I thank Deputy Cummins for her contribution and as a public representative I fully understand the stress that BusConnects is causing. I have the same experience in Cork. In many ways the reply I am going to give her will not be the response she perhaps deserves. She is right that I am not familiar with the geographical area, but going through her constituency on the way in and out of Dublin you can see the importance…
TDs / Jerry Buttimer
Jerry Buttimer
Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and at the Department of Transport
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
21
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
121,393
words spoken in the chamber
121,360 as a minister, 33 as a TD
395
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
17
topics asked about
Across 8 departments
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 21 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 432 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 12 | 16 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 9 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 15 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 24 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 20 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 21 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 17 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 31 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 38 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 46 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 16 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 16 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 363 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 Cork South-Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and at the Department of Transport 29 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and at the Department of Transport 2 June 2025 to now
I will take the Deputy's concerns back to the NTA and I thank her and the people in Connecting Communities. I know my previous colleague, former Senator Seery-Kearney, had been active on behalf of residents.
The first thing is that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport, but the Minister or his officials do not have responsibility for the day to day operation…
I thank the Deputy for again articulating people's genuine concerns. As public representatives, it is important that we highlight that the redesigned bus network for Dublin was finalised following three rounds of extensive public consultations. This culminated in over 72,000 submissions being received. Part of the difficulty that I experience in Cork, and I am sure that Deputies Cummins and Devine are the same in the…
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I join the Deputy in thanking Councillor Singh for her advocacy and proactivity on the matter. The Deputy is right: antisocial behaviour on our public transport system needs to be addressed.
It has been tolerated for far too long. While the Minister for Transport has no responsibility for policy and funding, as t…
I again reassure Deputy Ó Muirí that security and the visibility of policing on the public transport system and in city centres is critical. He is correct that there needs to be a commitment from the operators on the northside piece. I reassure him that the Minister for Transport, the Department, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I, as well as the Government, are acutely aware of how important it is for trans…
What about Donegal?
Gan amhras, nílimid sásta maidir le tréimhse fanachta na dtástálacha tiomána. Tá an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Canney, ag obair leis an Aire chun tréimhse fanachta na dtástálacha a laghdú.
I recognise that my response to the debate will probably be no different from what was said by any of the Members who have spoken. We are all frustrated by the delay. As Deputy Timmins said, the diagnosis is well documented, but this…
Go for solar or wind.
I first congratulate Deputy O'Reilly on her appointment as Chair of the petitions committee. I served on that committee for eight years and I wish her well because it is an extraordinarily important committee of the Houses.
I hear the Deputy's concerns and I thank her for raising the matter. As the former chair of the health committee, I understand fully the Deputy's articulation of the issues surrounding the provis…
I understand the Deputy's frustration. Primary care and the utilisation of the centre are perhaps matters that the HSE is best placed to tackle. Equally, the local regional health forum is a forum where the Deputy and other public representatives can put pressure on the HSE. However, I take the Deputy's point. Again, on behalf of the Minister, I wish to reassure the Deputy and I thank her for raising this important i…
I join the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach in welcoming the Deputy's kids, Aisling, Erin and Caolán, to the House. I thank the Deputy for raising the important matter of Beaumont hospital and in congratulating and thanking the staff of Beaumont hospital on International Workers' Day for the work they do. I do not have the answers to some of the questions raised. However, if the Deputy supplies the details, I will pass them o…
I thank Deputy Hearne. It is about dignity, which I fully accept. As a former Chair of the health committee and as a TD, I am very much aware of this. People are waiting for too long for procedures and outpatients appointments, not just in Beaumont Hospital but across our hospital network. The Government is committed to addressing these issues. It is a priority of the Government and of the Minister for Health.
The i…
I congratulate Deputy Cahill on his appointment. He is a very fine ambassador for the tourism sector not just in Kerry but across the country. I wish him well on that. I heard him raise it this morning with the Tánaiste during Questions on Policy or Legislation.
