As we recognise Pride week here in Dáil Éireann, I am deeply honoured to stand before Members, not just as Minister of State for mental health and the Government Chief Whip, but as a proud mother, ally and advocate for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in Irish life. I am especially proud of who I am and who my family is. My son is a transgender young man, and seeing him grow into his own identity reminds me daily …
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 move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) and Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) Regulations 2025 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the draft Commission of Investigation (Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools) Ord…
I notice all the requests from the various Whips. At the Business Committee meeting last Thursday, there was no dissent in relation to the Order of Business for this week, just the rolling dissent.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. We have a busy schedule this week, with several pieces of important legislation. I propose we proceed with the Order of Business as set out.
What?
No.
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy Farrelly, for being in the Chair again. He is a regular on a Wednesday morning and it is much appreciated. I am surprised Deputy Daly is here because I thought he would be on his way to the High Court.
It is not a question-and-answer session. While I was walking across to the Chamber, I was struck by how ironic it is that I am the first ever Minister of State with special responsibility for mental health at Cabinet, and the Deputy is trying to remove me, while here he is today asking me to come forward and find a solution for him. I was just struck by how ironic it is.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As he will be aware, operational responsibility for the delivery of mental health services at local level is devolved directly to the relevant HSE regional health area, RHA, which in this case is the HSE South West RHA, and across all areas. I am aware, of course, that the HSE always aims to work in partnership with all relevant stakeholders in the community in the design a…
I am glad there are services in Killorglin because I would be disappointed if there were not. My understanding is that the HSE manager is actively engaging with all relevant stakeholders to facilitate accommodation that meets the needs of both services, the National Ambulance Service and, of course, the mental health supports, including the outpatient psychiatric facilities that support very vulnerable people. It is …
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I thank the Deputy for his question about primary care provision for Rathdowney and Mountrath. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. He raised a couple of matters: plans for succession in GP practices, challenges in rural Laois and the primary care centres in Mountrath and Rathdowney. I will do my best to address all of those issues.…
I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue of rural GP practices in County Laois. He said a site has not been identified for a primary care centre in Rathdowney. That is normal. It is because it is commercially sensitive. If the HSE has not purchased a site, it could drive up prices. I have seen the exact same situation in Lismore in County Waterford, where a site was not identified in advance of the agreemen…
But that is the reason that is the case. If the HSE does not own the site and it talks about where it is, straightaway, in the main, prices can go up, so there is a commercial sensitivity around it.
The HSE also tells me that there are no general medical services GP vacancies in County Louth. As we know, when a vacancy arises, the HSE actively recruits.
I have a couple of positives for the Deputy. The new locum support initiative has commenced, which provides GPs in receipt of rural practice supports with access to a streamlined local recruitment service. This initiative is initially focusing on supporting the …
Last Wednesday.
No.
I do not intend to rehearse the extensive debate on similar amendments which Deputy Clarke raised on Committee Stage. I acknowledge the amendment tabled by Deputy Quaide.
I already moved the Government amendment on Committee Stage to amend the definition of "mental disorder" by inserting references to "serious" and "significant" in the definition to address concerns the definition was too broad. It is important to e…
I move amendment No. 8:
In page 21, lines 4 and 5, to delete “Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform” and substitute “Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation”.
The amendments in this grouping are all technical amendments relating to changes required to ministerial titles previously used in the Bill. These amendments update the titles of the Ministers f…
I thank Deputy Clarke for the amendment. Section 8 of the Bill provides for a review of the operation of this enactment five years after its commencement. If it is necessary for a review to be carried out sooner than five years after the commencement of this enactment, that option will be available to the Government of the day. Section 8 of the Bill provides for a review to take place not later than five years after …
I am satisfied with the five years. The whole Bill will not all be enacted on the same day. I expect the parts of it regarding the governance of CAMHS and community premises to come first. The changeover in age verification and the piece in regard to voluntary detention and the Garda may take longer until we have all the authorised officers in place. To set a definitive timeline of two and half years is not appropria…
Again, I am satisfied. It is a massive piece of legislation, as the Deputy knows, with 220 different sections. A huge number of changes will be made to how we deliver mental health services and there will also be major change for those who deliver mental health services. It will be a staggered, incremental roll-out of the Bill, in terms of a review for a service that might only be up and running for six or nine month…
I move amendment No. 25:
In page 32, line 39, to delete “for recommendation” and substitute “for a recommendation”.
I will move amendments Nos. 25, 46, 62, 65, 97 to 101, inclusive, and 112, which have been grouped. These are all technical amendments required to correct various typographical errors in the Bill as amended.
I move amendment No. 26:
In page 33, line 36, after “Justice” to insert “, Home Affairs and Migration”.
I do not believe amendment No. 29 is necessary as, under the Bill, a person may only be involuntarily admitted when the consultant psychiatrist believes that person has a mental disorder that meets the criteria for involuntary admission. If at any point during the person's admission the responsible consultant psychiatrist no longer believes the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission, that person must be …
This is not a late-stage amendment. It was discussed on the very first day; I do not think Deputy Quaide was here. We had a discussion for four hours. That was part of an amendment that was taken I think about a month ago; it is not new today. That was discussed at that time. This is another amendment that has been brought forward in relation to the 42 days.
We cannot provide secondary legislation until primary legi…