43. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will meet next. [64283/26]
TDs / Aisling Dempsey
Aisling Dempsey
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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
I welcome the employment equality provisions contained in this Bill and the clear commitment they represent to fairness, dignity and equal opportunity in our society. The Irish gender pay gap currently stands at 8.3%, below the EU average of 11.1%. It is also lower for newer entrants to the job market. That is welcome news but, even still, only one in ten CEOs are female. The gender pay gap portal is a centralised re…
10. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland is progressing EU enlargement. [69008/26]
As the Taoiseach heard, Every Child Matters is a group formed in Trim, County Meath. They were here with us today. They undertook a protest outside and we had a heartbreaking briefing in the audiovisual room this afternoon. That group quickly spread nationwide and the group represents a lot of parents who are fighting for services for their kids. They spoke to us about understaffed CDNTs, not being able to access the…
11. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of additional persons who have qualified for carer’s allowance since the increase in the weekly income disregard took effect in July 2026 nationally and in Meath West. [67566/26]
I ask the Minister about the number of additional persons who have qualified for the carer's allowance since the increase in the weekly income disregard that took effect nationally in July 2026, and more particularly, in Meath West.
I thank the Minister for his response. It is unfortunate that we cannot get the figures but I totally understand the reasons behind that. There has been a significant increase in the number of applications and I am glad to see that. It is a positive and important development for the families across Meath West and nationally who are caring for older people or people with disabilities. I do not want to reduce any of th…
I have had many parents contact me over the past few weeks about school bus places and the stress that is causing them. We have had the school bus transport review. The recommendations in it include changing the rules about the nearest school, the distance and all of the things we need to do. We have given ourselves until 2030 to do it but I do not believe we will at the rate we are proceeding at the moment. We need …
10. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to improve the inspection regime of dog breeding establishments. [52127/26]
Does the Minister intend to improve the inspection regime for dog breeding establishments in the near future?
I thank the Minister. I appreciate that answer and his commitment in this area. It is obvious it is something about which he is quite passionate. It would be really beneficial if we could get some kind of timeline on that now. We met with Dog Law Ireland and other advocates. I met a lady from my own constituency that day called Alma. It is not about people like that. There are excellent dog breeders out there. There …
I thank the Minister for his commitment to getting this through as a priority. I am really delighted. I am sure many people will be delighted to hear that today. The caps he talks about are all very welcome. They are more or less in line with what people like Dog Law Ireland and advocates like my constituent Alma want. The one concern is around the number of bitches that can be in any one of these breeding establishm…
Our Lady's Hospital in Navan is extremely important to the people of Navan and County Meath generally. We are proud of the excellent staff who work there and the management team who run the hospital and work together every day to provide good outcomes for the patients in our county. The opening of the surgical hub in Swords was welcome news, not just for Dublin but for surrounding counties like Meath. It is a dedicat…
15. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on Irish aid to Nepal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50097/26]
Throughout this debate, not one person has argued that we do not need high-quality, accessible and affordable childcare. Everyone, including the Minister of State, agrees that we need it and need it now. The question is not one of need; the question is whether it is possible to deliver nationwide, high-quality, affordable childcare for every family overnight. If we are all honest here, the answer would be "No", unfor…
I beg the Deputy's pardon.
The Deputy might let me finish. I actually agree with both policies. I hope to see them progress with relevant Ministers, like the Minister for Social Protection. More places for children aged under one is being addressed under schemes such as building blocks already. I hope we continue to make progress on this over the coming years. Parents should have the freedom to return to work as and when is right for their par…
I want to ask the Minister to outline the current and future actions that are being taken to reduce the cost of childcare for parents across the country.
I thank the Minister for that update. I really welcome the maximum fee cap the Minister mentioned that is coming in September and will cap those fees at €183.70. That is a real tangible step for families to achieving really affordable childcare. Families that are facing those highest fees will see the money back in their pockets. Where are those services that will benefit the most from that? Are there many of those f…
6. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection for a report on his attendance at the annual carers’ forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46023/26]
I raise the school summer programme, which was formerly called the July provision. I have been contacted by numerous parents, school staff and principals who are really frustrated and very stressed. People at St. Michael's school and Scoil Mhuire in Trim, St. Anne's school in Navan and many more schools across Meath West have told me they have not been allocated enough resources and staff by the Department to run the…
The village of Ballivor has been without water for over four days now, but Uisce Éireann does not appear to be accountable to me as a public representative nor to this House despite the billions of euro we are giving it to invest in upgrading our water infrastructure. There have been really poor communications, there is no end in sight and the school has been closed for the past two days.
In 2019, when I was first e…
134. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment given that many SMEs are being disproportionately affected by the spike in fuel prices, and with businesses across the retail and hospitality sectors facing particularly heavy energy bills, the plans he has in place to help address these challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30074/26]
11. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth to explain the process around School Building Projects; the project process and if there are currently delays in the process. [29148/26]
I ask the Minister about the school building project list for schools which are either new builds or seeking extensions, and when they get on to that list how they work through the process and what delays they might face.