to speak on this topic in this House, in the week when we celebrate Europe Day. I am cognisant of the fact that 91% of people in Ireland value our memb…
11. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby businesses that qualify for the increased cost of business grant and power up grant were misclassified in the wrong category; if an appeals system has been established to ensure they can draw this funding down; if this appeal system has been communicated to all local authorities; and if he wi…
I wish to first acknowledge the huge supports the Government has put in place for businesses to deal with the increase the cost of doing business, energy and other factors.
I have been contacted by several businesses that have been miscategorised for these grants and, as such, have been denied grants they could have otherwise got. Is the Minister aware of this and if so, is there a proper appeals mechanism in place …
I am very pleased to hear the Government has approved that appeal process. It is obviously very important. The kind of businesses denied these facilities are quite vulnerable. They are small businesses that need these supports, so I welcome that. I note it was promised some time ago, so when the Minister of State says it will be available soon, how soon might that be and could significant pressure be put on to make t…
I acknowledge what the Government has done. These supports are important. We are talking about small businesses that employ an enormous number of people throughout the country but are not massively profitable and, therefore, are vulnerable when these grants are not given to them. The grants are important to ensure their viability.
Will the Minister of State do two things in particular? I acknowledge what he said abo…
This is an important issue. The irony of two men discussing a women's health issue is not lost on me. I thank Dr. Gerry Agnew, a consultant gynaecologist at St. Michael's Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, and Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, president of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Ireland, for bringing this to my attention.
The issue I want to raise regards treatment for stress urinary incontinence, which …
I have been listening to the debate today and a great deal of sense has been talked but I think there is a little bit of speaking out of both sides of the mouth from Members in this Chamber who opposed water charges and think that is the end of the world but then complain that there is not a dependable funding stream for Irish Water or Uisce Éireann and the work it has to do. At the end of the day it is a major infra…
-----for the greater Dublin area. In fact, we depend on Blessington and other places for huge amounts of water. The point he makes is absolutely right, however, in that there is going to be an increasing demand on that water supply. We need to be putting in place measures now to ensure the water will be there. There are so many ways in which we can do that. Obviously we can find alternative water sources. Deputy Ó Mu…
First, I add my voice to the support for Deputy Boyd Barrett and Councillor Melisa Halpin in Dun Laoghaire as they begin their journey to recovery.
Almost ten years ago, we voted for marriage equality and proudly so. We have made great strides down that road but there are still families who do not have familial equality. Children born into same-sex couples - depending on the means in which they were born - do not av…