First, to briefly put context on it, the Office of Public Works conserves and manages Ireland’s national heritage estate, which comprises 780 national monum…
I again emphasise that I hear Deputy Cahill. Sceilg Mhichíl is a site of extraordinary significance and the OPW is seeking to carefully manage the built and natural heritage of the site for the enjoyment of current and future generations. The OPW recognises the significance of the Skelligs with regard to tourism and the economic activity of Kerry, as articulated by Deputy Cahill, and in particular the Ballinskelligs …
I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. I congratulate Deputy Ward on his appointment as Chair of the European affairs committee and wish him well in the role.
He has raised a very important matter regarding women's health and the healthcare provided to them. The urogynaecological transvaginal mesh is used in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in wom…
I thank Deputy Burke for raising this matter in the House this evening. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, who shares Deputy Burke's concerns in relation to the current cost of shingles vaccination in Ireland. Varicella is a common, highly infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. The virus is associated with two distinct clinical syndromes, varicella, known as chickenpox, and…
Deputy Burke made some very valid points. He is right about the long-term effects of shingles and the ageing population. I thank him again for raising this important matter. He is right that we should be forward thinking. Vaccination is regarded as one of the most effective, cost-effective and successful public health interventions that exist, saving many lives every year. As has been highlighted, shingles can impact…
I thank Deputies O'Hara and McGrath for raising these important matters tonight and for allowing me, as Deputy McGrath said, to respond on behalf of the Minister.
I say to Deputy O’Hara that the Department recently announced that 98 beds for families seeking international protection will be provided at the Merriman Hotel in Kinvara. The property was previously used to house people who were beneficiaries of the tempo…
To Deputy O'Hara, I repeat that those people from Ukraine who remain in the property will stay at the Merriman Hotel and will be accommodated under new arrangements. That is fairly black and white. I take on board the comments of both Deputies and will bring them back to the Minister.
The Department has been working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for interna…
I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister. The Deputy is right that we are not immune to extreme events and he rightly illustrated and highlighted our vulnerability in terms of 2.5 times our usage having gone in five seconds. He is bang on. It is important to note that we do not yet know the causes of yesterday’s event. This kind of cascading event has happened to powe…
I again thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising the matter, which is of critical importance. The Deputy is right that there must be learnings from what happened yesterday, whatever the cause of the Iberian blackout is, and that has not been confirmed yet. The authorities in Portugal and Spain are continuing to assess the cause and it may take time. The point the Deputy makes is that we must take learnings from this.
In Ire…
I thank Deputy Geoghegan for raising this very important matter, which I am taking for the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. Deputy Geoghegan has raised this matter before. There is huge merit in what he has proposed, and I commend his contribution because it is about joined-up thinking and ensuring we are ready for the next phase of the area he mentioned.
As the Deputy knows, improving public transport services and infrast…
I thank Deputy Geoghegan for his contribution and ongoing interest in this very important issue. The Deputy is correct. As a member of Dublin City Council, he championed the 15-minute city concept. I fully subscribe to what he said about capital investment in infrastructure, housing and transport, as does the Government.
On the current developments, the National Transport Authority has instructed Transport Infrastru…
Chuala muid an díospóireacht. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na Baill a thug páirt sa díospóireacht iontach sin agus gabhaim buíochas leo. Go mórmhór, gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin as an rún a chur os comhair na Dála. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na hoifigigh agus leis na baill den phobal a thug cuairteanna agus tacaíocht dá gcomharsana tar éis na stoirme agus gabhaim buíochas leo.
I begin by congratulating the Ceann Comh…
I thank Deputy Wall for the question and congratulate him on his election. I look forward to working with him again as we did in Seanad Éireann. He has always been a champion of transport and the Kildare-Dublin axis, and I look forward to working with him in that regard.
Our Rural Future, Ireland's national rural development policy, was launched in 2021 following an extensive period of consultation that ensured the …