He is totally out of order.
TDs / Peter Burke
Peter Burke
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
99,195
words spoken in the chamber
99,195 as a minister, 0 as a TD
306
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 403 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 20 |
| March 2025 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 16 |
| May 2025 | 26 |
| June 2025 | 15 |
| July 2025 | 3 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 27 |
| October 2025 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 61 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| March 2026 | 1 |
| April 2026 | 26 |
| May 2026 | 1 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 29 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 52 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 360 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Longford-Westmeath 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 23 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 2 June 2025 to now
The fuel allowance has gone up by 14% this year for 2027. That will have a significant impact. We have also extended the reduction in VAT on gas and electricity, which is about €100 per household at a cost of €250 million. I have said very clearly that we have brought the carbon tax on kerosene back to 2023 levels. The point I am making is that any Member of this House who says we can eliminate all the pain is being …
It is not. It has gone up by €5.
That was an emergency extension last year.
First, everyone needs to be calm in connection with this. The Government is very clear in its support for public service media. It is fundamental to a constitutional democracy like we have in our State. I am very clear that all moneys going to agencies are based on them having a programme of reform. RTÉ came forward with its programme of reform. We must ensure it is implemented in order to get budgetary sanction. It …
The negotiation table is open. The seats are ready. We are waiting for the union leaders to come and negotiate. The sum of €1.2 billion has been put on the table. We need to ensure we support our workers right across the economy. We must judge the situation by the evidence. I pointed out in regard to the previous public sector pay deal that we have had a cumulative increase of 9.6%, which has been ahead of inflation …
Lower-paid workers have benefited most. Since 2019, a clerical officer's pay has increased by 33.3%, which is a significant increase. The Government wants to ensure that the wages received by those who provide our public services - nurses, teachers, outdoor staff, council workers, clerical staff and the Civil Service - are supported to get a fair deal for them to meet the challenges in our economic situation right no…
To be fair, Deputy Boyd Barrett's party has come forward with a figure, which is more than Sinn Féin or some of his other colleagues have provided. We must also ensure that we are supporting them and supporting the taxpayer with a sustainable deal.
I thank the Deputy for his question. To be very clear, the Irish Government takes very seriously its role as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, and the huge dividend that the peace process has delivered to Northern Ireland over the last three decades. It is critical that we keep calm, continue our support and try to get a solution to this significant impasse. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is in c…
I thank Deputy Cleere for his very important question in relation to St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, and also the work that has been carried out in getting the project to stage 2B. I hear the frustration in relation to moving it further. The next tranche of projects to proceed to tender under the national development plan funding will be published in 2027.
Obviously, there will be a prioritisation. I know from the…
I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge her advocacy in this area in relation to ensuring that the people of Rush and Lusk get sound public transport services, which is key. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, is doing a lot of work with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, in the context of the pipeline for 2027. It will be critical that we continue with the ring-fenced approach for local services like the Deputy pointed out. …
I thank the Deputy for his question. We can see delivery of €20.3 billion in capital infrastructure in our economy next year. Critically, the accelerating infrastructure task force has set out 30 clear objectives that we have made significant process on. That will be demonstrated by a number of projects that have already been allocated for the fast-track infrastructure delivery. I will raise the Deputy's concern in r…
I thank the Deputy for his very important question in relation to policing in Clonmel. There is a new Garda station under construction in Clonmel, which will be-----
-----a very important capital infrastructure for the community. Critically, right now in terms of the Garda Vote for 2027, there is €2.578 billion in current funding. This will see an allocation of up to 1,000 new gardaí to be recruited for visible policing in both rural and urban communities. There is an additional €180 million for garda overtime. I will raise the issue that the Deputy has raised with the Minister f…
-----a significant increase in his budget to ensure that we have 1,000 new gardaí. That will be a significant strength to the force.
I thank the Deputy for his very important concern for the hospital in question. Over the past decade, we have seen about 30% growth in numbers in our health service. We have a big challenge with agency nursing bills in relation to a number of hospitals. I see it in my own constituency as well. We need a more sustainable approach. The Minister for Health is working hard on service delivery to ensure we have just that.…
I will ask them to respond to the Deputy on it.
I thank the Deputy for his question and concern in relation to a number of school projects in his constituency. In the context of budget 2027, there is €1.6 billion to prioritise and bring schools onto the next stage, which has to be critical to deliver our educational service. There will be a prioritisation list published for 2027. That will happen shortly. Hopefully, some of the schools that the Deputy referenced, …
I thank the Deputy for his concern in this area. I wish to put on the record that I have an interest in farming. We are waiting for the Minister, Deputy Heydon, to detail the exact date of the payments. In relation to the people who have been working with the first scheme on fuel, it has been successful in terms of those who have got paid. Critically, we need to see the additional money being used in the sector to su…
I thank Deputy McCormack for his concern for Doolan's Spar in Blue Ball and the technical issues it has experienced with the broadband that has affected the payments system and a number of other postal agencies as well. A trial carried out in Hollywood, County Wicklow, that they were seeking to roll out but obviously there was an issue with it for Blue Ball. However, I can assure the Deputy that An Post has advised i…
We will do our very best. I will ask the Minister to keep the pressure on it.
I thank Deputy Currie for her advocacy for the parents and, more importantly, the school children in connection with the particular school she mentions. I note there were about 300 schools that had not joined the hot school meals programme and that these schools have been contacted by the Department of Social Protection. As we frame the changes that we will be making to the hot school meals we need to find out the re…
I understand the Minister has got funding to examine the mechanism where he would roll out the culture card. However, being frank with the Deputy, I do not think there is sufficient money in his budget to deliver the full card but he will progress it. We have brought significant support in other areas for our young people, particularly in the Minister's Department around sports and capital funding, but also in good q…
I thank Deputy Sherlock for a very important question. I laid it out very strongly in the House that I want to see the union leaders take their seats at the negotiation table. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, has written to all the unions inviting them to come in to negotiate to get a fair and sustainable deal for their own pay and for the taxpayers. That is the established process. We are very clear as a Government ho…
I thank Deputy Roche for his very important question. I will absolutely liaise with the Minister for Transport to set out the Deputy's concerns, including in relation to the new review that is under way and the installation of new speed limit signs, which is critical to the changes to come into force by 31 March 2027. I will bring the Deputy's concern to the Minister and hopefully we will be able to see clear progres…