If I may, with the Chair's indulgence, I was not aware of it at the time I spoke and I wish to add my condemnation of that appalling attack. It is a disgraceful attack on any diplomat particularly Irish diplomats.
TDs / Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
495
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
114,890
words spoken in the chamber
Across 584 contributions
377
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
101
topics asked about
Across 14 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 495 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 584 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 6 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 26 | 57 |
| March 2025 | 19 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 27 | 37 |
| May 2025 | 21 | 49 |
| June 2025 | 20 | 18 |
| July 2025 | 54 | 27 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 43 | 24 |
| October 2025 | 15 | 42 |
| November 2025 | 27 | 48 |
| December 2025 | 26 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 9 | 16 |
| February 2026 | 25 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 57 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 6 | 14 |
| May 2026 | 15 | 45 |
| June 2026 | 28 | 35 |
| July 2026 | 59 | 56 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 4 | 4 |
| October 2026 | 8 | 14 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 419 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 Cork South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
The failure that is happening here is profound for parents and most importantly for their children, but also for the professionals working in the field. It feels as if the system is shuddering to a halt and is completely choking up, and the situation continues to get worse and worse. More than 15,000 children are waiting for an assessment of need. There are more than 2,000 in my county, Cork. Many of them have been w…
I agree with Deputy John Connolly. We always need to keep education in its broadest sense in mind. Fundamentally, it is about ensuring people can reach their full potential regardless of the area. Notwithstanding that, it remains a strategic consideration for any Government, particularly in the current context. Regarding Ireland's competitiveness, it is crucial that we ensure that Ireland continues to be seen as a pl…
I was mystified by the approach of the Government to housing. I was mystified during the election campaign but I am twice as mystified now. From committing to things that would make things worse, it has moved on to implementing things that would make things worse, such as the rent pressure zones and effectively getting rid of crucial tenant protections such as the tenant in situ scheme. That complements the fact that…
152. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will consider the introduction of service commitment schemes to retain key specialist functions within the Defence Forces and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/25]
We all share a great deal of concern about the challenges faced by the Defence Forces in recruitment and retention. It is severe right across the organisation but it is felt most keenly in the area of specialist staff such as air traffic controllers, engineers and explosive ordnance disposals officers. This is a major challenge. There is a lot of competition from the private sector. We need to consider this and how w…
Much of the Tánaiste's response related more to the recruitment side of things. We have a significant challenge in that regard and we are not out of the woods by any manner of means.
My specific question primarily relates to the retention of highly skilled people. I have put to the Tánaiste previously that much of the debate on this topic has been for an external audience. In truth, for all the big speeches, much of the substance of what is needed to ensure the sustainability of the Defence Forces is absent. The Tánaiste has been talking about fighter jets while we have sent boats to sea in recen…
As I understand it, the scheme to which the Tánaiste referred relates specifically to pilots.
The Defence Forces face challenges. If anybody is going to be decoupling the issues of pay and recruitment, it certainly will not be me. It is very much the case that they are linked. The point I am raising relates to the retention of existing staff and not recruiting new staff, which is also a challenge. Aside from the category that is covered by the service commitment, there are whole areas with significant problem…
156. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/25]
Yes.
My question is somewhat different from Deputy Gibney's, although hers makes an important distinction that needs to be made. People have been talking about the Security Council. There is no dispute that the world is changing. That is recognised. It is a question of what Ireland's place in this changing world is. If we remove the triple lock neutrality protection, we will potentially expose ourselves to significant ext…
There was not a person in Ireland who wanted us to withdraw troops from the Golan Heights or was in favour of that, and that was done for budgetary reasons. That was for budgetary reasons because of the Government. That was the primary obstacle.
The last time Irish troops were pulled out of a peacekeeping mission, it was entirely the decision of the Irish Government and it was not informed by anything to do with the…
What is the timeline for that?
154. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline, further to recent Dáil debates, his views on past health and safety measures in the Air Corps, and potential engagements with interested groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18076/25]
Over the course of many years, it seems many Air Corps personnel, primarily young working-class people who took jobs in the maintenance department of the Air Corps, were exposed to very hazardous and dangerous conditions with very few, or effectively no, safety precautions, certainly nothing by way of masks, adequate ventilation and so on. There are huge concerns about the health implications this has for those forme…
I do not accept that for one second. Over many years, this House has dealt with many issues that have been proceeding through the courts and the State rightly did not intervene as between the two different parties or try to disturb the process of the courts. However, that is totally separate from whether the State itself identifies that there is a policy issue and a need for a policy response in relation to a categor…
I put the Tánaiste on notice that I will be bringing this up again in six weeks and six weeks after that too. I am going to continue to pursue this. I would like it if we could bracket the State Claims Agency part and put that to one side because that is not what I am talking about. That needs to proceed and I hope it works out well, or as well as possible, for those affected.
One of the key points is that not every…
165. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress his Department has made regarding the establishment of a joint cybersecurity command and other actions related to cybersecurity contained in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. [18071/25]
This is clearly an ever evolving and growing area that will be of crucial importance to the Defence Forces and our security in the coming time. The Tánaiste instanced the new committee and it is very important that it is given adequate briefings on these issues as they arise and develop. The Tánaiste mentioned the cybersecurity command had been established. The most recent report I saw in The Irish Times was that it …
This comes back to my earlier question a little bit. We will continue to have a significant challenge in recruiting and retaining key staff for an area such as this unless something significant changes. If we get things right, the Defence Forces can offer a very rewarding and interesting career for people who have the skills and capabilities in this area but I do not think we are in the right position at present. I d…
Beidh mé ag roinnt ama leis na Teachtaí Crowe, McGuinness agus Bennett nuair a thagann siad.
We mark Europe Day today, which reflects the history of and how the European Union came to be, and the very significant role it has played in Irish politics and history. We reflect on the positive elements of our relationship with the European Union as well as the areas of concern that require to be addressed. It is Sinn Féin's view and policy that Ireland's place is in the EU, but it is also our view - I see the Min…
Perhaps he would like to clarify.