I thank the Minister of State. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the importance of Skellig Michael opening on time to the tourism industry in my county. It is fair to say they are very concerned. Every day, there is obviously a loss of earnings, and I ask the Minister of State to engage with his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, and ask that he do everything in his power to resolve this iss…
TDs / Michael Cahill
Michael Cahill
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
3,207
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
41,594
words spoken in the chamber
Across 178 contributions
414
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
392
topics asked about
Across 20 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 3,207 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 178 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 52 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 162 | 17 |
| March 2025 | 132 | 6 |
| April 2025 | 230 | 4 |
| May 2025 | 121 | 14 |
| June 2025 | 153 | 10 |
| July 2025 | 220 | 14 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 216 | 8 |
| October 2025 | 84 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 230 | 8 |
| December 2025 | 140 | 19 |
| January 2026 | 189 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 136 | 18 |
| March 2026 | 159 | 6 |
| April 2026 | 248 | 4 |
| May 2026 | 201 | 7 |
| June 2026 | 245 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 129 | 2 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 115 | 11 |
| October 2026 | 45 | 5 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 128 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Worked out by computer from the subject headings of each TD's questions, giving more weight to headings few TDs use. It shows shared subjects, not shared views.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Kerry 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
I would like to address the issue of the national apprenticeship training placement system. I understand apprenticeship scheduling is currently carried out on a national basis by co-ordinating providers and all efforts are made to schedule apprentices to their nearest available training location. If this is not possible, they will be called to the next nearest available location. However, the system is restricted by …
I thank the Minister for his detailed response and the work he is doing in this area. I would like to briefly mention Kerry ETB, of which I was a member for many years. I know first-hand the tremendous variety of courses provided there. I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Minister to increase the number of courses provided in all of our colleges, not just in Kerry but throughout the country. I believe th…
There is a growing need for low-cost sites. It will help in addressing the housing crisis. It might not be the only solution but it will give young people a chance to secure their first home in every part of the country, especially in my county of Kerry. The area is under significant pressure, including around towns such as Killarney, Cahirsiveen, Killorglin and Castleisland. We have huge issues with planning. I like…
Storm Éowyn caused enormous damage. We are all aware of the difficulties and hardships so many households, farmers and businesses experienced as a result of this unprecedented storm. The humanitarian assistance scheme introduced by the Minister, Dara Calleary, was most welcome. I thank him for that and for moving so swiftly.
Extreme weather events are more common today than ever before. I welcome the fact that the p…
St. Francis Special School at Beaufort, County Kerry, is a fantastic facility. We should be striving to develop a centre of excellence there for respite facilities for children with special needs and all types of disability. These services are under threat throughout County Kerry. It was recently announced that day services at Cahersiveen, based in a building purchased by a local charity group there, Cúnamh Iveragh, …
-----the State a huge service. They have not had a break in several months, even for a night or two. Excellent services and facilities are on site, as well as suitable land for future and further development. Our ambition should be to develop a super respite centre in Beaufort. It is an ideal location in the heart of mid-Kerry.
As the Minister of State is aware, staffing and beds in all our hospitals is a huge issue. This is not just the case in our large acute hospitals but also in all our community hospitals, and West Kerry Community Hospital is no different. A provision was once made for 71 beds in West Kerry Community Hospital. It was capped at 36 beds, and there are only 42 open today, which means there should be room for a further 29 …
I ask the Minister of State to get directly in touch with the Minister of State with responsibility for older people. The reply is pretty much the same as that received by the former Deputy for Kerry, Brendan Griffin, last January 12 months. It is not acceptable or fair on the staff in West Kerry Community Hospital, including the doctors and nurses, its patients and, indeed, the patients' families. I ask that every e…
9. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [12409/25]
After years of campaigning, yesterday was a fantastic day for Kerry and Ireland, and especially for north Kerry, with the granting of planning permission by An Bord Pleanála to Shannon LNG for a 600 MW power plant on the Tarbert-Ballylongford land bank. It will create more than 1,000 jobs during construction and more than 100 permanent jobs thereafter. This decision is fully consistent with the climate action plan an…
95. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test for the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8262/25]
I too congratulate the Minister on his recent appointment and wish him the very best going forward. Carers do great work and a provide a great service for the State. In that context, means-testing for the carer's allowance should be phased out. What are the Minister's plans for the phasing out of the means test?
Recent media reports suggest the cost of abolishing the means test for carer's allowance is in the region of €3 billion per annum. I understand that is the Department's own estimate. In the Minister's opinion, how definitive is this estimate?
In March 2023, the Parliamentary Budget Office estimated the cost of fully abolishing the means test at €397 million. It also costed raising the income threshold so that all ho…
Following budget 2025, the carer's allowance income disregard will be increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple from July 2025. How many additional carers are now likely to qualify on the basis of this change? Does the Minister intend to increase the disregard year on year, over five budgets?
We have two special education classes in Kerry for primary school children who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, there are no classes for second level students. I cannot understand how the Department of Education does not see that there is a need for continuation of supports for second level, particularly when students are faced with learning so many new subjects and also when they are at an age when, in terms of…
I welcome the Ukrainian ambassador, Larysa Gerasko, and all the Ukrainian people here today. I wish to extend a very warm, special welcome and céad míle fáilte to Misha, the ten-year-old boy who is now a fluent Gaeilgeoir after a very short two years and who plays the bosca ceoil. I welcome his sister, Varvara, his mum Hanna and her partner from Ballyferriter in west Kerry, Dónal Ó Catháin. It is an absolutely tremen…
This disruption is not just inconvenient, it is deeply damaging. These children and families have already endured the trauma of displacement, have finally started to rebuild their lives in safety and now they are being asked to uproot again----
----with no consideration for their emotional or mental well-being. This is both heartless and impractical. I urge the Government to reconsider this approach immediately. Decisions that affect people's lives, especially vulnerable children----
I am finishing. Ireland's response to the Ukrainian crisis in Ukraine has been admirable. However, we must continue to adapt, learn and approach the challenges with a spirit of solidarity and care for all. Let us not forget that behind every policy, every decision----
---- there are people, real lives, real families who deserve nothing less than our best efforts to treat them with dignity and respect. Thank you.
I, too, would like to be associated with the good wishes to the Minister. I wish her the very best going forward. I have no doubt her heart is in the right place.
In County Kerry, we are fortunate to have so many opportunities to stay active and look after ourselves. Our beautiful surroundings, from the sea to the mountains, naturally encourage us to get outside, walk, swim and explore. More than just our environmen…
10. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Taoiseach for an update on the establishment of a Cabinet committee on water quality to co-ordinate water quality improvements across all sectors; and when it will hold its first meeting. [7230/25]
The threat to, and cost of, the provision of safe drinking water affects every human being. We are reliant on the disposal of our wastewater, which is a major challenge to our local authorities. Are these to be dealt with as one as they are closely linked? By ensuring we have safe drinking water, can we also upgrade our wastewater facilities, including the provision of constructed wetlands to provide a solution for r…
21. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will meet next. [7231/25]