I welcome the Minister and this Government's focus on online safety. It is one of the most pressing issues for families today and it demands urgent action. I am a mum to two eight-year-old girls and I know the joy of their current world. It is a world of innocence, imagination and security but I already feel the worry of what lies ahead, including the phones, the apps, the group chats, the comparisons, the silence, a…
TDs / Grace Boland
Grace Boland
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,921
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
26,034
words spoken in the chamber
Across 156 contributions. Plus 20 contributions from the chair, not counted
430
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
231
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 1,921 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 156 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 18 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 53 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 53 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 47 | 18 |
| May 2025 | 113 | 6 |
| June 2025 | 70 | 5 |
| July 2025 | 306 | 2 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 167 | 9 |
| October 2025 | 133 | 5 |
| November 2025 | 59 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 127 | 2 |
| January 2026 | 271 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 70 | 5 |
| March 2026 | 43 | 5 |
| April 2026 | 41 | 16 |
| May 2026 | 132 | 6 |
| June 2026 | 30 | 20 |
| July 2026 | 34 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 96 | 14 |
| October 2026 | 58 | 17 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 135 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 Fingal West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
Saved by the bell. I call Deputy Hearne.
In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time next week.
9. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which the national broadband plan will address gaps in high-speed broadband connectivity in larger towns such as Balbriggan and Skerries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64566/25]
The roll-out of national broadband is delivering high-speed fibre to rural and urban communities. It is a success and progress has been made, yet we know that there is partial coverage in some towns and villages. For example, my own hometown of Skerries has partial coverage of fibre broadband and not access to the national fibre broadband. The Minister might give us an update on when we can expect full roll-out of th…
I thank the Minister and welcome his update. I have a concern in relation to the blue area. Part of Skerries is in the blue area as well. The Minister mentioned Balbriggan. The problem with the blue area is that the residents of an estate are being told that unless they come together as a collective of 20 to 50 residents who are willing to sign up with one commercial provider, they will not be able to access the fibr…
I agree that the roll-out of the national broadband plan has been a success. We just need to make sure that people, families, residents and businesses are not left behind. I will contact the Minister's office in relation to the specific areas.
I wish the best of luck to Deputy Donohoe. He is the standard to which we all aspire in Fine Gael. I thank him for all of his support.
Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Garristown, Balrothery and Oldtown are all principally served by Balbriggan Garda station. Balbriggan is the youngest large town in the country. It is the most culturally diverse town in the country, yet we have not had a permanent superintendent at the Garda st…
82. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined international best practice in public transport app design; if lessons from other jurisdictions are being considered in the digital strategy for TFI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63379/25]
88. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Fingal has been identified as a priority area by the forward planning unit; the criteria used to determine such prioritisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61499/25]
I have mentioned many times that Fingal is the youngest area in the country and is also the fastest growing. Balbriggan is the youngest large town in the country and yet, we have a serious lack of childcare places. In January 2024, a supply management unit was set up in the Minister's Department. It was later renamed the forward planning unit yet nearly two years later, families in Fingal are still waiting. We still …
It is nearly two years. There has to be a sense of urgency by this unit. We need to see a plan from it and we need to see a clear timeline as to when we are going to see outputs. I am not asking for the specifics but I am asking to make sure this Department is delivering. Two years is simply not good enough. People who need childcare are putting off their lives and quitting jobs. They are not participating fully in t…
I appreciate that the Minister has only been in her position for nine months, but the Secretary General of the Department confirmed to me that the supply management unit or forward planning unit was set up in January 2024. It is nearly two years later and we still have not seen any visible output from this unit. Will the Minister commit to publishing the criteria that will be used by the forward planning unit, confir…
Deputy, please confine your contribution to the question submitted.
Deputy Murphy-----
An Tánaiste, Simon Harris, has spent his entire career standing up and leading in the face of challenge - showing courage and compassion as he led this country through Covid. Within a month of taking office as Taoiseach, he led Ireland in formally recognising the State of Palestine and apologised to the families and victims of the Stardust tragedy.
He has ensured continued humanitarian aid for Gaza, shielded our eco…
87. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to reduce the average diagnostic delay for endometriosis; the plans to introduce public awareness campaigns and GP training to support earlier intervention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52381/25]
Endometriosis is one of the most common women's health issues. Far too many women, including women among my family and friends, often endure chronic pain, fatigue, fertility issues and emotional distress. They often miss time at work and in education. They miss out on life generally. The average diagnostic delay is nine years. I know this is an area on which the Minister is focused. I would like to hear what she is d…
I thank the Minister for that comprehensive update. I mentioned the nine-year average diagnostic delay. Women have felt ghosted by their GPs. They feel like they have not been offered supports and have not been listened to. It seems that women are expected to put up with this intolerable, intense and chronic pain, and are essentially made to feel as if it is all in their heads. It is important that the Minister has t…
I thank the Minister. I really appreciate her focus on this and as I said, women are so impressed that they now feel heard having literally been told that it is all in their heads for so long. In terms of public awareness, sometimes women, particularly younger girls and women, do not necessarily know what to be looking out for when they are talking about endometriosis. This is particularly true for teenage girls and …
97. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the implementation timeline for the next generation ticketing system; the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure the project is delivered on schedule and within budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52160/25]
Next generation ticketing is something we absolutely need not just in Dublin but all of Ireland. This project was first mooted in 2012, yet here we are in 2025 and we still are waiting. Can the Minister please give us an update as to where we are with this project, the oversight mechanisms and how we can ensure this project is delivered to the new timelines? Can he give us confidence as to when we will see it?
I thank the Minister and I appreciate the update. When we look at other cities across Europe, we see they have introduced contactless payments much quicker. Milan did it in 24 months across multimode transport. One of the things I am concerned about is we have a contractor, Indra, who is to work with the NTA to deliver a very complex IT deployment across Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, and Luas. It is a very com…
On the operating model for the NTA, am I right that after the deployment of next generation ticketing, the NTA will be moving from simply doing oversight to directly managing fare collection, system operations and having regulatory oversight? Does this give rise to a conflict of interest between the various roles, particularly when it comes to disputes? Is there a clear operating model for the NTA? Will there be tran…
90. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to develop a pension solution for foster carers, in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society, as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50587/25]