I thank the Deputy for raising the need for more gardaí in Ballinasloe. As she will be aware, operational policing is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, who is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. Section 33(1) specifically provides that the Commissioner is “responsible for the allocation and deployment of re…
TDs / Catherine Ardagh
Catherine Ardagh
Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
259
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
45,983
words spoken in the chamber
32,088 as a minister, 13,895 as a TD. Plus 26 contributions from the chair, not counted
422
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
96
topics asked about
Across 16 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 259 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 137 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 13 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 11 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 25 | 2 |
| May 2025 | 12 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 13 | 5 |
| July 2025 | 18 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 11 | 3 |
| October 2025 | 36 | 3 |
| November 2025 | 23 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 14 | 8 |
| February 2026 | 19 | 10 |
| March 2026 | 13 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 28 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 12 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| July 2026 | 2 | 13 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 10 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 92 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 Dublin South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 28 May 2026 to now
I acknowledge the Deputy's calls for additional resources. I commend the tireless work of all gardaí, who deliver exceptional services across the State on a daily basis. In the context of the concerns raised by the Deputy, I also commend the Garda response to a recent incident in Ballinasloe. I understand that on 10 October gardaí on a proactive patrol arrested six males following an incident of violent disorder at S…
I thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this important matter. Before I begin, I should say that it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on an individual visa case. Visa applications and appeals are considered through established processes and on the basis of the information available at the time a decision is made. As there are live judicial review proceedings before the courts in relation to study visa …
Unfortunately, I must conclude where I began. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case, nor would it be appropriate for me to comment on matters that are currently before the courts. That principle exists to ensure that visa decisions are made through established legal processes and that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently. However, I can say that there has been no change in …
I thank the Deputy. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration's report on civil legal aid. I acknowledge the significant work undertaken by the committee in examining this important issue and bringing forward its detailed report containing 30 recommendations.
As the House is aware, in June 2022, a civil legal aid review group, under the chairmanship …
I thank the Deputies for their contributions, and I also thank the members of the committee as well as our Chairman, Deputy Carthy.
The Government and I, as Minister for State, are committed to ensuring meaningful access to justice and the significant investment of €14.5 million in budget 2027 for civil legal aid reform is a testament to that. These reforms represent one of the most significant developments in the c…
I thank Sinn Féin for tabling the motion today. I have listened to the debate in this House and to Members' sincerity and informed contributions. As the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and other Deputies stated, we are seeing a united approach to these egregious crimes being committed across our constituencies.
I wish to send my condolences to the English family and the wider Companjen family on the deaths of Kim, Phi…
Under the Courts Service Act 1998, the management and administration of the courts is a matter for the Courts Service, while the allocation of court business, the scheduling of cases and the management of court lists are matters for the Judiciary, in particular the Presidents of the various courts. It should also be noted that under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, it is the courts, through the Judiciary, w…
Obviously, we are moving towards a more digital age, and as part of that, across Departments, including the Department of justice, there is a move towards data collection and evidence-based approaches to all our policy in the future. That includes, as a huge part of the youth justice strategy, the unique identifier number that will be rolled out across Departments.
In terms of youth justice, we have seen an extra €1…
I thank the Deputy for that, and I will bring that solution back to the Department. We sometimes see type offices across Europe. A lot of European offices come from a civil law basis, where the law is codified, whereas in Ireland, the UK and other commonwealth jurisdictions, we have a common law system. So, it is a little bit tricker to use continental models when we do not come from a continental background.
Regard…
I thank Deputy Ward for raising this matter in the House today. The Government recognises the environmental benefits of incentivising the uptake of transition fuels such as HVO in place of heavier pollutants such as auto diesel. While HVO has a part to play in the here and now, Ireland must, nevertheless, move to more sustainable methods of transport in the medium to long term.
