This is my first time speaking since yesterday and despite the lowering of standards we are seeing from the Government, nothing will stop me coming in here and speaking on behalf of my community.
I want to speak to the Minister of State about funding for schools in the north inner city. Schools in the north inner city, like most schools around the country, are at the coalface of many of the issues we hear being talk…
645
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
147,808
words spoken in the chamber
Across 475 contributions
389
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
109
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 645 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 475 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 6 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 32 | 27 |
| March 2025 | 90 | 23 |
| April 2025 | 117 | 32 |
| May 2025 | 32 | 24 |
| June 2025 | 49 | 39 |
| July 2025 | 11 | 19 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 15 | 9 |
| October 2025 | 38 | 17 |
| November 2025 | 28 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 10 | 7 |
| January 2026 | 40 | 35 |
| February 2026 | 23 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 15 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 5 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 9 | 16 |
| June 2026 | 35 | 26 |
| July 2026 | 23 | 39 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 41 | 14 |
| October 2026 | 26 | 22 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 249 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 Dublin Central 29 November 2024 to now
- party Social Democrats 29 November 2024 to now
I thank the Minister of State. I assure him my office contacted his office about a week ago regarding that offer.
We talked about not wanting to pre-empt any future budget negotiations and in parliamentary form that is absolutely fine. However, if I can pre-empt what happens in the absence of schools being adequately resourced and funded, it is that children are left behind. I will also compound that by saying it wi…
The Minister of State can shake his head and look as bewildered as he likes.
The Minister of State can shake his head and look as bewildered as he likes but here is the simple fact: the Government has no mandate to remove the triple lock. I accept the Minister of State’s party won more seats than we did in the general election but here is what its manifesto said: “Continue to protect and promote ... neutrality including sensible reform of the ‘Triple Lock’ legislation.” Removing the triple lo…
As we are discussing post-EU Council statements I am glad it is the Minister of State who has joined us. Earlier we brought a motion on the triple lock and during his contribution the Minister of State accused me and members of my party of being anti-EU. He went further and almost compared us to Farage. That was an interesting point. I did not see the Minister of State doing any of the kind of rebuilding that members…
I remind the Minister of State it was places in the UK, such as Holyhead in Anglesey, that voted overwhelmingly to remove themselves from the EU precisely because they were not seeing any benefits from it. They were the areas most devastated by poverty and most removed from what we describe as the benefits of that Union.
One of the single greatest threats, as we engage in an arms build-up of €800 billion, will be po…
For many of the reasons outlined, the Social Democrats will not be able to support the reduction in the accommodation payment for Ukrainians. When the invasion began more than two years ago, Irish people on the whole were incredible in how they answered the call. Many opened up their homes and, in doing so, found friends and members of the community who have come in have contributed and made a huge sense of place in …
It is your friends' fault.
When I woke up this morning and the radio came on, the very first story talked about the European Council meeting happening today, which has rearmament on a scale that has not been seen for approximately 80 to 90 years as its first item on the agenda. We talked about the fact that our Taoiseach will be going and that loans will be provided so that European powers can buy military equipment, bombs and systems of oblit…
We will not be a military power, despite the fact that the Tánaiste wishes to purchase six jets at some point. Even those six jets will not keep us safe from what the Government fears might happen. They would only allow it to play war games in an area in which we have no role or space. What we are good at, and what we have always been good at, is being people who can actually act in the name of peace and be the peopl…
The Taoiseach actually speaks about reform of the triple lock. Removing one aspect of the triple lock is not reform, but ratification. It is a deceit.
What we in the Social Democrats will propose next week is to stay true to who we are as people. If the Government wants to remove the triple lock, it should put the question to the people and have a plebiscite. If the Government has conviction, stands over this principle and believes this would make us better, then put it to the people. Let us stand up for democratic norms while eroding parliamentary ones.
Answer the Social Democrats' question.
In May 2024, the Government the Minister was part of formed the city centre task force for Dublin with an aim of restoring our beautiful city to what it can be. In September, that report was delivered to Government by the overseer of the report, David McRedmond. In November, the report was released to great fanfare and much PR. It features in the programme for Government. Whenever I ask, however, or whenever a questi…
The funding stream, Minister.
I watched the Taoiseach on "The Late Late Show" on Friday evening when, in his rush to defend the unjustifiable, he made a comparison between the deal he struck behind closed doors with Michael Lowry and the deal made between one of his predecessors and Tony Gregory in 1982. I will be very clear: the Gregory deal of 1982 was published. It was there for all to see. The public knew exactly what was going on. The Taoise…
We know what happens with Michael Lowry behind closed doors because we have reams and reams of a tribunal report, a report that uses words such as "insidious" and "profoundly corrupt". Do you know what word it does not use? It does not say "altruistic". There is nothing about making deals and expecting nothing in return. The Taoiseach must step back from the precipice because we are heading into uncharted waters as r…
It is nice to see Government Members of all descriptions having their voices heard and their mandate upheld today. I was led to believe that did not happen.
My question to the Taoiseach concerns the funding for his Department's task force for Dublin city centre. It is eight months since it was announced and we are several months into the Government's term. Has the Department identified a funding stream for the task …
I wish the Minister well in his new role.
It is a rare privilege in any walk of life to be able to walk to work. I enjoy that luxury, which is one not many have, four or five times a week in this city. Many of us come to the Chamber from different directions of the city. I sometimes wonder if we come from different Dublins. When I leave my house in the morning, I start in Mountjoy Street and move on to Dorset Street down through Parnell Street, cutting throu…
-----had no budget allocated for it yet, eight months after it was initiated.
There are no revenue streams. That is an insult to the city when we have PR and no allocation of budget.
The game is up. The pretence that this Government values cross-party collaboration has been clearly exposed as a sham.
Given the chance to work with the Opposition on Dáil reform, the Government preferred the nuclear option, ramming through its undemocratic proposals on Dáil reform at the 11th hour, all to deliver a grubby little deal for Deputy Michael Lowry and his band of Independents. It makes us and the public wonder what exactly is the leverage that Deputy Lowry has on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that brings forth such commitment…
Like all grubby little deals, this deal was done behind closed doors and we may never know the details. The Tánaiste made a commitment in this Chamber. Both he and the Taoiseach gave solemn commitments that they would work across the Chamber, collaboratively, in respect of any Dáil reform. That very clearly lies in tatters. Who can forget other promises? The previous Government promised that 40,000 homes would be bui…