Topics / Departmental Policies

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Departmental Policies

1,112 questions from 127 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.

1,112
questions
1,096 written, 16 oral
127
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
20
departments asked

This is one of the catch-all headings the Oireachtas uses for how a department runs rather than what a question is about, so it is left out of the range and focus figures.

Questions per month

The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.

Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
MonthQuestions
January 20258
February 202535
March 202529
April 202551
May 202530
June 202557
July 202568
August 20250
September 202589
October 202524
November 202538
December 2025102
January 202628
February 202683
March 202669
April 202676
May 202689
June 202683
July 202671
August 20260
September 202645
October 202637

Who asks, by party

The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.

  • Aontú25 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil305 from 30 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael153 from 22 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party28 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent75 from 12 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland110 from 3 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party59 from 11 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity53 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin209 from 32 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 94
  2. 69
  3. 42
  4. 30
  5. 29
  6. 28
  7. 27
  8. 21

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Ruth Coppinger Written 26 May 2026 · to Foreign
275. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will review the procedures in the issuing of passports to ensure that widowed parents are not obliged to repeatedly submit death certificates and sworn affidavits every time their child's passport is renewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40176/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 26 May 2026 · to Transport
385. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport the research or policy development that has been carried out by his Department in the area of autonomous vehicle use in Ireland into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39354/26]
Cian O'Callaghan Written 26 May 2026 · to Social
739. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has concluded a review of means testing of social assistance schemes. [38861/26]
Cian O'Callaghan Written 26 May 2026 · to Justice
887. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of the recent annual corruption perceptions index (CPI) rankings (details supplied) published by an organisation; his views on the organisations opinion that the flow of illicit 'dark' money through Dublin poses a threat "to social cohesion, as well as economic integrity and democratic resilience"; the action is he …
Barry Heneghan Written 26 May 2026 · to Children
1066. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to the development of accessibility guidance or universal design standards for reverse vending machines and similar public service infrastructure to ensure independent access for persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40216/26]
Liam Quaide Written 26 May 2026 · to Children
1085. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason children are being placed in residential care in HIQA-designated disability centres, including family crisis, absence of appropriate community supports, safeguarding concerns, complex behavioural support needs, lack of respite, or other reasons; if these reasons are formally recorded by the HSE, in tabular form. [40289/26]
Pádraig O'Sullivan Oral 21 May 2026 · to Rural
96. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on the public consultation process for the successor to the Our Rural Future policy; the way the recently announced €3 million investment in Coillte recreational sites and the €60 million allocated for rural regeneration and development fund projects in 2026 will be prioritised to addres…
John Paul O'Shea Oral 21 May 2026 · to Rural
125. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the publication of Our Rural Future 2026–2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37547/26]
Aindrias Moynihan Oral 21 May 2026 · to Rural
137. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to confirm when Our Rural Future 2026–2031 policy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38266/26]
Cathy Bennett Written 21 May 2026 · to Rural
149. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will report on the implementation of rural proofing. [38367/26]
Mattie McGrath Written 20 May 2026 · to Public Expenditure
108. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if it remains Government policy that all new entrants to the Civil Service and public service must be appointed at the first point of the relevant salary scale, regardless of their previous professional experience; if any exceptions to this policy currently exist; and if his Department intend…
Cathy Bennett Written 19 May 2026 · to Housing
161. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his engagements with representative countryside, conservation and rural stakeholder organisations, farming organisations, hunting associations and game management groups regarding proposed EU restrictions on lead ammunition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37538/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Defence
333. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence if her Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37198/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Transport
363. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37211/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Finance
395. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37201/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Public Expenditure
430. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37207/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Enterprise
446. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37200/26]
Mattie McGrath Written 19 May 2026 · to Education
455. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason dyslexic assessment of children in Ireland is solely carried out by educational psychologists, when current wait for a dyslexic assessment is reported to be around eighteen months, Dublin College University has a course to train teachers to assess dyslexia, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's 2025 'Diaspora Strategy' aimed …
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Education
509. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37199/26]
Paul Murphy Written 19 May 2026 · to Education
542. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department accepts that repeated mid-term closures in schools are having an adverse effect on parents and children who depend on routines due to their sensory difficulties. [37722/26]
Aidan Farrelly Written 19 May 2026 · to Education
566. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide the rationale for seeking union membership details from applicants in respect of a post (details supplied); the basis for the request and purpose for which the information in that regard is processed. [37871/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Social
679. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37209/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Justice
730. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37206/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 19 May 2026 · to Children
903. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37195/26]
Ruairí Ó Murchú Written 19 May 2026 · to Children
906. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will clarify whether it is the policy of the HSE to require a person with a physical disability, who is in receipt of personal assistant hours for essential daily living tasks, to 'bank' or reduce their existing daily allocated P.A. hours in order to attend medical or other vital appointments which require assistance; and if s…