I take the points the Deputy has raised. In the last budget, we made a decision within our Department and the Minister, Deputy Burke, brought forward an increase in the research and development tax credit, bringing it to 35%. That was broadly welcomed. The industry had campaigned for it. The Minister will bring forward a new life sciences strategy in the coming months. This will focus on our strengths but also try to…
TDs / Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
2
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
112,967
words spoken in the chamber
112,959 as a minister, 8 as a TD
392
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
2
topics asked about
Across 2 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 2 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 415 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 2 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 31 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 35 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 35 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 18 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 33 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 39 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 6 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 10 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 347 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Mayo 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications 29 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment 2 June 2025 to now
I thank the Deputy for his question. He will be aware that in August 2026, KKR announced its intention to acquire Integer Holdings, with the transaction expected to complete later this year. Integer's facility in New Ross is a significant employer in the south east and is an important part of Ireland's internationally recognised medical technologies sector. The company has a long-established presence in the region an…
I thank the Deputy again for raising this important matter. I appreciate what a valuable employer Integer is with regard to New Ross and the wider region. However, as I said earlier, let us not over speculate the situation. The IDA stands ready to engage with KKR. It is very important we continue our engagement with the senior leadership team at Integer as that acquisition continues in process. We will closely monito…
I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I am certainly open, as I am sure the Minister is, to visiting New Ross in the future to engage with existing and future management as part of this operation. Of course, we will continue to engage with our key State agencies, including IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. We will ensure County Wexford continues to be supported. FDI investment has increased by over 15% in the past fi…
Ireland remains one of the most competitive economies, ranking seventh in the world competitiveness rankings. However, significant challenges remain. The Government is committed to ensuring that Ireland's strengths are not taken for granted. In recent years, a range of measures have been introduced to support competitiveness and help businesses, particularly our SMEs, to manage rising costs and adapt to changing econ…
I could not agree more. Our small businesses and SMEs are the backbone of the Irish economy. They account for 99% of all job creation in our communities the length and breadth of the country. We recognise that many businesses are feeling significant cost pressures. That is precisely why this Government, the Minister, Deputy Burke, the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, and I have been proactive in bringing forward the …
I agree with many of the points that the Deputy has raised. Scaling funds are really important. That is why we will bring forward measures to support SMEs and businesses to access finance and capital. Enterprise Ireland is now ramping up the startup Ireland programme. We have invested significantly in recent times in the new frontiers programme, especially in the likes of the south east. We have funded Enterprise Ire…
No.
I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Waste Management (Household Waste Collection Service) Bill. I thank Deputy Sherlock and the Labour Party for bringing this legislation before the House. At the outset, I acknowledge that the Deputy has raised issues that are of real importance to households across the country. Reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable waste collection services are essential public …
I thank all the Deputies who contributed to today's debate. I acknowledge and appreciate the thoughtful and constructive manner in which this debate has engaged with a really important issue. The one broad consensus and fundamental point that has been raised is that we all want a household waste collection system that is affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable but also has the capacity to support Ireland…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. He is absolutely right to highlight the importance of this sector, particularly for the communities he represents in north Kildare, such as Leixlip, which has played a central role in Ireland’s technological success.
The Government and I completely recognise the importance of this strategic sector. That is why in May 2025, the Minister, Deputy Burke, launched Sil…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and for his work on the artificial intelligence committee, alongside the critical infrastructure committee. We recognise the importance Intel brings, not just to Leixlip and Kildare but also to Ireland in general. It is the cornerstone of Ireland's semiconductor ecosystem and one of the most significant industrial investments in the history of the State. It is one …
As Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, I am pleased to join the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in welcoming the opportunity to address the Dáil on the first day of Ireland's eighth Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is a significant responsibility for Ireland and a moment of real opportunity for us to shape t…
I thank Deputy Clarke for the opportunity to address the House today on an issue that I know is of real importance to her constituents and to the midlands.
I am taking this Topical Issue debate on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The HSE recognises the vital importance of timely access to neurological services for patients across the midlands and acknowledges the significant impac…
Again, I thank Deputy Clarke for raising this important issue. I fully acknowledge that too many patients are still waiting far too long for appointments and treatment. I recognise the real strain that is placing on individuals and families. As outlined, neurological services in the midlands are delivered through a combination of local supports in Mullingar and specialist regional services. Urgent patients continue t…
I thank the Deputies for bringing this important matter to the floor the Dáil. As they are aware, on 27 April 2026 Covalen informed its employees of its intention to reduce its workforce. My understanding is that the company has been impacted by a shift in client demand, resulting in a reduction in the volume of services required and a requirement to adjust operations accordingly.
My first and most immediate concern…
I thank the Deputies for their contribution. The Government fully understands the impact jobs losses have on workers, their families and communities. In the immediate term, we are very much providing the supports, which are being mobilised. We are also engaging with the IDA, the State agency, in terms of redeployment. That is actively being pursued. Engagement with the company is ongoing.
Looking beyond the immediat…
The Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, is making his way back from Strasbourg and he should be joining us shortly. I will take some of the priority questions in his absence but he will be here later in Question Time.
As the Deputy will be aware, on 27 April 2026 Covalen informed its employees of its intention to reduce its workforce. Covalen is a Dublin-based provider of customer experience, business process outsourcing …
As I said earlier, my first and overriding concern in this situation is for the workers affected and their families who are facing a very uncertain time. IDA has been very active and proactive in its engagements at senior level with this company. That is very much with the clear focus of exploring all options to minimise job losses and also support the business through this transition. At the same time, IDA Ireland i…
I thank the Deputy for his question. It is essential that any redundancy process is co-ordinated fairly, transparently and in full compliance with the law. Ireland has a strong, robust legal framework in place to protect workers experiencing redundancy. That includes a 30-day consultation process in the case of collective redundancies. There are clear obligations required on Covalen in this regard to engage meaningfu…
I thank the Deputy for her question. Enhancing online safety, particularly for children and young people, is a whole-of-government priority. I recognise the important work of the committee, particularly the engagement with stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds who informed the committee's recent report, which is an invaluable aid to understanding how online safety and participation can be improved.
In consid…
I thank the Deputy for raising these concerns. I understand the concerns being raised and the impact recommender algorithms have on children. They are valid. Certainly, the Government takes the matter seriously. This is not simple. While it might sound straightforward to just ban recommender systems in theory, it needs to be evidence-based. There are also risks of unintended consequences. Having been a member of the …
A lot of work is being undertaken in our engagement with social media platforms. That includes age verification and working hand in hand with the European Commission. Coimisiún na Meán is central to the enforcement role. We have seen many investigations in recent times. I believe we need to focus on a more co-ordinated approach through European regulation. These are many global platforms that have a global reach. Ire…
I thank the Deputy for his question.
The Government continues to actively monitor cost developments across all sectors of the economy.
The small business unit was established in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment last year, fulfilling a programme for Government commitment. There are a number of tools this unit and the Department will use to enable its work, including rigorous implementation of the…
I thank Deputy Dolan for his question. I know he has been big advocate of ensuring our energy system is supported and remains resilient and sustainable. Across government, through the Department of climate and energy, we are driving the delivery of renewable energy and solar PV. Through SEAI grants we have seen a huge uptake in the number of businesses that have adopted new technology in regard to solar PV and energy…