As far back as 2017 the same families were told that this was a top priority. The Minister might recall that Simon Harris at the time gave a clear and unequivocal commitment to reduce waiting lists and that no child would wait longer than four months. That point was restated by the next Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly. He said that by the end of the year just gone no more than 20 children would be waiting longe…
TDs / David Cullinane
David Cullinane
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,614
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
117,211
words spoken in the chamber
Across 499 contributions
417
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
145
topics asked about
Across 16 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 1,614 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 499 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 22 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 73 | 27 |
| March 2025 | 70 | 92 |
| April 2025 | 121 | 18 |
| May 2025 | 218 | 26 |
| June 2025 | 129 | 16 |
| July 2025 | 174 | 23 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 28 | 9 |
| October 2025 | 75 | 25 |
| November 2025 | 35 | 40 |
| December 2025 | 68 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 72 | 11 |
| February 2026 | 115 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 35 | 42 |
| April 2026 | 85 | 43 |
| May 2026 | 30 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 119 | 15 |
| July 2026 | 67 | 20 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 52 | 10 |
| October 2026 | 26 | 25 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 304 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 Waterford 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
The Deputies are simply saying that eight years ago, promises were made and here we are with these issues still not resolved and waiting lists nowhere near where they should be. I want those waiting lists to come down. I want children to get the services they need. I was not the one that made the promise. I certainly was not in the room when commitments were given on what capacity would be needed to meet those promis…
114. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when she will introduce comprehensive adult safeguarding legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24429/25]
This question is on the need to introduce and implement adult safeguarding legislation. I have been raising this issue for a long number of years. I know there is a commitment in the programme for Government to review policy in this area, but we need a strong legislative framework. I want to see an independent safeguarding authority in place, a legal right of entry for social care teams and mandatory reporting. I wil…
We are reflecting on the Grace case. We had very lengthy debates in this House over a number of days last week, as the Minister knows. Grace was an adult for 12 years of her time in that home. As we know, she suffered very serious neglect and abuse in that home for a long number of years. As the Minister mentioned, it is not just about the Grace case; we also had the Brandon and Emily cases. We have had far too many …
I agree that the Law Reform Commission report was very important and allows for the foundations for legislation to be put in place as quickly as possible. I raised this with the incoming chair of the health committee, Deputy Rice, as an issue on which the committee should focus. I am sure we would be prepared to work with the Minister in having the Law Reform Commission appear before the committee and talk through it…
I agree
Hear, hear.
It seems to the people of Waterford that, when it comes to the application for funding for the runway extension at Waterford Airport, which is not just an issue for Waterford but for all those who live in the south east, it is a case of "Send the fool further". That is now said to me regularly. In 2019, I attended a meeting with the then Minister for transport, Shane Ross, one of the Minister of State's former collea…
I do not blame the Minister of State who is taking the debate but, as I expected at the start of my original contribution, the written statement from the Minister of State again talks about a review, consideration and next steps. It states that it will be considered and there will be further engagement and an appraisal process. We need the money. It is that simple. It is "Yes" or "No". Will the Government fund the ru…
I commend Teachta Kerrane on bringing forward this motion. I concur with the points she made on the last general election and the spoofing that was done by Fine Gael especially but also by Fianna Fáil on many issues but most particularly in the area of childcare. The Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, in particular spoke a lot about a public model of childcare. That seems to have gone by the wayside. We called that out d…
I welcome that we have an opportunity to debate the commission’s findings. I have spoken to a number of people who care for Grace and an organisation that has cared for her in recent years. She is in my mind today. From the conversations I have had, Grace is now getting very good care. She is a lovely, beautiful person and she is in all of our thoughts today.
The Minister is correct. I sat on the Committee of Public…
Hear, hear.
Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I am delighted too to be introducing this Bill with my colleagues in honour of one of Ireland's unsung patriots. The purpose of the Bill is to name the new children's hospital "Ospidéal Náisiúnta Kathleen Lynn do Leanaí". Dr. Lynn was a phenomenal person and a progressive patriot who dedicated her life to the betterment of the lives of Irish people, in particular women and chi…
There are many exceptional individuals working tirelessly in CHI to deliver the best care that they can for our children. I have met many of them; I meet them all the time. I applaud and salute them because I know that they are as frustrated as Sinn Féin and I are with the failings of CHI as an organisation. Unfortunately, there are very serious problems at CHI, which make it impossible for Sinn Féin to have confiden…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann:
notes with alarm the results of a clinical audit conducted on children's hip surgeries performed on children under the care of Children's Health Ireland (CHI), which:
— audited 147 cases across 14 surgeons across 3 institutions for the period 2021 to 2023, namely CHI at Temple Street, CHI at Crumlin, and National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh; and
— found that, of those audited, 60 per c…
We have now been here debating Children's Health Ireland, children's healthcare and, in particular, the children's hospitals for five hours. That says it all about the failures we have seen in children's healthcare at those hospitals. The Minister is right when she says that the report into hip dysplasia has not been published. She is waiting for the full report to be published, but a draft report was leaked. It is o…
Yesterday we had the publication of the HIQA report into CHI, which was discussed in the House at length. The report was damning and outlined a litany of management, clinical, ethical, and informed consent failures. This was not only about use of unauthorised non-medical grade springs, which, of course, was the substance of the report, as the systemic failures go wider than this. Teachta Ó Murchú received an email fr…
I must also put it to the Taoiseach that I accept the chair of CHI stood down yesterday. I genuinely believe the board needs to be stood down, given the gravity of the issues which have been raised.
The Taoiseach is missing the bigger picture.
Hear, hear.
The Taoiseach said that with a straight face. Fair play to him.
The Taoiseach is the one making wild claims.
And Michael Lowry.
We certainly do.