I reiterate that the HSE has advised that it suggested that the applicant's referring consultant engage with the relevant ERN, the European reference network on rare multisystemic vascular diseases. The ERN enables specialists in Europe to discuss cases of patients affected by rare, low-prevalence and complex diseases, providing advice on the most appropriate diagnosis and the best treatment available. Ireland is an …
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 thank all three Deputies for raising this really important issue. First, I want to make absolutely clear that neither my Department nor the HSE is closing any beds. In fact, this year, in budget 2026, I have provided over €4 million to open 18 HSE CAMHS beds. I have allocated €2.7 million to open the first phase of the new acute CAMHS wing of the national children's hospital and I have also allocated over €1.3 mill…
There has been.
My team spoke to the PNA in advance of the conference and indeed spoke to some of the nurses in St. Vincent’s about this change. If anything the nurses' main concern was the way in which the decision was communicated to the staff at St. Vincent's by their CEO, by email on a Friday evening with no detail about the opportunities to transfer. That was completely wrong. This is no way to treat hard-working and dedicated …
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (1) (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (2) (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)
- Statements on National Biodiversity Week (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Tuesday's private members' business shall …
I note all the comments made, but we have a serious amount of business to get through this week, including the National Treasury Management Agency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill, the Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill and the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill. For that reason, and because in the morning there is a Private Members' motio…
I thank Deputies Gallagher and Doherty for raising this matter. I will be answering on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.
As stated, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare and progressive disease affecting the muscle strength and function of boys almost exclusively, with approximately ten children diagnosed with the condition each year. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has enga…
I thank the two Deputies. It is important we understand that negotiations are under way. There is a system and process in place and simply saying that does not cut it from a political perspective is not at all logical.
There are children all over Ireland who need this drug. The Minister recognises that. There is a process in place. Italfarmaco, the pharmaceutical company, came with a proposal last Friday and the con…
I move:
Tuesday's business shall be:
- Statements on International Nurses Day (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Second Stage of the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026, selected by Sinn Féin.
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Statements on the National Safety Camera Strategy (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) (Dept of Transport)
- Garda Síochána …
I thank the Deputies for all of their comments. They have been noted. The Order of Business stands.
It is not opposed.
It is not opposed.
I am pleased to join the Minister for Health today in marking International Nurses Day and in recognising the extraordinary contribution nurses make to our health service and society. I was also pleased as Chief Whip to fulfil the request by Deputy Devine, who wanted these statements held. I was pleased to be able to put this onto the agenda because it is important that we acknowledge the fabulous work nurses do.
As…
I move:
Wednesday 's business shall be:
- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Convention Establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine (to conclude within 60 minutes)
- Statements on the Scoping Exercise in response to requests from Dignity4Patients on behalf of victims and survivors of Michael Shine (to conclude within 60 minutes)
Wednesday 's private members' business shall be the M…
I noted all the comments and the Order of Business stands.
Hear, hear.
I thank both Deputy O'Sullivan and Deputy O'Hara for raising this important issue. I spoke on this in the Seanad a couple of weeks ago. I acknowledge Deputy O'Sullivan's advocacy on rare diseases in the past six years.
As we all know, the State acknowledges the importance of access to new and innovative medicines for patients living with a rare disease. Budgets 2021 to 2025 included dedicated funding for new medicin…
I concur with both Deputies. We are speaking about this really important drug and 200 people, their families and their parents want to know what is going to happen and are hanging on our every word. I take all that on board. While I know this has been going on for two years, the HSE did not receive the information from Biogen until July 2025. We are still waiting for the commercial proposal from the company. That rem…
I thank the Deputy for raising this again and for his continued advocacy in relation to this situation. It is one that I am very familiar with, as our two constituencies align along a border. I have met one of the nurses who works in the service and who has advocated strongly as well. I just happened to meet her one day.
On behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, I thank the Deputy for raising this importan…
It is disappointing that a post that has been advertised for almost two years has still not been able to be filled for various reasons. It is important to note that recruitment to the consultant post remains ongoing. In parallel, a multidisciplinary working group has been established involving consultants from University Hospital Waterford. The national clinical lead for ophthalmology is that piece of the jigsaw that…
I am pleased to be here this afternoon for the final Stage of the Mental Health Bill 2024. Following more than 40 hours of debate in both Houses, I am very proud of the final version of the Bill being brought before the Dail today. Following extensive Committee Stage debate in this Chamber and in the Seanad, we have made a number of improvements to the Bill that I think all Deputies will welcome. We have introduced n…
The amendments in this grouping relate to references to parents and, where relevant, the Child and Family Agency, throughout the Bill. Officials in my Department carried out extensive consultation with their counterparts in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality throughout the legislative process and I brought a number of amendments to the Seanad arising from this consultation. All the amendments in this…
The amendments in this grouping relate to definitions in sections 2 and 11. These definitions are either being moved from one section to another section, or are being introduced because they reference definitions in the Child Care Act 1991. For example, amendment No. 45 introduces a definition of voluntary care arrangement that links directly to its definition in the Child Care Act 1991. Amendment No. 42 does the sam…
This grouping relates to amendments Nos. 4 and 8, which relate to the definition of "child". The policy behind the definition is not being changed. A child is a person who is under 18 years of age. There is no law in Ireland that defines a child as being younger than 18 years of age. A child is legally considered to be anyone under the age of 18. I am aware that, depending on the type of health service accessed, youn…
This grouping relates primarily to definitions being inserted that are in the Child Care Act 1991. This is similar to the grouping we discussed before the previous grouping. For example, amendment No. 5 moves the definition of "care order" from Part 4 of the Bill to section 2 instead. Amendments Nos. 11 and 16 insert definitions of "emergency care order" and "interim care order" into the Bill. In both cases, the defi…