I thank everyone for being in the House this afternoon. First, I thank Ms Nicola Byrne from Shine and the team that have sat through every single word of it. I also acknowledge Deputy Clarke for sitting through every single word of it. When we have statements on mental health, it is normally on a Thursday afternoon. I could nearly write the list of people who will come in to speak because it is always the same. I tha…
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 acknowledge Deputy Peter Roche and his lived experience. He spoke about the loss of his son. It was powerful advocacy. The more we talk about mental health, the more important it is. The Opposition has a job to do. I listen and take notes. I take on board what is said. I fervently believe that this is a good budget this year, but we have to deliver the budget. There are 300 new posts across mental health. That is s…
I know that, but "Tullamore-Westmeath" is what the HSE identified. That is what it calls the midlands. A crisis resolution team is funded at €1 million a year, recurring, for a multidisciplinary team to work out of hours. There is also the crisis café. I have opened many cafés around the country. The crisis cafés have reduced the presentations to emergency departments by between 17% and 18%, and 20% in some areas. I …
I have passed on that issue.
This year, working with the Minister, I have secured funding that brings our annual investment in mental health services to almost €1.6 billion. This is my sixth budget in a row as Minister of State with responsibility for mental health. It is also the sixth year increased funding for mental health. In 2026, we will add 300 whole-time equivalent staff to our mental health services. That accounts for 9% of total healt…
I move:
It is proposed that the following arrangements shall apply on the motions for the Financial Resolutions by the Minister for Finance:
- Resolution Nos. 1 and 2 shall be grouped together for the purposes of debate, and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes;
- Resolution Nos. 3 and 4 shall be grouped together for the purposes of debate, and shall, if not previously co…
I propose:
Notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or in Tuesday’s Order of Business, the following is proposed in relation to today’s business:
- on Leaders’ Questions, two members of each party or technical group in Opposition may use their time for Q&A, and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-
- Tánaiste - 10 minutes;
- Sinn Féin - 15 minutes; and
- Social Democrats, Independ…
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Motion re Sittings and Business of the Dáil (without debate)
- Joint Motion re the Global Sumud Flotilla (to conclude within 60 mins)
- Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 3 hour…
I thank all of the Whips for their co-operation last Thursday evening and yesterday on the joint motion regarding the global flotilla, which will be taken at 3.50 p.m., with the Tánaiste leading out on it. I also want to let the House know, for anyone who has not seen it, that at 2.15 p.m. tomorrow there will be statements on the situation in Gaza, with 202 minutes, so three and a half hours, which will also be led b…
Agreed.
I move:
That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 5th February, 2025, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer beginning 27th November, 2025, shall be taken in the following temporary sequence:
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Resear…
I move:
That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, or in the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of the Dáil on 7th, 8th and 9th October, 2025:
(1) (a) in relation to the times of sittings, the suspension of the sitting and the adjournment of the House—
(i) t…
I thank the Deputy for his question. He has raised a really important issue with what he calls the radiotherapy bus. He is right; local charities and local people who volunteer do phenomenal work. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.
As the Deputy said, the bus was originally procured using one-off funding from the HSE in 2011, following on from the essential relocation of breast canc…
I do not disagree with any word Deputy Feighan has said in relation to this. The fact is that we are almost there, but that is not good enough for anybody who is travelling today with regard to wheelchair accessibility and having a toilet on board for those travelling from Sligo to Galway. It is a long enough spin as it is, especially when they are going for a specific treatment to support their cancer journey. I wil…
I thank the Deputy very much for his question on the long-term illness scheme, where many illnesses are listed. The Department of Health, in conjunction with the HSE, keeps this under review at all times. I will bring the Deputy's concerns back to the Department.
No.
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Further Revised Estimates 2025 [Votes 29, 33 and 34] and Third Further Revised Estimate 2025 [Vote 24] (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Motion re Approval of Appointment of Members of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (without debate)
- Statements on School Transport (not to exceed 3 hours and…
We had a good and robust meeting last Thursday, which the Ceann Comhairle will be aware of, given that she chaired it, in relation to the Order of Business for this week. Regarding the items raised, the Minister gave a comprehensive answer on the issue of mica.
With regard to the other issues raised, we can discuss them at the Business Committee this Thursday.
I thank the Deputy for the question. I am familiar with the issue as our constituencies border each other. It has been raised with me by people living in south Tipperary. I have been in contact with the new integrated health area manager in the HSE in relation to this. The Deputy is right. The waiting lists are increasing because of it. I met one of the employees when I happened to be out and about one day and she ra…
I move:
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (‘BBNJ Agreement’) (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Statements on National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Wednesday's private members' business shall b…
I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's efficiency. The Business Committee met last Thursday at 11 a.m. There was no request for a debate on energy last Thursday. We will have another Business Committee meeting tomorrow at 11 a.m. and I can take on board all the requests that have been made. Yes, we will certainly have a debate or statements on Gaza in the next week or two. That was discussed last Thursday. We will certai…
I thank Deputy Stanley and his colleagues for tabling this motion and giving us the opportunity to discuss oral healthcare services. The motion is timely, given that the Minister for Health has only last week officially opened the RCSI's new dental education centre in Sandyford. The motion, which the Government is not opposing, provides a chance to update the Dáil on developments in the sector and to outline the Gove…
Local Link does it.
No. Well done to the Deputy for ploughing on.