I thank both Ministers of State for their contributions to the debate, which I appreciate. I thank Deputies from all sides of the House for their important and meaningful contributions.
There are a couple of things I would like to say in wrapping up. First, it is that my heart is full that we have had a chance to talk about young people for such an expansive amount of time - two hours - and what I certainly perceive…
TDs / Aidan Farrelly
Aidan Farrelly
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
1,387
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
53,883
words spoken in the chamber
Across 192 contributions. Plus 135 contributions from the chair, not counted
391
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
227
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 1,387 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 192 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2025 | 32 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 140 | 19 |
| March 2025 | 124 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 85 | 13 |
| May 2025 | 53 | 11 |
| June 2025 | 114 | 5 |
| July 2025 | 50 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 81 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 11 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 60 | 12 |
| December 2025 | 57 | 10 |
| January 2026 | 65 | 9 |
| February 2026 | 82 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 60 | 3 |
| April 2026 | 107 | 8 |
| May 2026 | 108 | 7 |
| June 2026 | 54 | 11 |
| July 2026 | 42 | 9 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 26 | 9 |
| October 2026 | 36 | 5 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 96 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 Kildare North 29 November 2024 to now
- party Social Democrats 29 November 2024 to now
Margaret Donohoe told Kfm news this week that she loves her job and does not want to quit it but she cannot face another bill. Margaret minds six children in her home and is a childminder, so you can imagine her surprise when a representative from Tailte Éireann arrived at her door to evaluate her home for commercial rates. Amidst a crisis in accessibility and affordability in childcare, is now the time to be chasing…
82. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on her engagements with Tusla regarding well-being checks of closed cases; if she has received a progress report or interim report from the agency; and if she will set out the allocated additional resources she has provided Tusla to enhance its capacity to complete the work in a timely manner. [61877/25]
I think we all, as the Minister rightly says, share in the concerns about the tragic cases that have unfolded in this State in recent months and years. I am really concerned with the Minister's reply. How do we think it is possible for Tusla to conduct a well-being or welfare check with 42,000 children by March of next year? We have not seen the methodology for those checks. I ask the Minister to publish what those c…
I want to stay focused. I thank the Minister for providing some information regarding the costs. That works out at approximately €76 per child. If we are looking at 42,000 children, that is what has been allocated. Will each child be spoken to or will a member of their family be spoken to? Kate Duggan told us in committee that the first phase of this will be an automated check to see if children are enrolled in schoo…
I wish to draw the Minister’s attention to a situation that has unfolded in Craddockstown Special School, Naas. Twelve pupils were offered a place to begin in August this year back in March or April of this year and they turned down other places that were not as appropriate as a special school place. It is November and they have not been able to start. It seems the planning application for that site was only submitte…
I will cut straight to the question. We have seen reports this morning of 50 IPAS contractor locations with significant fire safety concerns. What does the Government intend to do to ensure the health and safety of every bed, whether that is State-run or State-funded?
These contracts were signed with contractors by this Government. What steps will the Minister take to ensure the safety of every child and vulnerable …
I thank Deputies Tóibín and Lawless for bringing the motion forward this morning. It is always meritable to have a conversation, not only about the processes for nomination but, ultimately, as we are hearing from many contributors this morning, the merits and importance of the office itself.
Notwithstanding the context, which is important in terms of when we are having this debate, it is no way to legislate to try t…
Deputy, relevance to the budget.
Deputy-----
Deputy, cease. Keep your debate relevant to the budget.
You are not speaking about the budget.
Your time is up now, Deputy. We will move to Deputy Paul Gogarty at this stage.
Deputy, sit down. We will move to Deputy Paul Gogarty now.
Sit down, Deputy.
Deputy, sit down. I call Deputy Gogarty.
We have seen the media reporting today that there is yet another delay in the delivery of the national paediatric hospital. This is the 16th delay. Over 2,100 bedrooms are currently not compliant. There are 63,000 issues on the snag list. When does the Government envisage that the keys of the paediatric hospital will be given over? What impact will yet another delay have in terms of workforce planning and development…
We have heard that housing is a priority, disability is a priority, child poverty is a priority and climate is a priority. They are all priorities until they are not. For this Government today, we have seen that, in fact, big business and protecting its profits are the Government's priority. The headlines in the run-up to this budget were consistent: an end to successive giveaway budgets. There is no election looming…
I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case:
Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the failure to provide an SNA for a primary school child.
Deputy Matt Carthy - To discuss the impact of delays of SNA allocations on pupils and families in Cavan-Monaghan.
Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss the progression of …
Thank you, Deputy.
You can come back, Deputy.
I note that no amendments to this motion have been tabled. I call Deputy Hearne.
I thank the Minister for being here and for his contribution. We are starting to see a trend across the House in the words we are using about carer's allowance. It comes down to choices. The Minister has spoken about the idea that he cannot abolish the means test now. I take issue with that. The Government can do it but it chooses not do. As he will agree, family carers make an invaluable contribution to our communit…
I often stand up here to debate the challenges facing Government Ministers. I am on the record in conversation with the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, and I again commend him and previous Governments on their investment in sports facilities. I know of a number of pockets of County Kildare where the population has doubled in 20 years. The county has one of the youngest populations in the country. We have seen …
I mean this with the greatest of respect to the Minister of State, but this is the fourth Topical Issue raised with no relevant line Minister or Minister of State here to debate it and to engage in the conversation on it. I am not directing this at the Minister of State. He is here and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to him about this issue, but I cannot expect he will know anything about this specific issue, g…