I am not magic.
TDs / Michael Collins
Michael Collins
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
326
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
214,846
words spoken in the chamber
Across 610 contributions
370
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
93
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 326 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 610 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2025 | 7 | 5 |
| February 2025 | 16 | 31 |
| March 2025 | 9 | 37 |
| April 2025 | 3 | 28 |
| May 2025 | 27 | 36 |
| June 2025 | 6 | 29 |
| July 2025 | 12 | 25 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 18 | 23 |
| October 2025 | 10 | 28 |
| November 2025 | 5 | 44 |
| December 2025 | 18 | 33 |
| January 2026 | 35 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 25 | 37 |
| March 2026 | 2 | 33 |
| April 2026 | 76 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 29 | 29 |
| June 2026 | 12 | 31 |
| July 2026 | 3 | 15 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 3 | 14 |
| October 2026 | 10 | 21 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 264 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 Cork South-West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Independent Ireland 29 November 2024 to now
I am not magic. The Taoiseach might be.
I spoke to the Minister. He did not come back with an answer.
I do not.
I do not.
That is the question I was asking.
I do not know the answer. I asked the Minister. He said he would come back to me and nothing has happened.
Social Welfare and Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage
This Bill brings some long overdue relief to families, carers and pensioners but not much. Independent Ireland welcomes any move that puts an extra few euro in the pockets of those who are struggling to make ends meet. The €10 increase in weekly welfare payments, the higher working family payment threshold and the €20 rise in the domiciliary care allowance are steps in the right direction.
Measures like the extensio…
Every family, small business and commuter in rural Ireland is being squeezed not by choice, but by the weight of taxes and charges this Government keeps piling on. Independent Ireland has said from the start that the cost-of-living crisis did not fall from the sky but is being driven by Government decisions on taxation, overspending and waste. We support this motion because it recognises what people feel every day, w…
The motion invites us to consider a shift in how society addresses drug use, not through the lens of criminal justice but through public health. Decriminalisation does not mean legalisation; rather, it reframes drug use as a health issue, potentially reducing stigma and encouraging access to support services. While there are diverse views on its effectiveness, this debate offers an opportunity to explore evidence-bas…
Since last July, the Adrigole-Beara community has had up to 14 water outages, never mind what was happening before this, leaving residents young and old in farms, schools and créches without water for a day or two in some cases. This has led to the closure of the local school and créche. Families with small babies have moved out of the community when the water supply has broken, leaving people very stressed. One sect…
I state unequivocally that we do not ever condone violence. The events in Drogheda over the weekend were deeply disturbing and there is absolutely no place in this country for such behaviour, no matter who owns the building. Let us be honest, however, that condemning violence is only part of the conversation. We must also confront the systematic failure in our immigration system. These failures are causing real harm …
Next week sees the inauguration of our new President and I wish Catherine Connolly the very best in her presidency. This will mean a by-election in Galway West. We in Independent Ireland strongly believe that this by-election should take place immediately. To facilitate this we have already put forward our candidate Councillor Noel Thomas who is working on the ground as we speak. Can we debate-----
Can we debate here this week as to how soon the writ will be issued so that the people of Galway West will get the representation they fully deserve?
Last night, businesses and residents were once again flooded in Bantry after a night of heavy rain. Since I came into the Dáil in 2016, I have raised this issue monthly - the latest was two weeks ago. The answer I got a couple of weeks ago from the Minister was that a flood relief scheme would be delivered to Bantry in 2031. The people of Bantry have been destroyed by floods last night and for decades. The Southern S…
This Bill allows the ESB to borrow up to €17 billion and issue €1.5 billion in capital stock, much of it going to two Departments. It is framed as a step towards modernising our grid and preparing for future demand. Yes, investment in infrastructure is always vital but, let us be clear, the people of Ireland are already paying the price - literally. Electricity bills have soared. The average household now pays over €…
This is smart, fair and deeply necessary legislation that puts families first. For too long, the cost of school uniforms has placed an unfair burden on parents. According to Barnardos, back-to-school costs now average €725 for primary school pupils and €1,100 for secondary school. That is not just a statistic; it is a crisis. Families are dipping into savings, taking out loans and making impossible choices just to se…
We in Independent Ireland welcome this motion. This is the kind of genuine, sensible proposal that speaks to ordinary Irish people, North and South. It is a motion about fairness, inclusion and democracy, which have been missing to date from too much of the operation of our political system. The presidential election has brought that into sharp focus in recent weeks.
Independent Ireland supports the motion. We belie…
Today, for the first time in the history of the Dáil, we are giving men's health the attention it urgently deserves. Ireland led the world in 2009 with the first national men's health policy but the latest version of the report, The Real Face of Men's Health, shows we are at a crossroads. In 2022, 40.2% of all male deaths were premature. Men in the most deprived areas are 150% more likely to die before the age of 75 …
I thank the Chief Whip for making the statements possible today. Deputy Mac Lochlainn and I pushed hard for this debate, which is of huge importance at the present time. I would like this to be an honest debate. I do not want to stand here speaking and not getting answers. I would like to get answers to the questions I am putting to the Minister. I want us to work together to save our fishing industry. This is where …
Fourth, will the Minister commit to pushing for the application of the Hague preferences to ensure Irish fishers can legally fish in their own waters? Fifth, why is Ireland being denied a dedicated quota for bluefin tuna despite a clear recovery in stock levels and historical fishing effort? Sixth, does the Minister accept that the Common Fisheries Policy and the Brexit trade and co-operation agreement have dispropor…
Last night, a ten-year-old Irish girl under Tusla care was allegedly sexually assaulted on the grounds of the Citywest Hotel, a facility housing asylum seekers. The suspect, an asylum applicant with a deportation order, had remained in the country despite being refused protection earlier this year, making the attacker here an illegal immigrant. The people are rightly alarmed. We need an urgent and honest debate here …
The VAT reduction to 9% for hairdressers, cafés and restaurants is very welcome. I thank the Government for doing that and delivering for these people who were practically on their knees. I cannot understand that some parties in here are crying that the Government should not have done that. They obviously do not talk to the restaurant or café owners who are in a desperate situation. Cinemas also want to be included i…
I thank Sinn Féin for bringing this motion on Irish unity before us. I am not afraid of unity. The Independent Ireland party is not afraid of unity. However, I speak with both caution and conviction on this motion. The question of Irish unity is not just a constitutional matter; it is a deeply personal and emotional issue for many across this island. It deserves thoughtful, inclusive and respectful engagement.
While…
5. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the further actions he intends to take to increase craft apprenticeship participation given the additional funding announced in budget 2026 and the urgent need to increase the number of people qualified in the trades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56315/25]