Today is a very significant day for the Stack family. They have waited a very long time for the State to give a formal apology arising from the murder of Brian Stack, who was a well-regarded chief prison officer in Portlaoise for many years. To put it in a local context, since the foundation of the State, Portlaoise Prison has housed the most difficult people who were convicted of criminal offences. Anybody who does …
TDs / Sean Fleming
Sean Fleming
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
608
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
7,777
words spoken in the chamber
Across 29 contributions
414
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
165
topics asked about
Across 19 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 608 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 29 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 16 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 8 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 17 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 31 | 1 |
| June 2025 | 24 | 0 |
| July 2025 | 71 | 2 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 58 | 3 |
| October 2025 | 12 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 41 | 3 |
| December 2025 | 58 | 2 |
| January 2026 | 32 | 4 |
| February 2026 | 56 | 0 |
| March 2026 | 39 | 1 |
| April 2026 | 36 | 2 |
| May 2026 | 28 | 1 |
| June 2026 | 31 | 3 |
| July 2026 | 12 | 1 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 20 | 4 |
| October 2026 | 18 | 1 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 26 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 Laois 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
14. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on the number of jobs currently supported by IDA Ireland in each of the midland counties. [66656/26]
Will the Minister to address the lack of IDA-supported jobs in County Laois? There are a lot of jobs in the midlands and over 300,000 IDA-supported jobs throughout Ireland, but only about 150 of those are based in the county. Given the size of the county and its central location, this is totally unsatisfactory and I need the IDA to step up to the plate on this matter.
I thank the Minister for that. He actually proved the case I had to make when he pointed out that one county in the midlands has almost 4,500 IDA-supported jobs, while a county of a similar or larger size has 150. It is by far the lowest figure for any county.
This is IDA policy, and if it is not policy, there is somebody not doing their job. It has decided Laois is okay for some reason. It probably even thinks, "Su…
I acknowledge the work of Enterprise Ireland and the local employment office in bringing and supporting jobs in native Irish companies but that is happening in every county. I am specifically here to deal with the IDA.
I will ask the Minister to ensure that he contacts the chief executive of the IDA about this, to make sure that he is aware of this conversation. State agencies might not be following what is happenin…
11. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress made to date under national strategic outcome, NSO, No. 6 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51367/26]
106. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his response to the latest monthly housing commencement figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48047/26]
I want to raise an issue with the Taoiseach today regarding the lack of Industrial Development Authority, IDA, supported jobs in County Laois. I think the Taoiseach will be shocked by what I have to say. The IDA has ignored Laois for many years. There are 145 IDA-supported jobs in County Laois. That is by far the bottom of its list by a long shot. If the Laois figures were replicated nationally, those figures would a…
What the Taoiseach said is interesting. Based on what he said, I can confirm the unusual situation that there are more people who leave County Laois every day to go to work outside the county than there are people with jobs in the county. More Laois people have to commute to work, maybe using the motorway. However, there is also good news. The IDA bought a 45 acre site a few years ago adjacent to a site it already ha…
55. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will report on the implementation of the accelerating infrastructure plan. [40277/26]
126. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures he is taking to support the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30062/26]
I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, I welcome this particular discussion and look forward to this legislation going to the committee. As Chairman, I will ensure we have a thorough, effective and detailed discussion on Committee Stage. We will have ample time for any issues that need to be raised, discussed or teas…
7. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health her plans for a new GP contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17324/26]
114. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of jobs IDA Ireland supported in each county in the midlands region in 2025; the way in which this compares with the position in each county in the midlands region in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1592/26]
Will the Minister comment on the number of IDA Ireland jobs in County Laois? The most recent figures I received show 145 IDA Ireland-supported jobs in County Laois. In the midland region, which includes four counties, there are over 8,000. Laois has 30% of the population of the midlands region and less than 2% of IDA Ireland jobs.
I thank the Minister for that information. It has confirmed the issue I raised. I want to highlight the following situation. There are 52 IDA-supported jobs per 1,000 people in Westmeath. The figure in Longford is 35 per 1,000 and in Offaly 16 per 1,000. The figure for County Laois is two per 1,000. The IDA does not exist in Laois; I wonder does Laois exist in the minds of the IDA. It has a big regional office in Wes…
I appreciate the comment on Leprino, which closed in Portlaoise and was originally Glanbia, an Enterprise Ireland project. Because it was sold to an American company, it now comes under the remit of the IDA. That it just a book transfer but we need to get a facility reopened in that location as quickly as possible. I ask that when the Minister is arranging the visits for Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, Laois be put h…
I want to raise the issue of Erkina House, Rathdowney, which is a long established and excellent HSE facility that comes under the mental health services. By definition, the residents are vulnerable people and are entitled to peace of mind and not to be upset by the HSE in their works. Three years ago, we raised this in the House, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was with us and was personally involved in th…
I thank the Minister of State for her response. I understand and appreciate what she is saying, but, obviously, I have a number of questions. As already stated, the Minister of State was involved in an issue relating to Erkina House a number of years ago and was very positive and helpful on that occasion.
The Minister of State indicated that a significant level of investment would be required to develop Erkina House…
In my role as a TD, I have had direct involvement on behalf of local communities in respect of the location of wind turbines in various locations throughout County Laois, and some of those developments also impacted on neighbouring counties such as Kilkenny and Carlow. Many years ago, the first involvement I had on behalf of a community was regarding a wind farm called Gortahile in Rossmore, which is overlooking Coun…
99. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures to increase usage of modern methods of construction under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65568/25]
69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in view of his support for chaplains to the Defence Forces having representation, his plans to agree to amending the PDF’s conciliation and arbitration scheme to provide for such representation in this administrative scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60435/25]
7. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the housing activation office and its work and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/25]
13. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the midlands under its current strategy; its performance in midlands investments under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50579/25]
I thank the Minister for that overview of the midlands region but I am sure he will understand if I speak about Laois in particular. At the end of last year, there were 8,045 IDA-supported jobs in the midlands. Laois has 30% of the population of the midland counties but has only 1.8% of the IDA-supported jobs in the area. If one looks at the county-by-county list produced by the IDA, one sees that Laois has 145 IDA-s…