It is a great start to the new year for me to be here in the Chamber addressing an Aire Stáit, another strong female TD from Carlow. Go raibh maith agat. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, for the work she is doing for the young people in Carlow and Kilkenny. Thank you once again.
Speaking as a parent first and foremost I am alarmed at the increase in the sale of vaping products among our youn…
TDs / Catherine Callaghan
Catherine Callaghan
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
385
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
34,437
words spoken in the chamber
Across 138 contributions
427
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
119
topics asked about
Across 18 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 385 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 138 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| March 2025 | 11 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 27 | 13 |
| May 2025 | 8 | 7 |
| June 2025 | 10 | 3 |
| July 2025 | 4 | 3 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 34 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 16 | 10 |
| November 2025 | 10 | 7 |
| December 2025 | 20 | 4 |
| January 2026 | 21 | 13 |
| February 2026 | 68 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 16 | 11 |
| April 2026 | 11 | 9 |
| May 2026 | 64 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 18 | 6 |
| July 2026 | 23 | 8 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 8 | 5 |
| October 2026 | 15 | 1 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 104 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 Carlow-Kilkenny 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
I ask the Taoiseach to please continue to support our farmers. I am a rural TD and, together with my local public representatives, like Councillor Tommy Kinsella in Ballinkillen, we have been hearing over and over again about the devastating impact that the Mercosur deal, in its current format, will have on farmers, farm families and rural communities. I stand together with my Fine Gael colleagues in Carlow and Kilke…
As I am sure we in this Chamber are all well aware, keeping our children safe in a seemingly limitless digital landscape can be a source of anxiety for parents all around the country. As a parent born in a non-digital world, I know I sometimes yearn for the good old pre-mobile phone days but we all have to acknowledge that the online world has made life so much easier for many people in many ways. It has helped us fe…
Gabhaim buíochas.
I acknowledge all the contributions made on this Bill today. It will play a crucial role in protecting Ireland’s reputation as an advocate of free and fair trading agreements worldwide and it will allow for the constitutional ratification of the trade agreement between the EU and Canada and other international agreements.
I am not alone in acknowledging the transformative effect that open and fair trading relationsh…
I acknowledge the work of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who, since she became Minister for Health, has been proactive in tackling many pre-existing inefficiencies in the health system. It is also important that I acknowledge and recognise the very hard-working staff within our hospital system. None of what I am saying is a slight on those dedicated and committed members of the hospital network, the …
12. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on Ireland's proposed participation in the EU's SAFE initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59616/25]
I thank the Tánaiste for his response. It is very important to acknowledge the marked increase in our defence budget. We are making good progress and it is really important that this momentum should continue. I mention the second part of the SAFE regulation, which is the loan. One way I would have liked to have seen this momentum continue was through availing of the SAFE loan. It was a loan that was very competitivel…
I thank the Tánaiste. That is very reassuring to hear. The logic of creating the SAFE regulation was to ensure EU money stayed in the EU to support and encourage European enterprises to be developed with the long-term goal being to strengthen Europe's industrial and technological base. At a recent defence committee meeting, the Department of Defence said that out of the €340 billion spent on defence purchases by Euro…
I am very happy progress is being made on developer-led infrastructure in terms of water and wastewater treatment for smaller developments but will the Tánaiste please ensure that Uisce Éireann moves as fast as developers do? There are significant water restrictions in Castlecomer in my constituency due to the lack of water capacity. Uisce Éireann has a plan to upgrade the plant, which I welcome, but it is not due to…
I welcome the contributions that have been made on this important Bill so far this afternoon. I commend the vision and efficiency that the Government has shown in progressing this Bill, which will fulfil the second phase of a multiyear plan to increase the number of judges. While those who work to administer justice in Ireland are among the hardest working individuals in the country, by increasing the number of judge…
I welcome the opportunity to make a contribution on the topic of international protection processing and enforcement. It is an area in which, in spite of enormous challenges, the Government has made sustained progress in the right direction. It is critical to point out at the outset that migrants make an immense contribution to Irish society. People are welcome to come here, work, study and join family so long as the…
I welcome the contributions on the topic of men's health. To hear that this may be the first time in the history of the Dáil that this issue has been discussed on its own is a good sign of the direction we are travelling in. I want to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for all her work on mental health and men's mental health in particular. I was recently at an event in Carlow, as was the Minister of State, …
Ballon Meats is a family-run independent meat processing factory that has been operating since 1977. It provides a vital service to local farmers across my locality - Ballon, Fenagh, Kildavin, Rathoe, Myshall and Tullow - as well as employing local people. It faces a challenge at the moment and needs our help. It needs more skilled workers. Despite having advertised locally and across the EU, it has not managed to re…
6. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress on developing a new national cybersecurity strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49231/25]
I thank the Minister for his answer. As we all know and as he said, cyber-resilience is really critical in this modern world. We need robust cybersecurity to protect our digital systems and data from unauthorised access and misuse and from theft and damage due to the increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Cyberattacks are increasing in frequency, complexity and destructiveness and can compromise our critical infras…
In the Department of justice, we know An Garda Síochána leads the domestic intelligence and national security operations, while the NCSE manages cybersecurity. In the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces handle external and military intelligence. In the Department of the Taoiseach, the national security secretariat provides strategic oversight and co-ordination. Will the Minister please outline the current level…
13. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for the progress that has been made on the national roll-out of the See Something, Say Something initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54168/25]
I ask the Minister to offer a report on the progress that has been made on the national roll-out of the See Something, Say Something initiative, as outlined in the programme for Government.
I thank the Minister very much for his answer. As he says, See Something, Say Something is a really good initiative. The national roll-out of it is committed to in the programme for Government. It is a community initiative which enables the public to text details of illegal dumping, antisocial behaviour and other incidents directly to the authorities, as the Minister said. It is designed to support crime prevention a…
I thank the Minister. As already outlined, the initiative has been enormously successful. While I commend the Minister's ambition in expanding community policing across the country it is important to note there is still a real need for more community gardaí in our rural towns and villages who are as visible and contactable as possible, as far as the people they serve are concerned. Of the most recent graduate class f…
Budget 2026 is about protecting and supporting jobs in the face of turbulent economic headwinds. As the first of five budgets that will be delivered over the lifetime of this Government, of course we cannot achieve everything we wish to at once and there will always be more that we can do. However, the permanent incremental measures that are outlined in this budget will go a long way towards providing the structural …
Carlow town is a vibrant and expanding university town. To sustain and build upon that status, it is essential the student experience in Carlow be supported by the provision of adequate student accommodation, a key commitment outlined in the programme for Government.
The proposed upgrade of Mortarstown wastewater treatment plant is the key to unlocking the provision of student accommodation in Carlow as the upgrade …
I sat in my office in Carlow town last night until almost 9.30 p.m. with two primary school principals who tell me they lie awake at night wondering how they are going to pay the constantly increasing costs of running their schools. They, along with the multiple emails and calls I have received from across Carlow and Kilkenny from teachers and parents alike, have four simple asks: to increase the capitation fee for p…
I will add to what Deputy Keogh and many others have said about school transport in rural areas. The same thing seems to happen every year. I commend the Minister of State on the work he has done. The additional 8,000 bus seats that have been delivered this year are very welcome. Many of the difficulties I have dealt with across Carlow and Kilkenny relate to the allocation of concessionary tickets. There is a require…