Drug-related deaths and intimidation in areas like Finglas and Ballymun have been going on for years. Criminal gangs are targeting families over drug debts acquired by a member of the family or a close relative. The intimidation tactics include physical assaults, property damage and attacks on the family home, with windows being broken, cars being burnt out and homes being petrol-bombed. Criminal groups are increasin…
TDs / Dessie Ellis
Dessie Ellis
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
27
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
20,742
words spoken in the chamber
Across 81 contributions
390
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
17
topics asked about
Across 6 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 27 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 81 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 2 | 3 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 3 |
| April 2025 | 1 | 10 |
| May 2025 | 1 | 4 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 4 | 4 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 5 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| February 2026 | 2 | 5 |
| March 2026 | 12 | 5 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 4 |
| June 2026 | 1 | 2 |
| July 2026 | 1 | 1 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 2 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 2 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 38 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Dublin North-West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
The rising cost of home heating oil is a significant concern for households across Ireland. Heating oil is not a luxury, and when heating costs rise, low-income families, older people, those with disabilities and families with young children must decide how to divide their limited household income between heating, food, electricity, transport, crèche facilities, mortgage or rent payments, and other essential expenses…
The Government is expecting people to pay more for public transport at a time when those who depend on public transport are already struggling with ever-increasing household costs. The Government has proposed that from January 2027, adult public transport fares are set to increase by an average of 15%. In Dublin, the 90-minute Leap card fare will rise from €2 to €2.30. There are a number of economically vulnerable ar…
Notwithstanding the obvious requirement for the Garda to have the resources to adequately provide security during Ireland's tenure holding the Presidency of the EU, the loss of ten gardaí from Ballymun deals a substantial blow to an area that has seen a rise in violent criminal activities in recent times, particularly in relation to a widely reported feud between local gangs in Ballymun. The loss of these gardaí has …
Early childhood dental examinations are important because they identify problems before they become serious. Early assessments of a child's teeth, jaws and bite can detect developmental issues that can reduce the need for more extensive treatment at a later age. Early check-ups can detect other health concerns and dentists may note the signs of conditions that can affect the child's overall health, such as nutritiona…
The world witnessed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza some of the worst excesses and some of the most extreme cruel actions a nation can inflict on another group of people. The devastating toll on human life resulting the deaths of tens of thousands of men, women and children as a consequence of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza far exceeded any of the norms of a civilised society. The vastly disproportionate numb…
My constituency of Dublin North-West has a growing older population, showing high concentrations of older residents, particularly those over 80 years of age. The constituency also has areas of economic disadvantage and high unemployment. People are struggling daily and this cost-of-living crisis and escalating costs are continuing to impact families, who are forced to make hard choices between putting food on the tab…
It was with great disappointment that the príomhoide, staff, pupils and parents discovered that Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin was not included in the list of prioritised projects for 2026-27. Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin, Bóthar Ghlas Naíon, Finglas East, Dublin 11, is a recognised DEIS school and has been acknowledged by the Department of Education and Youth to be in extremely poor condition. It has long been accepted that a new sch…
Tá díomá orm an rud atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit a chloisteáil. Níl sé soiléir go bhfuil aon dul chun cinn á dhéanamh. Tá sé scannalach nach bhfuil aon rud le tabhairt ar ais don scoil mar gheall ar an bhfoirgneamh nua a thógáil. Tá sé de dhualgas ar an Rialtas fás ár dteanga a chur chun cinn. Níl ach scoil Ghaeilge amháin i bhFionnghlas cé go bhfuil líon mór scoileanna Béarla ann. There are lots of English schools all…
Dublin's inner city like other areas of the city, including my constituency, Dublin North West, has long faced challenges related to social inclusion, economic disparity and the consequences of many years of ageing infrastructure and buildings coinciding with a lack of proper maintenance of such structures or adequate financial investment in the areas. In the past there were efforts to revitalise local communities, i…
Dublin City Council's financial contribution scheme allows homeowners over 60 to sell their home to the local authority in return for making a financial contribution to the council, which then provides senior citizen accommodation to the homeowners. Dublin City Council has been told by the Minister that there is no funding available for this scheme. There are a number of people on a waiting list who wish to avail of …
The cost-of-living crisis has hit particularly hard those on low and average incomes, who are more exposed to this crisis as well as the mounting inflation that has driven up costs. Public and private sector workers' earnings are being eroded. Such households have become especially vulnerable as a consequence of the fluctuating political problems across the world and the unnecessary wars that have brought us to the b…
-----which stimulates demand, driving further economic activity and thereby creating a cycle of growth which can only be good, not only for the worker but for the country.
Thankfully, I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. With regard to tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products, I would support measures that would protect children by placing restrictions on both the advertising and display of such products, including how they are presented on the packaging of the products.
Addiction to nicotine is a costly addiction, both in terms of a person's health and the price of the …
There is a deepening crisis in the provision of educational facilities for those with special needs. This is compounded by a crisis in both teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in Dublin, which is one of the most severely affected areas in the country.
The most vulnerable students are impacted the most, especially when schools are unable to fill teaching positions. Special education teachers are moved fro…
St. Aidan's CBS Whitehall first opened in 1964 and is part of the very fabric of our community. It has provided an excellent education for generations of boys from around Whitehall, Glasnevin and Ballymun. Over the years, substantial amounts of money have been spent on maintaining the school buildings and 60-year-old prefabs. The demand for secondary school places and applications for admission to St. Aidan's are hig…
I understand the Minister, Deputy Naughton, is not here to take this really important issue. I appreciate the Minister of State taking it. I hope this does not lessen what we are saying and what we are looking for. The urgency of this and of prioritising it is crucial to the people in the area and to the school itself. They have done tremendous work on this. Everything is in place and ready to go. We need a commitmen…
Ah, give over.
Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil Gaeilge ag fás agus ag scaipeadh i mo cheantar. Tá níos mó suime i bhfoghlaim na Gaeilge agus í a úsáid i rith an lae. Tá an-éileamh ann le haghaidh naíscoileanna agus bunscoileanna, agus liosta feithimh le haghaidh áiteanna sna scoileanna. Níl go leor meánscoileanna timpeall na háite. Níl ach scoil amháin dara leibhéal, Scoil Chaitríona i nGlas Naíon. Is mór an trua é go …
Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an tAire ag tógáil na ceiste seo.
Dublin City Council's new differential rent scheme, which will begin operating from 6 April next, will see increases in rent for almost all of the city's 68,000 council tenants. The new scheme is supposed to augment the council's maintenance budget. The council currently maintains an ageing housing stock, with over 50% of Dublin City Council properties being b…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Alongside the cost-of-living crisis we are in that moment, we are now faced with rent hikes by Dublin City Council and there have been rent hikes elsewhere. This affects senior citizens. I mentioned to the Minister of State a couple in their 80s on fixed incomes, and one of them is being charged €43 extra. It comes to €43 extra between the two of them. In another case, it is over …
Until their tenancy is up.
I am only pointing that out.
The national total for those considered homeless is 16,734. Of that figure, 5,188 are children. These figures released in December 2025 show a shocking increase in both adult and child homelessness. These figures also mask the real number of those who are homeless because they do not tell us how many people are couch surfing and sleeping rough on the streets or in their cars.
Eviction notices from landlords have con…
There is great anger among schools and parents in my constituency of Dublin North-West at the proposal to cut the number of special needs assistants in schools. There is already a clear imbalance between the number of SNAs available in schools and the numbers required to cater for the ever-increasing number of students who need such essential assistance. Why is the Government only pausing these cuts and not stopping …