The Taoiseach has just ten seconds left. What is he going to do?
TDs / Pearse Doherty
Pearse Doherty
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,436
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
224,644
words spoken in the chamber
Across 1,657 contributions
378
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
236
topics asked about
Across 20 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 1,436 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,657 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2025 | 10 | 20 |
| February 2025 | 135 | 57 |
| March 2025 | 93 | 120 |
| April 2025 | 59 | 72 |
| May 2025 | 117 | 111 |
| June 2025 | 79 | 75 |
| July 2025 | 132 | 106 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 89 | 38 |
| October 2025 | 75 | 81 |
| November 2025 | 79 | 163 |
| December 2025 | 51 | 102 |
| January 2026 | 64 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 72 | 98 |
| March 2026 | 53 | 95 |
| April 2026 | 64 | 140 |
| May 2026 | 78 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 67 | 102 |
| July 2026 | 60 | 16 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 39 | 90 |
| October 2026 | 20 | 56 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 1,142 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 Donegal 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
The Government has just agreed a deal but it left out blister packs.
In recent weeks, the Taoiseach himself said that energy companies were gouging customers, yet despite using that word and acknowledging that people are being ripped off, the Government has still failed to do anything meaningful to stop it. We know that wholesale electricity costs have collapsed but Irish households still pay among the highest bills in Europe. The ESRI has confirmed what we already knew - electricity …
No, an inquiry.
A full CRU inquiry was the question. Why does the Taoiseach keep dodging questions?
The amendments we are dealing with in this legislation - the amendments tabled by the Sinn Féin Deputies - go to the very core of the issue. If accepted by the Minister, they would probably satisfy the vast majority of people in my constituency regarding the challenges they have. Of course, there are other issues, including those related to the administration of the scheme and the criteria, but a core issue is the 10…
I move amendment No. 8:
In page 5, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:
“Report on supportive measures for rental property activation in areas impacted by defective concrete blocks
2.The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on supportive tax measures for rental property activation in areas impacted by defective concrete blocks.”.
Thi…
This is infuriating. The Finance Bill went through in the past ten days. I put this to the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, and, in fairness, he said that what I was saying had merit. The ARP scheme for Ukrainians that I mentioned was designed and is administered by the Department of justice. The latter went to the Department of Finance looking for the income that is paid for those properties to be tax exempt. The …
I can read the Minister of State what the Tánaiste said when we discussed this issue previously. He stated:
I am genuinely grappling constructively with the point the Deputy made on the idea of the ARP. It is not an unfair point. That scheme is administered by the Department of justice. My Department carries out the tax treatment element of the scheme. It is open to other Departments to consider schemes in relation …
Before I begin, I send my support and the support of my party to young Cara Darmody, who has begun her 50-hour sit-out protest to demand timely assessments of need are delivered. It is shameful that a young woman has to do this over and over again but we are deeply inspired by her.
Tá físeán a bhí curtha in airde ag an Roinn tithíochta ar na meáin shóisialta tar éis fearg millteanach a chruthú. Déanann an físeán iar…
The decision by this Government to share the video has caused fierce anger. The video suggests that those forced to move back in with their parents should help around the house so they will be viewed as adults. God almighty, how patronising is that?
Did anybody in the Government look at this video before it was shared on the official platforms by the Department of housing? Did anybody think about how people would re…
The Minister is not listening and he is not hearing. He does not understand what it feels like for people in their 20s, 30s or even 40s who have been forced to move back into their parents’ house and are now living in the box room when the Department of housing shares a video saying that maybe they should do the dishes when they are at home so they will be seen as an adult.
Can the Minister understand how hurtful th…
I did not say the Department made it.
As has been mentioned already, as we speak there are people with disabilities protesting outside the gates of Leinster House because they are struggling with the cost of living. The hard reality is that in the budget the Government took away the supports that these individuals were relying on. People with disabilities are up to €1,400 worse off. The Government stripped away the vital supports they depend on to deal w…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann:
recalls:
— that children are legally entitled to an assessment of their health and education needs under the Disability Act 2005, and that the assessment must take place within six months; and
— the motion regarding Assessment of Need passed by this House in May 2025;
notes:
— that the law is still being broken with respect to the 18,097 children whose Assessment of Need is now overdu…
1. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the level of inflation that was projected by his Department as it prepared budget 2026, including the decision not to provide an income tax adjustment for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64572/25]
Will the Minister outline the level of inflation that was projected when his party decided on the budget of this year? It was a budget that made a decision to pull the cost-of-living supports, such as energy credits and others, and not give any tax break to workers other than a handful of highly paid executives. How does the inflation rate that was projected when the budget was prepared compare to what we are seeing …
For the budget in which the Government withdrew supports and broke promise after promise about income tax cuts that were made to workers during in election, the Department expected that inflation would be 1.9% next year and 1.8% this year. Maybe the Minister will outline that inflation is actually way above 1.8%, not far off double that figure. Would the Minister not agree? We understand the flash estimate puts infla…
Is it not great for someone in the Minister's position to talk about getting back into the "normal rhythm" of something soon? When I go back to Donegal and talk to my constituent who simply cannot heat her home, I will tell her not to worry because the Minister says we are going to get back into the "normal rhythm" of things in a couple of years, closer to an election no doubt. It will be closer to an election becaus…
They are higher than ever.
But they are higher than ever.
The Minister promised to reduce energy costs.
I am not shouting.
I am just reminding the Minister of what he said.
The Minister nearly said "childcare" there.