In relation to private transport the G…
I thank the Deputy for his further comments. As mentioned, the tax treatment of 100% HVO used in place of diesel is already incentivised through the tax system. On a VAT-inclusive basis, 23% less excise duty is charged on 100% HVO fuel when compared with auto diesel. The renewable transport fuel policy also sets out a pathway for the achievement of the climate action plan biofuel targets and EU renewable energy direc…
I thank the Deputy for bringing forward this very important Topical Issue today on behalf of the parents and children involved.
This Government is committed to the provision of additional special places for children with special educational needs. Budget 2026 has already provided funding for over 400 new special classes and at least 400 new special school places for the 2026-27 school year. It was intended this woul…
I thank the Deputy again. I outlined all the work the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is doing. It is important to remember the vast majority of students with a special educational need are supported to attend a school, most of them in mainstream with a cohort attending special schools.
I once again acknowledge the parents. It is very important we bring issues like this to the House. I will make sure the Ministe…
I am taking the fifth Topical Issue proposed by Deputy Cahill.
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:"
notes that the Government:
— remains deeply concerned about the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on energy prices;
— is acutely aware of the impact on households and businesses of the recent increases in the cost of energy, and is actively monitoring the current geopolitical situation and its impact on costs;…
I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
I am pleased to introduce the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Bill 2026. The Bill introduces protections for those targeted by strategic lawsuits against public participation, commonly known as SLAPPs.
SLAPPs are abusive court proceedings which are not taken to assert a right or seek genuine redress but to prevent, restrict or penalise public partic…
I thank the 11 Deputies who contributed, namely, Deputies Ward, Gannon, Devlin, Ó Snodaigh, Kelly, Butterly, Callaghan, Collins, O'Donoghue, Tóibín and Gogarty. Many of the questions posed by the Deputies were answered by other Deputies, but I will do my best to go through many of the questions that were posed. Most of the Members raised the importance of the SLAPP legislation. The most recent data from the Coalition…
I move:
That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration pursuant to Standing Orders 103(2)(b) and 188(1).
I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising this matter. He said he has raised it on numerous occasions in this House. He outlined the huge success rate of CCTV in Moyross and Limerick. CCTV across the country makes us feel more secure in the community and in our own homes.
Community safety is a top priority for me, with delegated responsibility for youth justice, and for my Department. Everyone has the right to feel safe an…
I represent a similar constituency with significant intergenerational disadvantage and intergenerational trauma. We do not have widespread CCTV in Dublin South-Central but I can absolutely see the benefit of it. The Deputy makes a compelling case for ensuring this deadlock in relation to funding is overcome. I will be certain to pass on his requests to the Department.
The Government is progressing nationally a new f…
I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion today. I thank the Before We Die campaign for leading this initiative. I am grateful to Lorraine Doyle, from Dublin South-Central, for having spoken to me. I met her in relation to the campaign.
From my own experience, I know just how much energy it takes to advocate for someone you love. Believe me when I say that as a public representative it is much ea…
This is a minor technical amendment to change paragraph (c) of the definition of the "biometric analysis" in section 43A to add the word "including". The definition of biometric analysis is intended to afford An Garda Síochána the ability to utilise automated recognition and categorisation of physical, physiological or behavioural human features of known and unknown persons for the purposes listed in the Bill. An add…
I thank Deputy Carthy for his support for this legislation. I also note the other issues he raised in relation to wider criminal justice and Garda issues. However, I will go back to discussing Deputy Kelly's amendment, tabled by Deputy Sheehan. The amendment made in the Seanad to section 43C(2) is to allow, where necessary and appropriate, An Garda Síochána, in the context of international co-operation, to utilise bi…
Live FRT will be dealt with in separate legislation. I believe we have sufficient guardrails in place in this legislation. The amendments from the Seanad pull international co-operation into the purposes for which biometric analysis may be utilised. This means that where gardaí wish to utilise biometric analysis in the context of international co-operation, the safeguards in the Bill will apply, including the use of …