I move:
Notwithstanding today's Order of Business, that the financial motion by the Minister for Finance, Financial Resolution No. 2, shall be taken on the conclusion of the Sinn Féin Private Member's Business. It shall be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:
The question on the motion shall dispose of any amendments not disposed tabled to that motion.
The order of s…
TDs / Mary Butler
Mary Butler
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health
Portrait: Mary Butler (CC BY 4.0) · source file
1
question asked
Oral and written, to government departments
216,769
words spoken in the chamber
214,650 as a minister, 2,119 as a TD
433
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
1
topic asked about
Across 1 department
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 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 946 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 37 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 24 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 33 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 46 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 304 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 55 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 15 |
| October 2025 | 1 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 60 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 38 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 31 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 30 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 75 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 25 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 30 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 31 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 386 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Waterford 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health 23 January 2025 to now
I understand the Deputies' concerns about the way business is being conducted, but I flagged on the Order of Business that I would potentially be coming back in this evening. Notwithstanding the importance of what the Government is doing, Financial Resolution No. 2 means hauliers, who are at the pin of the collar at the moment, will see an increase from 7.5 cent per litre to 12 cent per litre, backdated to 1 January.…
It is extremely important and the order stands.
I did not brief anyone today. I did not brief any journalists. I have not had time to bless myself.
I move:
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Statements on International Women's Day (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Energy and Fuel Costs, selected by Sinn Féin.
Thursday's business shall be:
- Media Regulation Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn at the end of the first speaking round)
Thursday's private members' busi…
I thank the five parties and groupings for their comments. As they know, the Business Committee will meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow. We will certainly try to facilitate the statements on Bessborough, although it will not be this week as the Minister is away. We will certainly try to facilitate them next week.
In relation to the cost of energy, Sinn Féin has a Private Members' motion this evening. The Tánaiste and the Mini…
No.
No.
No.
On behalf of the Minister, I thank Deputy McCarthy for the opportunity to update the house on ambulance service provision in east Cork. I thank him for the manner in which he raised it and am sorry to hear about the person who passed away.
As the Deputy will be aware, the National Ambulance Service, NAS, serves east Cork on a 24-7 basis through a highly skilled workforce of paramedics, advanced paramedics and emerge…
I join with the Deputy in extending my thanks and that of the Department of Health to the staff of the NAS for their commitment and dedication to patient care in east Cork and across the whole country. I was just checking as the Deputy was speaking. In 2025, the following additional resources were added to the south-west region. Twelve paramedics and 12 emergency medical technicians were deployed to the south-west re…
I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this matter in the House. Varicella is a common and highly infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. This virus is associated with two distinct clinical syndromes, varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, and herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles. Primary infection with the varicella zoster virus results in varicella, after which the virus becomes latent in the b…
I understand the points the Deputy makes. I agree with many of them but we must stop and think. He says the vaccine would cost €500 per person. We have an ageing population. We actually have more than a million people over 65.
The Deputy can quickly do the maths to see what that would cost.
Following detailed consideration of the findings of the HTA in 2024, it was determined that the introduction of the shingles v…
It is not opposed.
Yesterday, two public statutory inquiries into scoliosis and spina bifida care and Michael Shine were announced. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has appointed facilitators to begin work aimed at establishing two public statutory inquiries. Remy Farrell SC has been appointed as the facilitator with regard to scoliosis and spina bifida at CHI.
Lorcan Staines SC has been appointed to work as facilitator on the a…
I have accepted amendments to the Mental Health Bill.
I have accepted amendments. They may not have been the Deputy's amendments, but I have accepted amendments in the Seanad.
In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed:
1. that notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of yesterday, in relation to Thursday's business, the Second Stage of the Media Regulation Bill 2026 shall be taken on Thursday, 19 March 2026, and Statements on the Situation in the Middle East shall be taken immediately following the sos and the order shall resume thereafter.
2. the Statements on the Situ…
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2026 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committees (without debate)
- Ráitis maidir leis an Ghaeilge chun Seachtain na Gaeilge a chomóradh (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
- …
I thank all the Whips for their comments on the fishing community, the termination of pregnancy, Iran, Shannon Airport and energy costs. The Order of Business stands as set out and as circulated to all the Whips. However, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, will come in during the week to take statements on Iran and I will engage with the Whips in the afternoon.
I move:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 223(1), the following Committees may complete their consideration of the Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2026, standing referred to them pursuant to Standing Order 222(2), later than the eightieth day and not later than the one hundredth day, being the 27th day of March, 2026, after the Estimates had been so referred:
— the Select Committee o…
I thank the Deputy for her question. In fairness, she has always been a strong advocate for supports for those with eating disorders. It is the most debilitating mental health illness that you can have. We have made progress over the past five years. Some 95% of all those with an eating disorder are treated in the community. We have 14 of the 16 teams funded; 11 of them are in place and we are recruiting the other fi…
I stand today to add my support to the State apology to the victims of horrendous abuse in industrial and reformatory schools. There are not enough words to outline the abuse and absolute horror suffered by these survivors and all victims of abuse.
Many of those have lived and suffered in silence. They suffered the stigma for decades and have struggled with pain and anguish. These were children placed in these indus…
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Statements on Fishing Quotas (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Special Needs Assistants, selected by Sinn Féin.
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Statements on Special Needs Assistants (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
- Apology related to childhood abuse (hunger strikers): Statements (to commence no earli…
I will respond.