The Deputy's proposals would drive people into unemployment, reduce our tax bases and reduce our ability to actually address this because without a sustainable economy and without sustainable resources, we cannot make these kinds of payments. That is not a tough choice. The Deputy is making a choice that will impair our ability to address and assist people with disabilities.
What we are trying to do is have a progra…
TDs / Dara Calleary
Dara Calleary
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the GaeltachtMinister for Social Protection
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
234,885
words spoken in the chamber
234,882 as a minister, 3 as a TD
406
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 896 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 42 |
| March 2025 | 66 |
| April 2025 | 12 |
| May 2025 | 140 |
| June 2025 | 43 |
| July 2025 | 32 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 40 |
| November 2025 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 43 |
| February 2026 | 74 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 46 |
| June 2026 | 40 |
| July 2026 | 37 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 45 |
| October 2026 | 30 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 735 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Mayo 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Rural and Community Development 23 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister for Social Protection 23 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht 2 June 2025 to now
- office Minister for Social Protection 2 June 2025 to now
The answer is "Yes". I am going to engage with Deputy Conway-Walsh and any other rural TD, in particular, who may have other examples in this space. I am very much aware of people getting appointments at short notice and - this is a real bugbear of mine - people getting appointments at a time that they have to stay overnight the night before because they cannot get transport. I will engage directly with Deputy Conway…
Tairgim leasú Uimh. 1:
Ar leathanach 7, líne 11, “agus” a scriosadh agus “do leasú an Achta Rialtais Áitiúil, 2001; agus” a chur ina ionad.
Is leasú teicniúil é leasú Uimh. 1 atá á mholadh agam mar aon le leasú Uimh. 32, rud a leasóidh an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil tríd an mBille seo freisin. Ní mór é seo a léiriú ag tús an Bhille, áit a leagtar amach cuspóir an Bhille. Deimhníonn an leasú sin mar atá leagtha amach i l…
Tairgim leasú Uimh. 2:
Ar leathanach 7, líne 19, “tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán” a scriosadh agus “tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta” a chur ina ionad.
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. Tá scileanna áirithe riachtanach ar bhoird Stáit agus, go deimhin, ar bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tugann meascán do bhaill thofa agus baill cheaptha deis chun a chinntiú go bhfuil meascán áirithe de scileanna, taithí, saineolas agus ionadaíocht ag an mbord. An uair dheireanach a reáchtáladh comórtas le haghaidh bhord an údaráis, bhí scileanna áirithe san áireamh nach mór d'iarrthóir…
Is bord Stáit é sin freisin. Ba cheart go mbeadh gach duine atá ar an mbord freagrach ní hamháin do cheantar áirithe, ach don Stát. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh guth ag na ceantair air ach is bord Stáit é a bhfuil dlíthe ag baint leis. Tá an Teachta Farrell ar an gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí nó bhí sí.
Tuigeann sí an fhreagracht atá ar bhoird Stáit. Tuigeann sí freisin go dtarlaíonn timpistí nuair atá an fhreagracht sin lag. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an tíreolaíocht tugtha san áireamh, gan dabht, ach tá sé tábhachtach freisin go bhfuil an meascán seo ann agus go mbeidh na scileanna ar leag mé amach ann. Ba iad: cur chun cinn na Gaeilge agus pleanáil teanga; forbairt fiontraíochta; cruthú fostaíochta; forbairt pob…
Ar dtús, ní bhíonn leas-chathaoirleach i gceist le boird rialachais nó comhlachtaí Stáit ar nós Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tá foráil san Acht um Údarás na Gaeltachta, 1979, a dhéileálann le hasláithreacht an chathaoirligh, ina bhfuil sé ráite:
mura mbeidh agus fad nach mbeidh cathaoirleach an Údaráis i láthair nó má bhíonn oifig an chathaoirligh folamh, roghnóidh na comhaltaí den Údarás a bheidh i láthair duine dá líon c…
Tá muinín agam i bpobal na Gaeltachta freisin. Tá muinín agam go mbeidh daoine in ann cur isteach ar an gcomórtas PAS. Tá muinín agam freisin go bhfuil tuiscint ann gur údarás é Údarás na Gaeltachta, rud atá tábhachtach, ach gur bord Stáit é freisin. Tá sé sin tábhachtach. Mar gheall gur bord Stáit é, tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh meascán de bhaill thofa agus baill cheaptha ann. Ní bheidh na ceapacháin ag teacht ó phóc…
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. Mar is eol dóibh, níl an foráil seo ag teastáil mar tá sé clúdaithe sa phríomh-Acht cheana féin ó thaobh Comhaltaí don Dáil, don Seanad agus baill foirne na hEorpa. Maidir le comhaltaí d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, i gcás go n-ainmneofar é nó í mar Chomhalta de Seanad Éireann nó go dtoghfar é nó í mar Chomhalta de cheachtar Theacht an Oireachtais, nó chun a bheith ina ionadaí nó ina hiona…
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. Cuirim fáilte ar ais go dtí an Teach roimh an Teachta Kyne. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis as a bheith tofa arís chuig an Seomra seo den Oireachtas. Nílim in ann glacadh leis na leasuithe. Leagann siad amach go bhfuil cumhacht agus taithí ag an údarás i leith cúrsaí tithíochta. Níl aon taithí ag an údarás ar chúrsaí tithíochta ag an bpointe seo. Níl scileanna aige chun déileáil le cúrsa…
Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. Is tábhachtach comhthéacs a chur leis an díospóireacht seo. Bunaithe ar na figiúirí ó na húdaráis áitiúla, ceadaíodh, ar an meán, 90% d’iarratais phleanála le haghaidh tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht in 2025, rud a léiríonn go bhfuil a lán rudaí ag tarlú sa Ghaeltacht i réimse na tithíochta. Ina theannta sin, bronnadh os cionn €3 milliún ar iarratais i limistéir Ghaeltachta faoin deontas a…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Rachaidh na coistí réigiúnacha i gcomhairle le grúpa pleanála teanga sa limistéar faoi leith ina bhunófar an choiste chun comhairle a thabhairt don údarás agus chun cuidiú leis an údarás i gcomhlíonadh a aidhmeanna sa limistéar sin. Léiríonn sé seo an ról atá ag na coistí réigiúnacha ó thaobh na hionadaíochta de. Is fiú a rá chomh maith go bhfuil oifigeach pleanála teanga ar bhord re…
Tuigim agus aontaím leis an Teachta go bhfuil na hoifigigh phleanála teanga ag déanamh sárjab sna ceantair ina bhfuil siad. Tá muinín agam freisin go mbeidh siad lánpháirteach sna struchtúir seo agus i gcoiste réigiúnach an údaráis agus go mbeidh siad in ann obair leis an gcoiste sin. Ní bheidh an coiste in ann obair cheart a dhéanamh gan obair na n-oifigeach pleanála teanga. Táim sásta nach gcaithfimid é a leagan am…
I move:
That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimates for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2026:
Vote 30— Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary Estimate).
Vote 31 — Transport (Supplementary Estimate).
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"acknowledges that:
— the State provides a broad range of income, education, health and other supports for disabled people, has increased investment in these supports and under the leadership of the Cabinet Committee of Disability Matters chaired by the Taoiseach, will continue to prioritise further improvements over the…
I am aware of the recent figures from the Vintners Federation of Ireland, which highlight the challenges faced by rural pubs and their importance as hubs for social connection and cultural life. I agree with the Deputy's analysis in that regard. I also acknowledge that the VFI made a written submission to the consultation process which the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I opened last year to inform the devel…
I assure the Deputy that we are very committed to investing in rural social infrastructure. That is why we will be opening the community centre investment fund for investment of €25 million in the coming week. That will assist community centres right across the country.
When it comes to rural isolation, the Deputy is correct to identify rural men in particular. We have just invested up to €3,000 per shed for 369 men…
We are very focused on rural transport. Deputy Buttimer is a Minister of State in the Department of Transport as well as being a Minister of State in my Department. The work being done by Local Link to expand its services and, more importantly, expand the flexibility of its services in recent years will continue. We will engage with the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Department of enterprise and tourism in the conte…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist seo a ardú. Baineann an cheist seo le halt 18E(b) d'Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla a cheanglaíonn ar an Aire, le hordú, an dáta nó na dátaí a shonrú faoina gcuirfear gach seirbhís a sholáthraíonn comhlacht poiblí i limistéar pleanála teanga Gaeltachta, nó don limistéar sin, ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Mar atá luaite agam cheana maidir leis an gceist seo, is beart suntasa…
Tuigim an mífhoighne ach ní mór na dúshláin a thuiscint freisin. Tá muid ag obair ar na dúshláin sin le cinntiú go mbeidh daoine in ann na seirbhísí a sholáthar, ní hamháin do mhuintir na Gaeltachta ach dóibh siúd a labhraíonn Gaeilge freisin. Is gá go mbeidh taithí agus muinín ag na daoine a bhíonn ag obair sa Státseirbhís chun é sin a dhéanamh. Tá muid ag obair air sin.
Agus mo hata eile orm mar Aire Coimirce Sóis…
Tá muid ag obair ar na caighdeáin sin. Tá mé muiníneach go mbeidh muid in ann iad a fhoilsiú roimh i bhfad. Tá mé ag obair freisin leis na comhlachtaí poiblí chun go mbeidh tuiscint ag gach comhlacht ar na caighdeáin seo. Caithfidh siad iad a thuiscint agus a chinntiú go mbeidh na resources acu chun tabhairt faoi seo. Ní mór do na comhlachtaí sin freisin tuiscint a bheith acu ar cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé seo do …
I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing interest in this area. The local improvement scheme, LIS, provides for the upgrading of non-public rural roads and laneways typically not maintained by local authorities. It was reintroduced in 2017. Since 2017, funding of over €200 million has been allocated to local authorities and over 5,500 roads have been improved. In February this year, I was pleased along with the Minister of…
Laois completed 18 roads in 2025 and 81 are outstanding on the list we have. We had a really successful visit to Laois with Deputy Stanley and with Deputies Fleming and Aird some weeks back. I saw the fantastic work Laois County Council is doing. I pay tribute to that work. I could literally throw the entire budget of the Department at LIS and still have waiting lists. Other Departments also have responsibilities in …
We are very aware in the Department of the increase in costs, in particular over the past three months since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East. That directly impacts road costs in particular.
That is why the Department will be flexible. If I can see underspends, LIS will be a priority. Our capital delivery teams are engaging with local authorities that are serial offenders as regards sending money back. We …