We have just seen very militant protests that were widely supported in society because of the acute nature of the cost-of-living crisis and the fact that people were supporting those who were having a go. A marker has been laid, and we need workers to do the same.
In the couple of minutes I have, I want to highlight that there were some issues with these protests. It was noted by many people that some far-right indi…
TDs / Ruth Coppinger
Ruth Coppinger
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
938
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
164,714
words spoken in the chamber
Across 1,017 contributions
371
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
239
topics asked about
Across 19 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 938 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,017 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 5 |
| January 2025 | 4 | 2 |
| February 2025 | 40 | 62 |
| March 2025 | 32 | 55 |
| April 2025 | 59 | 51 |
| May 2025 | 42 | 68 |
| June 2025 | 33 | 69 |
| July 2025 | 48 | 63 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 81 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 26 | 79 |
| November 2025 | 81 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 16 | 58 |
| January 2026 | 64 | 66 |
| February 2026 | 64 | 99 |
| March 2026 | 66 | 46 |
| April 2026 | 79 | 48 |
| May 2026 | 53 | 50 |
| June 2026 | 51 | 60 |
| July 2026 | 26 | 32 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| September 2026 | 53 | 20 |
| October 2026 | 20 | 15 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 687 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 Dublin West 29 November 2024 to now
- party People Before Profit-Solidarity 29 November 2024 to now
I want to raise the pain and suffering being caused to people doing essential work in this country due to the massive backlog and delays in issuing Irish residence permit, IRP, cards. Some people who had to leave for funerals or because of family illness in India and elsewhere have not been able to get back into the country. I also want to raise the family reunification rules and to mention a woman called Iby, who is…
It is a disgrace.
It is an outrage that planning permission would be given on this site where over 900 children, that we know of, died but where only 64 graves have ever been found. It has happened despite all the campaigning of survivors and the groups connected with them.
I will mention something the Minister for justice said here the other day when this was raised with him. He basically acted like the Government was powerless and …
I welcome this debate. I want to speak in particular on the aspect of the motion on low morale, internal investigations in An Garda Síochána and how people who make disclosures or whistleblowers end up being the ones whose careers suffer. They often end up out sick, being bullied or shunned within An Garda Síochána for speaking out. I would also like the Minister to clarify whether the Fiosrú investigation he establi…
The ambulance service is absolutely essential. Paramedics are the first on the scene and they do incredible work, as I know from my own personal experience. However, this week, we have seen further reports of a misogynistic and toxic culture in the National Ambulance Service, NAS. Will the Taoiseach investigate this issue?
I have spoken to Kathy - that is not her real name - who has reported a paramedic who drugged,…
To be clear, I highlighted a particular case but this is not about one case, as shown by the statistics I gave, the survey that was done in the north east and The Journal Investigates findings. This has been going on for more than a year. It is time for the Minister for Health to intervene. An Garda Síochána, the health service and the Army should not be safe havens for perpetrators. Unfortunately, the policies that …
It is a bit ironic that the Government is putting a halt to this scheme in 2027 and reducing the amount now when it boasts and brags about the support it gives to Ukraine, pumping money in at EU level, some of which is potentially going in a military direction. We have a scheme here. I am not in favour of ending any scheme housing anybody in this country during a housing crisis. That should be perfectly clear. Where …
-----because of the figures that have been presented. The Deputy can shout all he likes; I am telling him now.
Punching down is pathetic of Sinn Féin, and it will not get any votes-----
This is to give Sinn Féin something to say on a doorstep when somebody says something racist: "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, we opposed that." That is all this is about. It is-----
I will sit down now but I would have liked to finish my point without being interrupted.
A task force on special education in Dublin 15 was set up in October 2024. Why, eight months after its final report was handed to the Minister, has it been buried and still not published? Dublin 15 is a fast-growing area with an acute crisis in school provision for children with additional needs. Three parents, all of whom have children with additional needs, gave up their time voluntarily to be part of the task forc…
It is a bit ironic that we are now paying the price for a horrific imperialist adventure by Trump and Netanyahu, which the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach have never once condemned. The Taoiseach spent a whole day in Washington and managed not to say one thing about the attack on Iran.
In relation to the emergency motion the Tánaiste is bringing through the Dáil, where is the emergency action for the disabled people who …
80. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the drafting of a new animal welfare strategy for 2026 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21353/26]
I ask the Minister to make a statement on how the animal welfare strategy is progressing. I draw his attention to the fact that two countries, Wales and Scotland, have this week banned greyhound racing. Ireland is now going to be a complete and utter outlier. In banning it in Scotland, it will be an offence to set up a racetrack or for a dog owner to race a dog on one. The proponent of the motion said greyhound racin…
I do not think the Minister should be pre-empting whether he will ban greyhound racing. I hope he will actually study the strategy and come out with a report from it. Are we not actually going backwards on animal rights in this country when Wales and Scotland, two countries we have close ties with and to which we are aligned culturally, are banning it while the Minister is doubling down on maintaining it? Dogs Trust …
It is just because of what happened this week.
They are facts.
My question was broad. I will happily talk about the treatment of wild animals, animals in captivity and farmed animals but I decided that two events happened in Wales and Scotland this week that were absolutely seminal and should make the Irish Government think as well. Part of the reason that the greyhound industry has been able to sustain itself is exporting greyhounds. That will now be less of an option if it has…
I send solidarity to the workers in RTÉ, who have been balloting and speaking out against the outsourcing at the station and the effective gutting of RTÉ. I agree that the scandal of high wages, hidden accounts and ridiculous pay for a few presenters at RTÉ is being used to gut the public service station. I have loads of issues with RTÉ and will mention some of them but we do need public service broadcasting. There a…
Exactly.
Not to the Oval Office.
Wow. I did not know that was our job.
He did not say that.