While I welcome the Pobal scheme, 78 applications is not a lot and 78 additional childcare facilities, or not even childcare facilities, is not sufficient for the demand we have in Ireland and it will certainly not do anything to meet the demands of the people in Dublin Fingal West. Will the Minister look seriously for more funding to support childcare providers in areas of high demand? As I said, I cannot understate…
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
That is very welcome news. If the 78 applicants do not take up the €25 million, I ask the Minister to urgently reopen the scheme. Seven weeks was not a very long window for childcare providers to make applications to the scheme, so I would very much like her to look at reopening it if the money is not all utilised. In addition to that, however, I would very much appreciate it if the Minister looked for additional fun…
I ask the Minister to update us, please, on discussions in respect of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. We are an island nation with an ever-growing population, expanding at a rate of 100,000 people per year. Our capital city's airport is a vital component for our national competitiveness and continued success. Dealing with the cap and putting in place a long-term plan for the airport is an opportunity for Ireland…
I welcome the draft legislation coming before the House and thank the Minister, Deputy Burke, and Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, for their work on it to date. As other Deputies have said, the Bill, when enacted, will see the implementation by the Government of one of the key commitments in response to the pensions commission's recommendations and implementation plan. This legislation reflects an understanding of t…
108. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education the way she plans to support the school building unit in how it delivers school buildings in a timely manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16806/25]
The Minister might tell us what the plan is to support the school building unit to deliver school buildings and extensions to school buildings in an efficient and timely manner. In my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, there are numerous projects that are taking an extraordinarily long time. Some cases are taking decades. It is essential the Department works collaboratively with principals to deliver our school buil…
I thank the Minister. I acknowledge that there has been a lot of investment in school buildings. However, my constituency of Dublin Fingal West is one of the youngest constituencies in the country. Balbriggan is the youngest large town in the country. We are rapidly growing. The towns of Rush and Lusk were tiny villages when I was a child but are now full of young and growing families. We are not delivering schools q…
I thank the Minister. Schools are an investment in our future. We need to move away from patching up prefabs that have been there for ten, 20 or 30 years when they were only intended to be used for a few years. We need to invest in our schools and invest in the future and in our children and teachers, by providing good, accessible, reasonable school accommodation. I would like to see a specific time limit introduced …
131. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the engagement he has had with the EU Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15151/25]
It is good to see the Ceann Comhairle back in the Chair. The Tánaiste already touched on the topic this evening but will he give an update on his engagement with the EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič?
I thank the Tánaiste. The European Commissioner is a very experienced negotiator. It is reassuring that he seems fully in control of the situation. What is happening in America, however, is completely and utterly unpredictable. I urge the Minister to also take into consideration the impact of any trade tariffs on our SME sector. I am delighted he established the trade forum but the SME sector will need support and pr…
I thank the Tánaiste very much. I appreciate all the work he is doing on this front. I wish him the very best of luck in the coming days.
140. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of his St. Patrick’s Day missions and, in particular, the business and trade aspect of the missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15152/25]
The Tánaiste touched on his St. Patrick's Day trip. Will he give us an update on the outcome of the various St. Patrick's Day missions, particularly regarding the business and trade aspect?
I thank the Tánaiste. Will he let us know what sense he got on his trip from the politicians and members of the business community he met as to how they see things going in the next six months? How nervous are they for their country and its trade domestically and internationally?
The programme for Government highlights a commitment to focus on actions to improve literacy and numeracy. Dublin Fingal is Ireland's youngest county and Balbriggan, located in my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, is the youngest large town in the country. My constituency's population is rapidly growing, resulting in significant strain on the school system, with long waiting lists for autism classes, special educat…
I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case:
Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss the crisis in funding for primary schools in Dublin's north inner city.
Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the Killarney to Farranfore bypass.
Deputy James Geoghegan - To discuss the extension of the red line Luas to Poolbeg.
…
I call Deputy Emer Currie to speak on the first Topical Issue matter.
As we gather here today to celebrate International Women's Day, I find myself reflecting on my own journey to this Chamber. Growing up in the eighties, I dreamed big.
Playing with my Barbie dolls - office, doctor and astronaut Barbie - I imagined a future where I could be anything I wanted to be. Encouraged by my parents and inspired by Barbie, I believed that hard work would make those dreams a reality. When I ente…
Having limited access to childcare options is inhibiting predominantly women from returning to the workplace and their absence is a loss to the economy. The one thing they need for return to the workplace is simply not available to them. Childcare needs vary from family to family and the Government needs to be dynamic and urgently support the delivery of more childcare options, especially in areas like my own constit…
The new national fare structure for train fares announced by the NTA will see the implementation of the Dublin city zone later this year. Skerries and Balbriggan, two towns in my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, have been excluded from the Dublin city zone; unlike Maynooth, which is in the county of Kildare and Bray, which is the county of Wicklow.
This exclusion poses an additional annual financial burden of up …
I wish the Minister, Deputy Foley, well in her new portfolio. I thank the Ministers of State for coming to the Chamber today.
Tackling the deficiencies in disability services is a significant challenge. It is imperative that all of us, as elected representatives, collaborate with the Minister and Ministers of State to bring about much-needed transformation in disability services. In the short time I have, I will foc…
125. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her Department's plans to reduce the number of children waiting longer than three months for their assessment of need in CHO 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7572/25]
I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, on her appointment. I also congratulate the Minister, Deputy Foley, on her new portfolio. I ask the Minister of State to outline her Department's plans to reduce the number of children waiting longer than three months for their assessment of need in CHO 9.
The Minister of State has acknowledged there are more than 2,500 children in Dublin north waiting for assessment. I would very much like the area to be prioritised. Even though we are sourcing private assessments, a lot more needs to be done in the area.