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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
Not enough questions on record to compare.
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 amendment No. 33:
In page 41, lines 14 and 15, to delete “Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform” and substitute “Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation”.
I will speak to amendments Nos. 36, 40 to 45, inclusive, and amendment No. 48. The safeguards contained in the amended Bill in relation to consent to treatment are appropriate and balanced. I would like to reiterate that consent to treatment provisions in the Bill, in line with the Mental Health Act 2001, only apply where a person has been assessed as lacking capacity. Outside of very limited circumstances, a person …
I move amendment No: 46:
In page 64, line 18, after “proposed,” to insert “or”.
Again, this amendment relates to people who are involuntarily detained who do not have capacity. In many cases a person can regain some level of decision-making capacity within two to three weeks of admission. If an application is made on behalf of all these people, the vast majority of the applications will not be required as they will have regained capacity a short number of days after the making of the application…
I move amendment No. 50:
In page 67, line 7, after “Justice” to insert “, Home Affairs and Migration”.
I thank Deputy Clarke. Amendment No. 51 does not provide for a definition of "chemical restraint" or "advocate", two terms which have not been used elsewhere in the Bill. Amendment No. 52, proposed by Deputy Quaide, exactly matches the text of the published general scheme and includes terms that have not been used in the Bill itself. The Department has not included provisions on the use of chemical restraint in the B…
I will be brief. As I have said, chemical restraint is a complicated matter. I do not believe the amendments proposed here today adequately address the complexities of the issue. The Mental Health Commission can determine a code of practice in respect of any restrictive practice. It is positive that the Mental Health Commission noted in its latest publication that there has been an overall reduction in episodes of re…
I move amendment No. 53:
In page 70, line 11, after “Justice” to insert “, Home Affairs and Migration”.
I spoke at some length on Committee Stage about child admissions to adult units and do not propose to speak about the matter in great detail again but I would like to speak to the amendment. We do not need to put a time limit in primary legislation on how long a child can be admitted to an adult unit. The small number of child admissions that currently take place are done on an emergency basis and for as short a peri…
The Deputy was not speaking to the amendment. May I conclude?
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulations 2025 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Motion re Referral to Committee of draft Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Planning and Development (Ame…
A Cheann Comhairle-----
I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I thank the Whips for the comments.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle very much. I acknowledge the comments from the various Whips. We have a very busy schedule this week with several items of legislation to conclude. For example, just this afternoon, the Minister for housing will be in the House for three and a half hours for Second Stage of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025.
The Order of Business stands.
I move:
That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft:
Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025,
a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 4th July, 2025, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order 103(5), which, not later than 16th July, 2025, shall send a messag…
I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this issue and for attending the Cluain adult training centre with me and Councillor Siobhán Ambrose a few weeks ago. It is an excellent facility which provides a range of services for those with disabilities, acquired brain injuries and mental health challenges. It supports people who might fall between the cracks otherwise. I was very impressed by the fact that the centre identifi…
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Nomination to Appoint the Deputy Police Ombudsman (without debate)
- Motion re Fourth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate)
- Statements on the publication of the report of the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes).
Tuesday's private members' business shall be Mot…
I thank the Whips for the issues they have raised-----
I thank the Whips for the issues they have raised. I will take on board everything that has been raised, but we had a meeting of the Business Committee last Thursday morning. The Ceann Comhairle was present at the meeting. Apart from one issue with regard to the time allocated, the Order of Business for this week was agreed.
I will, however, take on board comments that have been made. There will be statements on the…
What was stated on Highland Radio in Donegal last week is not a matter for the Order of Business but------
-----we can discuss having health statements, if the Deputy so wishes, on the issue. An amendment to the Order of Business was moved under Standing Order 35(3). I will not be accepting the amendment today.
No.
No, it is not opposed.
I move:
That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Standing Order 33, and with effect from 2nd July, 2025, approves the Fourth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 27th June, 2025, and discharges members from Committees and appoints members to Committees accordingly.