I am glad to have the opportunity to speak about this legislation. I have been following the debate on this closely for a number of months. Some facts have been getting lost in the debate that I am glad to put on the record. The Fianna Fáil Party manifesto for the general election promised to reform the triple lock. The election saw Fianna Fáil - my party - returned as the largest party to Dáil Éireann with the highe…
TDs / Niall Collins
Niall Collins
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
223
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
63,958
words spoken in the chamber
63,945 as a minister, 13 as a TD
351
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
87
topics asked about
Across 17 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 223 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 201 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 14 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 13 | 7 |
| March 2025 | 10 | 7 |
| April 2025 | 16 | 2 |
| May 2025 | 11 | 7 |
| June 2025 | 12 | 3 |
| July 2025 | 13 | 40 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 10 | 13 |
| October 2025 | 11 | 27 |
| November 2025 | 14 | 8 |
| December 2025 | 9 | 4 |
| January 2026 | 6 | 8 |
| February 2026 | 15 | 5 |
| March 2026 | 16 | 7 |
| April 2026 | 4 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 11 | 20 |
| June 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| July 2026 | 8 | 21 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 10 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 4 | 13 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 146 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 Limerick County 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Justice 29 January 2025 to 4 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 5 June 2025 to 28 May 2026
- office Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 28 May 2026 to now
Thankfully, we do not do government by referendum in this country. We have seen how that has worked out for others - not so well. This is a democratically elected Government following through on a commitment, a commitment we made because we needed this reform. The need for this reform is clear because, while we have a proud history of peacekeeping in this country, the United Nations Security Council is dysfunctional.…
Ireland is neutral. We cherish that neutrality and will continue to do so. This legislative reform has no effect on that. It is a simple fact that military neutrality is defined by non-participation in military alliances, common or mutual defence arrangements or active armed conflicts between other nations. Therefore, our military neutrality is not changing as a result of this legislative reform. The democratically e…
It is necessary and sensible reform. We live in a different world now from the one we lived in until recently. In these changed circumstances, to say that Ireland cannot do internationally what it used to be able to do because one of five nuclear powers says "No" does not make sense any more.
I am glad that the Government is following through on this commitment.
The safety, health and well-being of our farmers is a priority for the Government. The programme for Government commits to prioritising improvements in farm safety and farmer health and well-being through strengthened supports, with a specific focus on farmer mental health and well-being.
With dedicated funding of €3 million allocated in budget 2026, the Minister and I are prioritising efforts to support the safety,…
My Department is supporting research in this important area, including research to develop evidence-based strategies, improve safety technologies and promote mental and physical well-being in farming communities.
The farm safety capital investment scheme, FSCIS, under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, 3 has a higher rate of payment of 60% for investments related to farm safety. In addition, the a…
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to give it an airing in Dáil Éireann. The whole issue of farm safety and farmer health and well-being is one we need to discuss more. It is one of my areas of responsibility as Minister of State. The Minister and I take every opportunity to raise these issues, mainly through public appearances. We have undertaken a significant number of engageme…
I thank Deputy O'Gorman for his question. Following legal advice in relation to the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, the Department procured independent scientific evidence and in October 2023, a contract was signed with the University of Galway for the provision of research services on the native Irish honey bee. The research work concluded, and the research report was subsequently evaluated by an…
To conclude my earlier input, in supporting research initiatives, €121,000 was paid under the national apiculture programme 2025 to support beekeeping through an approved applied research project being conducted by UCD. Our Department also provides funding under the conservation of plant and animal genetic resources scheme. The Native Irish Honey Bee Society received funding in 2021 and 2024 under that scheme for pro…
The Government will be updated on this shortly once the Department finalises its position in relation to it and our position will become clearer then.
It is global.
I am very pleased to confirm a total budget of €108.2 million for forestry, farm safety and the horticulture sector, for which I have responsibility. The forestry budget of €96.26 million will allow continued investment in the sustainable development of the sector through our forestry programme, the biggest and best funded programme we have had in this country to date.
The funding allocation will also support the in…
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that the Government:
— remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf;
— recognises and understands the pressures that have arisen due to rising fuel costs as a result of the conflict in the Middle East for all families and businesses, in particular for sectors most reliant on fos…
The Irish horticulture sector provides locally grown, quality food and plants and plays a crucial role in supporting the economy. The farm gate value of the sector in 2025 was €652 million, with an estimated 18,000 jobs at both primary and value-added levels. The National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 sets out a clear vision to grow a more profitable value-added sector, driven by innovation and sustainability, …
The Deputy mentioned the significant challenge in relation to labour for growers, specifically relating to seasonal workers. A seasonal employment permit pilot scheme took place in 2025 for those sectors in horticulture with a seasonal need for more employees. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment carried out an evaluation of the pilot, which was published on 9 June. The recommendations in the report a…
The strategy to grow the horticulture sector is set out in our National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027. That sets out a clear vision to grow a more profitable, value-added sector, driven by innovation and sustainability, and to provide a roadmap for the sector to achieve this potential. The strategy outlines eight key strategic actions to drive change and growth across all subsectors. The strategy has had its mi…
I thank all of the Members of the House for their contributions to the debate and I look forward to their support for the Bill as it is considered further on Committee Stage. All of the points raised by the various speakers will, of course, be considered in due course.
It is wonderful to have the potential to deliver a scheme that promises to widen the scope of what community pharmacies can deliver, add convenience …
On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for raising these important issues.
On 1 April, the Road Traffic Control of Certain Vehicles Regulations 2026, known as Grace's law in memory of Grace Lynch, were signed into law. These regulations implement an explicit ban on scrambler use in any public place and strengthen existing provisions and powers of enforcement by An Garda Síochána.
Since July 2…
The Department of Transport is examining the issue of mandating the use of protective equipment for e-scooters and e-bikes along with other road safety-focused measures. Proposals in this regard are under consideration by the Ministers. The Department is also considering the matter of registration for e-scooters. Any system of mandatary registration requires significant development work to act effectively and efficie…
I thank Deputy O’Connor for raising the proposed routes for east Cork. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but neither he nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. I am sure the Deputy knows that. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services national…
Rather than rehashing what I was given as a closing statement, I will convey to the Minister for Transport and his officials the points raised by Deputy O'Connor in relation to his constituents in east Cork and about the new routes which are available. He is well aware of the commitment of the Government and the commitments in the programme for Government to continue to roll out public transport services and to provi…
I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising the issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon. I will convey to him her disappointment at the lack of engagement that she pointed out.
Reform of legislation governing dog welfare is a key priority for the Government.
In order to bring a coherent approach to dog control, policy and legislative responsibility under both the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the D…
I again thank the Deputy for raising these issues. Animal welfare is something we all take very seriously and that we are all very committed to. It is opportune that this legislation is being updated. A lot of the points Deputy Whitmore has made are very valid. I respect her in that regard. I will ask the officials to send the Deputy an update on the two consultations she has referred to.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I welcome the opportunity to address how we can further increase public participation and interest in the European Union. Our current six-month term of Presidency of the Council of the European Union is a unique opportunity to engage with people across Ireland and the European Union. It is our priority to ensure that the Presidency is experienced by all citizens and communit…