The Taoiseach is not committing himself. I am disappointed.
TDs / William Aird
725
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
31,555
words spoken in the chamber
Across 161 contributions
429
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
221
topics asked about
Across 18 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 725 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 161 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 7 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 16 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 7 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 18 | 14 |
| May 2025 | 28 | 14 |
| June 2025 | 33 | 12 |
| July 2025 | 28 | 5 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 10 | 7 |
| October 2025 | 23 | 11 |
| November 2025 | 88 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 50 | 3 |
| January 2026 | 74 | 4 |
| February 2026 | 38 | 7 |
| March 2026 | 51 | 4 |
| April 2026 | 70 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 50 | 23 |
| June 2026 | 60 | 6 |
| July 2026 | 34 | 4 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 37 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 3 | 9 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 129 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 Laois 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
Will he commit to the €60 million promised in the Fianna Fáil manifesto?
Sorry?
He would not mind if the Taoiseach would say if he was committing the €60 million to next year's tillage sector. He would have no problem whatsoever.
I draw the Minister of State's attention to an escalating crisis in rural County Laois in the form of the chronic shortage of GPs and the lack of fully developed primary care services. We all accept that primary care is the front line of the health service. It is where early diagnoses happen, chronic conditions are managed and preventative care should take place, easing pressure on our overstretched hospitals. Across…
I thank the Minister of State for her response. However, it is important that I stress again that I am not asking for extras for County Laois. I am asking for the basics, that is, access to a doctor, reasonable wait times, and care delivered in our towns and villages. Rural Laois deserves the same healthcare rights as any other part of this country. People have paid into the system for their entire lives and they des…
We do not.
That is what was said 12 months ago.
Will the Minister today commit to honouring the programme for Government promise to continue to reduce the student contribution fee during the lifetime of this Government? The policy has had a real impact, reducing the cost of education and easing pressure on families. This Government must stick to our commitment to support working families, deliver on the student contribution fee promise and build on the progress al…
135. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to invest in cultural infrastructure in rural counties such as County Laois (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34380/25]
What plans does the Minister have to invest in cultural infrastructure in rural counties such as County Laois? These are counties with vibrant local artists and heritage buildings that would benefit greatly from targeted support. Will the Minister make a statement on this matter? County Laois, like many others, has a wealth of artistic talent and historic buildings, which too often are underused and underfunded.
Laois has a proud cultural identity, rich in music, literature, theatre, visual arts and storytelling. It has produced many artists and continues to support new generations through festivals, exhibitions and community-led initiatives. Towns such as Portlaoise, Rathdowney, Mountmellick, Portarlington, Mountrath and Stradbally all have active community groups that are crying out for adequate spaces in which to perform,…
That is welcome news. I also welcome the Minister's recent announcement that the pilot programme regarding the basic income for arts has been extended. What artists need now is his commitment to make it permanent. The programme should be inclusive, support more artists and address barriers faced by those with disabilities. As the Minister knows, arts and culture are central to our Irish identity, community well-being…
Will the Taoiseach commit to funding a community neurorehabilitation team for the midlands in budget 2026 in line with the programme for Government's commitment to complete the national roll-out of such teams? Community neurorehabilitation teams provide vital short-term intensive care, with access to services like physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and neuropsychology. These services are…
94. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport to include the Portlaoise northern orbital route and the Mountmellick bypass in the revised national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28042/25]
I ask the Government to include both the Portlaoise northern orbital route and the Mountmellick bypass in the revised national development plan. They are not just local road projects; they are critical infrastructure with regional and national significance. As the Minister of State knows, Portlaoise is one of Ireland's fastest growing towns. The town is already under pressure from traffic congestion with heavy volume…
We do not need consideration; we need money. This road is vital to redirect HGVs coming from Rosslare to the west of Ireland. We are trying to move this traffic away from residential areas, schools and hospitals. This route is also essential to future-proof Portlaoise for sustainable growth under the national planning framework. Without this orbital route, development is hindered, traffic continues to choke the town …
These two projects must be included in the revised national development plan to address fair regional development, align with national goals, reduce emissions, promote balanced regional development and support active travel and safer roads. The Portlaoise northern orbital route and the Mountmellick bypass projects would complement existing investment in the region's rail network. I urge the Minister of State to work …
I thank the Minister of State for that.
Community care workers and home carers are essential to Ireland's healthcare system, supporting older people and those with disabilities to live independently at home. Increasing demand means carers are working under tight schedules with limited hours per client. It is essential they have proper training in all areas of elder care and must have good communication skills to support clients and families.
Many carers w…
I am here today following the disturbing revelations uncovered by the "RTÉ Investigates" programme concerning the residential nursing home in Portlaoise.
We must be absolutely clear that what was exposed was not just one failure in one private institution. Rather, it was a systemic failure of oversight, communication and, ultimately, duty. Frail and vulnerable old people were left in unacceptable conditions while wa…
9. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the help to buy scheme to first-time buyers purchasing second-hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28039/25]
Will the Minister consider extending the help to buy scheme to include first-time buyers purchasing second-hand homes? I ask this question on behalf of many first-time buyers across the country, including young families, single professionals and couples, who dream of owning a home but find themselves restricted by the current scope of the help to buy scheme. The current initiative provides crucial support to first-ti…
Second-hand homes could be a more viable option for some first-time buyers but they are then excluded from financial assistance. An extension to the help to buy scheme to include buyers of second-hand homes would acknowledge the reality of our housing market. An extension would widen access, especially in rural and established urban areas where new builds are limited or priced outside of the thresholds. Second-hand h…
Other improvements to the help to buy scheme I urge the Minister to consider are to adjust the eligibility criteria and thresholds to reflect current house prices and inflation and to introduce a system that would offer higher support for lower income applicants or buyers in high-cost areas. That would make the scheme more equitable.