I have never asked the Minister or her predecessor to do that and I would not do so because it would be a waste of time. I would never ask about ongoing court cases because I know it would be completely pointless. I have never asked about that because I know the Minister cannot say that in this place. The equivalent of what the Minister is saying is that when more and more attention started being brought to bear on a…
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
It is not procedurally different at all.
What I am interpreting from what the Minister is saying - perhaps she can clarify it because she has not said it explicitly - is that she received advice from her officials, engaged with the Attorney General and the State Claims Agency and effectively, on foot of that, there is no policy solution to this. Ultimately, it is all through the courts. Contrary to what the Minister has said, her strategy or proposal is tha…
The Government is not doing anything outside of the courts.
123. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence her views on the matter of entry-level cadet pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43735/26]
I raised this issue with the Minister a little over a month ago but unfortunately we have seen no progress. It is an issue of enormous concern for cadets and their representative organisation, RACO. It potentially creates problems for our ability to recruit and retain people of quality. We need to see this addressed. The Minister promised to address it. She is seven or eight months in her role now but, as yet, we hav…
The Minister is committed to trying to increase those numbers but is she committed to addressing this discrepancy? Is the Minister committed? That is what I want to know. Cadet pay is one of the lowest in the Defence Forces at €503 per week compared with €550 for a recruit, which rises to €627 after 12 weeks. In the first year they earn 40.7% less than their enlisted counterparts. I cannot speak for every category of…
I have said before that sometimes I get a bit worried in that while I am not against local bargaining per se, it worries me when the holy world and all is going to be fixed through local bargaining. It comes up time and again that it will fix this, that and the other. Ultimately, it comes down to 1% of the payroll in an individual pay deal. I believe what cadets want to hear is that the Minister is committed to doing…
I welcome the question from Deputy McCarthy. This is a vitally important area for us as an island nation. When will the counter-drone technology, the CUAS, be operational? The Minister spoke about the Presidency, which starts within a month. Realistically it is not going to be in place at the start of the Presidency. Is that not the case? What will be the first date on which the anti-drone technology will be in place…
I admire the Minister’s suit. I recall it was a tradition for a while that the summer properly started in Leinster House when former Member Bernard Durkan broke out his cream and grey suit. Perhaps the Minister – another Kildare TD - is now taking up that mantle and is the tribune of summer in Leinster House.
That would be a fine record.
On the research side of things, I back the calls by IFUT. We are talking about taking research seriously, and rightly so, but people undertaking PhDs in crucial areas of research in many instances still receive a stipend that is very low. It needs to be acknowledged that this is not some form of payment towards maintenance; it is their full-time job. They are not meant to be doing anythi…
Same thing.
It is the same for EU law.
The Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 is a bit of a misnomer because in lots of ways the legislation is more consequential for Cork and the three regional cities. It extends significant powers of planning. It is important that those powers are used with considerable care and judiciously. It is also important that the powers being given to the NTA, which is a matter that deserves careful consideration, …
The simple reality, the simple fact we all know, is that people who have a disability are much more likely to be poor, much more likely to be under incredible pressure at the end of the month and much more likely to have to make decisions about whether to pay a bill or do the shopping or whether they can afford a piece of equipment or to pay for insurance. These are the decisions people with disabilities face on a mo…
Ba mhaith liom leithscéal a ghabháil leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus an Aire mar go raibh mé déanach. Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach as teacht ar ais go dtí mo cheist.
1. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the current progress on the drafting of the Israeli settlements (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill 2025; if she will outline the recent advice she has received from the Attorney General; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38408/26]
The scenes in the last few days – I have a further question on the Global Sumud Flotilla, so we can perhaps discuss that further – underline the fact that the international community has allowed Israel to behave with absolute impunity. It continues to act accordingly. It continues to breach all the international laws dictating what is right and wrong. There have to be consequences. The occupied territories Bill needs…
I will use the phrase "the occupied territories Bill" as shorthand. I appreciate the Government's Bill has a different title, but that is what it is commonly understood as. The Minister's statements are difficult to reconcile. She has come here and said we will have something in a couple of weeks. What I interpreted from her interview with Virgin Media during the week was that we will see what happens at a European l…
I agree with that last point. However, my interpretation of the Minister's interview was different from what she is saying. I do not think we were going to hear anything about legislation in the next couple of weeks. It seems to me that what we have seen may have lit a fire under the Government, as has often been the case and as was the case in the first place when manifesto commitments were given for the occupied te…
3. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her view on the need for international pressure to vindicate the right of Western Sahara to self-determination, and the Government's relations with the SADR; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38409/26]
From one occupied territory to another, albeit one that probably has received less attention, maybe one of the least discussed occupations in the world. It certainly does not get enough attention. I refer to the issue of Western Sahara, or the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. It is considered to be a non-self-governing territory but it is largely occupied by the Kingdom of Morocco. The Irish Government needs to cont…
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is 50 years old now. To put on record the context here, it is currently occupied by the Kingdom of Morocco. MINURSO was set up in order to safeguard and facilitate a referendum. That was in 1991. There has been no referendum. Discussions in the early and late 2000s about a referendum delivered no referendum. The fundamental principle here is that of self-determination but the Sahr…
I appreciate that and appreciate the sentiment, and I believe that where we can work together we should do so. As regards people feeling that progress is not fast enough, there is no progress. There is no process, in truth. The only process that exists is the peacekeeping mission that, in theory, is to facilitate a referendum but there is no sign of that. Ultimately, the Moroccan Government believes that it has got a…
It is a busy time of the year for the Passport Office. We had a very good briefing from its officials yesterday. It was very useful. I thank the team for that. They offer an excellent service. There was a lot in the presentation about their ambition for the future with some positive aspects. Given the increased workload they face and the significant percentage of passport applications that come from the Six Counties,…