I thank the Minister. That is welcome news. Trim Family Resource Centre will not be found wanting in the type of projects it will allocate that money to. It is involved in projects such as zero tolerance, which tackles domestic violence, as well as low-cost rental for partyware, which is a relief to many families in my area. My question remains the same. I know the Minister is committed to the programme. I ask her to…
TDs / Aisling Dempsey
Aisling Dempsey
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
336
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
12,735
words spoken in the chamber
Across 83 contributions. Plus 2 contributions from the chair, not counted
426
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
141
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 336 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 83 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 12 | 6 |
| March 2025 | 16 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 12 | 2 |
| May 2025 | 19 | 2 |
| June 2025 | 29 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 17 | 2 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 12 | 6 |
| October 2025 | 11 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 35 | 7 |
| December 2025 | 11 | 4 |
| January 2026 | 22 | 3 |
| February 2026 | 30 | 4 |
| March 2026 | 8 | 1 |
| April 2026 | 28 | 11 |
| May 2026 | 8 | 1 |
| June 2026 | 22 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 10 | 6 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 24 | 5 |
| October 2026 | 10 | 3 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 72 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 Meath West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
People in Clonard and Enfield in my constituency of Meath West are very angry about their water supplies or lack thereof. Abbeyfields and Meadow View in Clonard are home to about 150 houses. They have not been served properly by a proper water service for over 30 and 40 years, respectively. Finally, in August, Uisce Éireann confirmed a new bore hole would be dug there and that it was imminent, along with an improveme…
I recently met a lady in my constituency of Meath West who was finally approved for a carer's allowance nine years after she first started to care for her beautiful daughter who has many additional and complex needs. A short time later, this lady's husband got a modest increase in what is a good income, shall we say. That income, though, does pay for many private supports and therapies they need to get. In this insta…
Will the Minister give an update on the supports being provided for naíonraí?
I thank the Minister for her comments and for recognising the importance of naíonraí in our communities. As a TD for Meath, which has two of the only Gaeltacht areas in Leinster, namely Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib, the importance of the Irish language and culture is not lost on me. We have some quality settings in the Gaeltacht area, for example, in Navan. At present, thankfully, we are seeing the Irish language under…
I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the Minister for Health and ask her to review and, indeed, expand the long-term illness scheme. It rightly acknowledges a number of chronic illness and conditions, but it fails to acknowledge many others, such as those living with serious mental health conditions over the age of 16, heart conditions such as sarcoidosis, rare diseases like factor V Leiden and autoimmune diseases such…
12. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [46879/25]
The programme for Government committed to reducing childcare costs to €200 per month per child.
Families across the country are under financial pressure. It is imperative that this commitment is delivered on within the lifetime of this Government. I urge the Taoiseach to ensure it remains a key focus of the Cabinet committee on children and education. Affordable childcare-----
Childcare, yes. Affordable childcare is not only essential for parents, but also for workforce participation, equality and the well-being of children. I appreciate it is complex and I appreciate the work already undertaken by the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, to realise this commitment but could the Taoiseach outline any progress to date and when we can expect further progress?
Navan had the highest driving test waiting time nationwide. Navan and Tallaght were completely oversubscribed, with a record high of 43 weeks. It was four times the recommended wait time of ten to 12 weeks. Thankfully, we have reduced that to 16 weeks. That is in no small part thanks to the emergency action plan the RSA introduced in May of this year. I have no doubt we will get back to the ten to 12 weeks by mid-Sep…
2. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [23201/25]
Before I call on the Minister to open the debate, I remind Members that three separate motions are being debated in this slot, namely the motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 as regards the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level, the motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a reg…
96. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to suspend the periodic means test reviews for carers in receipt of carer's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33130/25]
I ask the Minister his plans to suspend, or indeed abolish, the periodic means test review for carers in receipt of carer's benefit.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire for that and the very welcome news he has given us in terms of the income disregards. That will be very beneficial to many across the country, I am sure, but specifically in my area of Meath West. Many families have been in touch with me about this matter. I was this morning in a meeting of the committee on children. I am very privileged to have been appointed Leas-Chathaoirleach of the …
Again, I thank the Minister for his response. Our ambition and our goal are to get rid of the means test completely, and this is a really significant part of it. These people save us untold money every day in the care they provide in their own families. For example, in one family in my area the mother works part-time just for her own mental health, just to have a little breather from the issues she has at home with h…
Meath West commuters eagerly anticipated the new commuter fare zones being announced but they were disappointed in April to find out those only related to rail fares. We were disappointed again in recent weeks when the bus fares were announced. My own town of Trim only saw a minimal decrease in the fare but towns like Navan and Athboy saw an increase. The rationale given is that these fares now cover bus and rail. Un…
16. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Disability will next meet. [29816/25]
I thank the Taoiseach for his comments and continued focus and priority on disability matters. A cross-departmental approach is the only way we will improve disability services and the lives of those affected by disability. I am heartened to hear of progress on the work programme being worked on currently and that a new strategy document will be prepared. However, I have a question about progress in workstream 15 in …
Housing is the number one priority for this Government. It is the issue I hear most about when I meet people across Meath West. This concern is not limited to one age group. Our twenty-somethings are struggling to gain independence. They are stuck in expensive rental markets with little hope of home ownership. Our thirty-somethings who are ready to settle down and start families are squeezed by high prices and limite…
The assisted human reproduction Act was passed by these Houses in 2024, but has not yet been enacted. Retrospective surrogacy legislation will provide a pathway to parental rights to the second parent of eligible families. This part of the Bill is aimed at ensuring that children born through surrogacy in the past have the same recognition as other families. I raise the case of my constituent in Meath West. Lorraine, …
I thank the Minister, Deputy Foley, for her words and her hard work driving reform with a sharper focus on the delivery of therapies for children. I also thank the Minister for taking the time to hear my voice as a representative of families who are facing unacceptable and heartbreaking realities. In my constituency of Meath West I have, first as a councillor and now as a TD, dealt with a number of parents in really …
Before I call Deputy McGuinness, I welcome to the Visitors Gallery the O'Flynn family, who are guests of Deputy Ken O'Flynn.
20. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee dealing with transport will meet next. [6495/25]
Navan rail line is firmly on the agenda of this Government and is of great importance to the people I represent, not just in Navan but to the entire constituency of Meath West. Meath has the highest number of commuters leaving the county every morning.
We are halfway through year one of two years of design, route selection and public consultation. This means we will not get the project into the planning system until…