This will form the basis of our discussion with all Ministers on what changes we can make for budget 2026.
TDs / Jack Chambers
Jack Chambers
Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
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
152,394
words spoken in the chamber
146,472 as a minister, 5,922 as a TD
358
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 720 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 57 |
| March 2025 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 36 |
| May 2025 | 52 |
| June 2025 | 2 |
| July 2025 | 90 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 |
| October 2025 | 11 |
| November 2025 | 109 |
| December 2025 | 69 |
| January 2026 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| March 2026 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 37 |
| May 2026 | 44 |
| June 2026 | 1 |
| July 2026 | 60 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 80 |
| October 2026 | 25 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 658 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Dublin West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform 23 January 2025 to 4 June 2025
- office Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation 5 June 2025 to now
That is a normal part of the budgetary process that this Government is committed to advancing.
As the Deputy knows, in last year's budget, we set out a number of measures of a one-off and temporary nature. The reduction that was made on a one-year basis was reflected in that cost-of-living package. We said, as an incoming Government, that the decisions we would take in the context of budget 2026 would be taken on a permanent and sustained basis. It is on that basis that every Minister will be engaging with me …
What I have been very clear about is that this issue will be part of the broader discussion on budget 2026. That is how annualised budgeting works in this economy and many other economies around the world. That is what we are seeking to do. We will set out an envelope in the coming weeks and each Minister will have to prioritise within that his or her overall expenditure demands.
Of course, I am cognisant of the nee…
It is important we are clear on the budgetary context for budget 2026. Many of my Government colleagues have many priorities in their respective Departments and policy areas which they will commence negotiation on at the end of July and through August. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, has been clear that affordability for students is an important priority for him as part of his negotiation for budget 2026. That is the c…
We will engage in a budget process in the coming weeks, and affordability for students will be a key component of that in terms of trying to continue the permanent changes that were made in recent years. That is the context in which every Government Minister will engage as part of budget 2026. We need to respect that. The measures will be outlined on budget day in October.
On the overall trade environment, the disru…
I thank Deputy O'Flynn. I take with great seriousness the issues he has identified on the experience of individuals relating to the protected disclosures regime. As he knows, we have various legislation from 2014 up to 2022 reflecting the updated reforms introduced, some of which were introduced in the aftermath of some of the cases he has referenced, and reflecting best practice. Under the current regime a review is…
My Department works with the protected disclosures national advisory group, a forum of disclosure managers from Departments, public bodies and prescribed persons to share best practice and identify any challenges that are emerging from the existing legislative framework. I will ask them to review what the Deputy has stated and feedback from others in the context of what he has said regarding the existing legislative …
I assure the Deputy that this is my genuine intention. A legislative framework must protect whistleblowers and those who make a protected disclosure. I will ask the advisory group, which consists of a number of members across different Departments, to review what the Deputy has said and indeed if there are any reforms-----
The Deputy is completely ignoring what is after happening over the last number of years. Childcare investment has quadrupled from €260 million in 2015 to €1.37 billion in 2025. This is significant State investment in childcare, along with the affordability supports that underpin it. The Minister, Deputy Foley, is ambitious to continue to do more to support parents with the affordability of childcare. It is unfair to …
The Deputy dismissed them in how she described them. They provide a really important part of supports for childcare across communities in this country. They also need to be supported in how we manage the budget process.
I thank Deputy Collins. The Government and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, are committed to continuing support for the islands. This is reflected in his submission to me as part of the national development plan but also in advance of budget 2026. I do not have specific detail relating to the individual allocations for the different islands the Deputy referred to but I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy dire…
Since 2015, the population has been growing significantly and we have had a clear policy intent to support increased provision of public services in health, education and disability services. Part of the work we are doing as part of the medium-term expenditure framework is assessing what the appropriate number is in for the medium term in the context of the pay and numbers strategy, and what the envelope will be to f…
I thank the Deputy. A number of road safety interventions have been made and are being made to the N81. Funding of €400,000 has been provided for realignment of the section near Stratford-on-Slaney and technical advisers have also been appointed to develop this scheme through a planning application. Funding has also been allocated to provide for traffic calming measures on the N81 adjacent to Hollywood village as wel…
I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. I will start by acknowledging the bravery of so many victims of domestic and gender-based violence in speaking out. These voices are a stark reminder that although improvements have been made, we need to keep the momentum going to achieve our objective of zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This topic was discussed at the North-Sout…
I thank the Deputy. I am not sure whether he was here during Leaders' Questions when I responded to many of the Deputies who raised this issue. What has been stated up to this point is that the one-off temporary measures taken in the past 12 months are not continuing in the context of budget 2026. However, there will be a real focus on affordability of public services in education, childcare and healthcare. That is s…
This issue obviously involves specific, individual circumstances which relate to the Ministers for foreign affairs and justice. I can ask the Ministers to respond to the Deputy as appropriate.
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Many others have raised it and as I have said to others, this is a matter for budget 2026. We will engage with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, in that context. All measures and priorities are reflected in the budgetary discussions that the Government will undertake in advance of budget 2026. The same applies to the issue the Deputy has raised, as it does to many of the other pr…
I thank the Deputy. As she knows, this issue is regulated by the Irish Aviation Authority in the context of the EU legislative framework that exists for drones. I know the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is working on finalising the draft policy framework and expects it to be published this summer. There was previous consultation on the framework and extensive work has been carried out in the aviation…
I thank the Deputy. I know and understand some of what is being said around Letterkenny and surgical capacity for the north-west region. The Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has been engaging with the Deputy and other representatives of the north west in the context of the surgical demand that is there. She is engaging in that process in good faith. Over the coming period, we will set out the future plan…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann, noting that the Government on the 24th June, 2025, nominated Brian Doherty for appointment by the President as An Leas-Ombudsman Póilíneachta, recommends, pursuant to section 171(3)(b) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 that Brian Doherty be appointed by the President as An Leas-Ombudsman Póilíneachta.
I move:
That, notwithstanding Standing Order 222 of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business or the Resolutions of the Dáil of 1st April, 2025 and 21st May, 2025, the following Revised Estimates and Second Further Revised Estimate for Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2025, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members on 17th June, 2025, being a date later than that pres…
Deputy Neville is correct. We need to see a specific focus on basic, strategic infrastructure in the review of the national development plan. That is why the Government has set out prioritisation around transport, energy, water and housing in particular. I am familiar with Leixlip as it borders my constituency. Clearly the area has grown significantly, with infrastructure that was built some time ago. These are the t…
I launched the new accelerating infrastructure task force on Friday 16 May. At the task force's first meeting, the terms of reference were agreed and there was a discussion of the work plan of the Department's newly established infrastructure division over the coming months.
Primarily, the role of the task force is to provide its members' expertise and guidance to assist my Department's work programme of identifying…
The construction sector group has a distinct and separate mandate. It continues to do excellent work. We have identified, and the Deputy will have seen this in her broad engagement with people in south Conamara or, indeed, with stakeholders across the economy, that there are many barriers impeding delivery. The task force’s central mandate is to have a short period to identify these barriers, develop significant refo…