Hear, hear.
TDs / Simon Harris
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
566,209
words spoken in the chamber
566,201 as a minister, 8 as a TD
140
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 2,972 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 4 |
| January 2025 | 4 |
| February 2025 | 255 |
| March 2025 | 42 |
| April 2025 | 83 |
| May 2025 | 249 |
| June 2025 | 175 |
| July 2025 | 144 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 214 |
| November 2025 | 347 |
| December 2025 | 192 |
| January 2026 | 97 |
| February 2026 | 197 |
| March 2026 | 187 |
| April 2026 | 226 |
| May 2026 | 119 |
| June 2026 | 127 |
| July 2026 | 93 |
| August 2026 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 83 |
| October 2026 | 53 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 2,685 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Wicklow 29 November 2024 to now
- office Taoiseach 29 November 2024 to 22 January 2025
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Defence 23 January 2025 to 25 March 2025
- office Minister for Foreign Affairs 23 January 2025 to 25 March 2025
- office Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 26 March 2025 to 18 November 2025
- office Minister for Defence 26 March 2025 to 18 November 2025
- office Minister for Finance 18 November 2025 to now
The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is doing a lot more than just writing letters. She is taking a very hands-on approach in relation to this issue. She has the full support of the entire Government in getting this project over the line. It is a project that will transform children's health in this country. The Minister is continuing to work hard on this. She met with the international company, Royal BAM, recently…
I thank Deputy Coppinger. I will certainly raise the IRP backlog with the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan.
I will also ask the Minister to look at Iby's case on compassionate grounds, as she has asked. Without knowing the details of the case, obviously my heart and feelings go out, as do those of Deputy Coppinger, to Iby and her family at this time, in terms of her own cancer journey. I will ask the Ministe…
No, I do not.
I do not. It might sound reasonable to people listening at home, based on how the Deputy has framed it, but the critical infrastructure Bill is very straightforward legislation that is urgently required to give the Minister and the Government of the day the ability to prioritise certain projects. It is enabling legislation and it is extraordinarily straightforward.
There is urgency around building homes and water an…
There really is not.
I would make the point that there are limitations on what it is legally possible to do to excise duty. This week, the Government took measures on excise duty, fuel allowance and the diesel rebate. Some members of the Opposition are asking me to reduce the non-carbon excise element of home heating oil, which does not exist. I cannot do that. There are also rules around the energy tax directive. There is a limit - I am…
I thank the Deputy for again raising this issue. I am conscious that, as he rightly said, he has been raising this issue since his first day in this House, and indeed even before that. I know it is an important issue to his constituents and communities across Dublin north. I assure him that real progress is now finally being made. Following the review of the national development plan, the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Calla…
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will talk directly to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, about the issue. At a time when we are seeking to open more classes and there is a school, and indeed a new school building, willing to accommodate those classes, I would be supportive of that proceeding. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister of …
I thank the Deputy. I will ask the Minister to further engage with him and Deputy Ward. I know the Deputy previously raised the issues of the Gaelscoileanna and those autism classes in his community. We will try to make progress on that together.
Déanaim comhghairdeas le Lucan girl guides on their success and the pride they brought to their community. The Deputy is right to highlight the hugely positive work that is…
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I join with him in praising our firemen and firewomen, firefighters across the country and all those involved in our fire services for the vital work they do. It is important we show our gratitude, not just in words but in investment in them and their facilities. I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has been a consistent advocate for Ballymahon fire station. I know how im…
Any local TD will always have a view that their constituency should or should not receive additional things.
Hang on a second. The Deputy used very emotive language when he asked whether this is "a box-ticking exercise". Let me be very clear that as of yesterday, for the very first time in the history of this State we now have a DEIS plus programme. I do not usually do this, but I remember Aodhán Ó Ríordáin looking for this when he was in this House. He is now Labour Party MEP for Dublin. This is something that has been cal…
The former education Minister, Deputy McEntee, worked on it, as did the current Minister, Deputy Naughton. This Government delivered it yesterday. There are 121 schools - 96 primary schools and 25 post-primary schools - that will get enhanced support. They are the most disadvantaged of the disadvantaged, factually. This is a start. It is an important start that will make a real difference in tackling educational disa…
-----but he should not be so populist.
Sinn Féin should not be opposing for the sake of opposing. This is a really positive development.
It is a really positive development.
Some 700 schools will benefit overall and 121 will get enhanced supports. It is not box-ticking; it is transformational.
The criteria are very clear.
Do not try to taint a programme that has so much scientific support behind it in terms of educational advantage.
I thank the Deputy for flagging this important issue. I will make some further inquiries on foot of her raising it with me. My initial sense and awareness of this issue is that the Department of Social Protection was extraordinarily proactive in promoting auto-enrolment, not just with private sector employers but also with the public service. There was a very long lead-in time for individual Departments and agencies …
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It has also been raised by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, who represents Sligo. There are a specific set of circumstances in that a private owner of a facility has decided to sell. I do not mean to call it a facility; it is people's home. It would be worth inquiring whether there are any solutions that can be explored through local authorities or State …
There are clear rules and laws that need to be followed. There is also the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. We have seen some examples of where people tried to deviate from the law. That cannot be allowed either and was not allowed in the case that was highlighted in this House recently. The RTB has a very important role to play in this too.
I thank Deputy McCormack for raising this issue about his constituents and Blue Ball, the impact that is having on them and his concerns regarding the delay in terms of the restoration of the service and the understandable anxiety that is creating in the community as to whether the service will be reinstated. On foot of the Deputy raising it here today, I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, who has ministerial r…
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue again. I know it is one he is very keen to see progress on - as am I - and I assure him that work is under way to ensure this. We cannot be in favour of a savings and investment union at an EU level, which we passionately are, and not make sure our citizens are able to benefit from that here. There are so many people in this country who are trying to do the right thing and pu…