Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. My question refers to the humanitarian admissions programme. The Minister will be aware that it is a very important programme. I wonder if he can make a statement on it and tell us whether new applications will be accepted in 2026 or how that scheme is going to progress into the future.
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
I hear what the Minister of State is saying. I am not entirely clear on why there is a limit of 50 because the people we are talking about here particularly need our support. For example, two Afghan women who are living in Ireland have spoken to me about this. They still have family stuck in Afghanistan. Their families are at risk because they have left and their families are necessarily a target then for the Taliban…
I appreciate that and I understand where the Minister of State is coming from. I do not know if it is possible to say what the cost per member of that programme is, or if it has been broken down. In the context of their families, is there room to identify a person who has come here? In the case of Afghanistan, for example, it tends to be women; often very highly qualified women such as women journalists, women judges…
This is a very wide topic for debate. It covers a multitude. I have listened to what other speakers have said.
First, I will address Ireland's role in the European Union. I have always seen the European Union as a body which was all about the rule of law, respecting the rule of law and ensuring that the rule of law is the means by which we do business. That is hugely important. I have said publicly before that I am …
If I were from Kerry and, between the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, and Deputy Cahill, I had not had my village or townland mentioned, I wonder how I would feel. I understand and agree with many of the issues they have raised.
The issue I want to raise is along the same lines, as it relates primarily to wastewater treatment. In Dublin we have a Victorian wastewater system. It is not fit for purpose any more. …
104. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position regarding initiatives within his Department that seek to prioritise the fast tracking of offshore wind energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73598/25]
My question is about the provision of offshore wind energy and initiatives his Department might have put in place to fast-track that, particularly in the context of dealing with the frustrations of people who recognise that, as I understand it, there is currently no operating offshore wind capacity in Ireland.
I do recognise that some progress has been made but I know from speaking to people around the country that there is a real frustration at the lack of speed of decision-making. If a decision is made today to start a process to establish a wind farm offshore, whether that is implanted into the seabed or floating, we are many years away from the realisation of that plan. Honestly, people do not understand why that shoul…
I welcome the fact the Minister is reiterating the State's commitment to offshore because as an offshore island, essentially, this has huge potential for us. I think of the projects even in my own constituency or off the coast of my constituency in the case of the Codling Wind Park and Dublin Array projects. They are hugely important projects but the level of investment from RWE or the contracting companies there is …
I am asking this question on behalf of my colleague Deputy Pete Roche who has done an awful lot of work in this area for families in his constituency of Galway East. The question is about what assessment the Department of Finance has carried out of the cumulative increase in costs in things like energy, childcare and housing, and the effect that has on hard-pressed working families. Will that assessment result in any…
I acknowledge what has been done in the budget in respect of this area. I acknowledge particularly the difficulty in balancing the importance of supports without creating inflationary pressure in other areas. I recognise that this has been done in the budget to a large extent. However, in certain schemes where supports are being provided, there are different pressures on families depending on where they live. The sup…
I agree about having a standard measure that is predictable from year to year, particularly in relation to the tax brackets. However, tax credits is one area in respect of which we could potentially address issues relating to working families. These are the families caught between qualifying for certain grants and not earning enough to be okay on their own. Tax credits, reform of tax credits or giving them advantages…
I am in favour of this Bill. I was in favour of the previous legislation as well in the debates that we had in the Seanad when I was a Senator. This is a move forward and an opportunity for the Garda. I want to set a few things straight in the debate.
I am conscious that we have CCTV in public places. We have, essentially, surveillance of the populace at large in many places. I actually do not like that. I am not in…
I welcome this Bill. It is necessary and it is very important that we, as the Legislature, address the environmental impacts of disposable vapes. They are everywhere. Everybody knows that. They see them, particularly in town centres. They are even seen next to bins. They somehow do not seem to find their way into the bins but are littered around them. Those horrible stickers are put onto the bins as well.
I welcome …
I want to raise qualification for carer's leave for teachers. Section 6(1) of the Carer's Leave Act 2001 makes provision for carer's leave for teachers and provides that they must be in continuous employment for 12 months before they are entitled to that leave. That makes perfect sense because it avoids a situation where a brand-new employee takes leave having just entered into a position, which would be very unfair …
At the outset, I totally accept the Minister of State's bona fides on this issue. I know of her track record on leave for carers and carers' rights. I have a copy of the reply she read. I am really disappointed by it because in no part of it is there any expression of compassion or regret for the fact that our system has failed this teacher. This teacher is being unduly penalised for the fact that she changed positio…
8. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the position regarding the national public procurement strategy review and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69083/25]
I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge the commitment in the programme for Government, which is very welcome. In order for public procurement to be effective, it needs to have the confidence of the people. The transparency committed to in the programme for Government is really important in that regard. Unfortunately, we are all aware of a number of projects that appeared to have lacked that transparency. I will…
I acknowledge that as well. I know the Minister of State and his predecessor are committed to making it easier. Is there a way in which we can reduce the bureaucratic burden that comes with some of this because, as important as public procurement processes are, particularly when it comes to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer and cutting down on waste, from what I have been told by businesses in my constituency…
95. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the provision of SEN places in a school (details supplied); if she is conscious of the shortage of places in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68320/25]
My question is about special educational needs places and, specifically, the provision of them in St. Anne's National School on Stonebridge Road in Shankill.
I thank the Minister of State. I do not want to downgrade the level of investment in, and commitment to, this issue the Government has shown. I acknowledge his reference to the progress made in this area. However, all the announcements and good work will not benefit the children who do not have a place. I was contacted by the family of a young boy who does not have a place in St. Anne's National School in Shankill an…
I acknowledge what the Minister of State said. Am I to take it I may now say to the parents I mentioned that the fact they have been told their son will not have a place in September is not definitive? There is still work going on and I should tell them to continue to engage. There is a review continuing into special educational needs places in Shankill and there is still the possibility of a place for their son. We …
I acknowledge the work the Minister has done in this area. I welcome his comments about enforcing age verification measures online. I approach this issue from two perspectives - first as a criminal lawyer and second as a parent. Online safety issues are most pertinent and most dangerous when it comes to the protection of our children. Over the past year, I have been involved in a number of talks by Eoghan Cleary, vic…
I have been listening to the debate and what some of the speakers have said. I have concluded that the world through the eyes of Deputies Murphy and Boyd Barrett must be incredibly clear because there is no nuance whatever in what they have said. The claims they made about the intentions of this Government and about what this agreement has done are completely unsubstantiated and completely false in my opinion. I do n…