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

Louis O'Hara Written 12 May 2026 · to Transport
413. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the actions his Department is undertaking to address anti-social behaviour on public transport especially on intercity train services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35047/26]
Louis O'Hara Written 12 May 2026 · to Transport
414. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the establishment of a transport police service; whether this service would be deployed on intercity rail services; the powers this service would have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35048/26]
Malcolm Byrne Written 12 May 2026 · to Enterprise
501. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if there is any progress on the development of a licensing system for saunas at beaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33988/26]
Grace Boland Written 12 May 2026 · to Enterprise
513. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the current status and anticipated publication timeline for the Roadmap for the Decarbonisation of Commercial Buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34636/26]
Michael Cahill Written 12 May 2026 · to Education
561. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will assist a school in County Kerry as a matter of urgency (details supplied) [34248/26]
Michael Cahill Written 12 May 2026 · to Education
562. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently intervene and assist a school in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34266/26]
Albert Dolan Written 12 May 2026 · to Children
1000. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when Ireland will implement the European Union Disability Card Directive; the steps currently being taken by her Department towards its transposition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35162/26]
Naoise Ó Cearúil Written 7 May 2026 · to Culture
35. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which his Department is ensuring delivery of the final-phase targets under the National Sports Policy 2018-2027, particularly the participation and diversity commitments due for completion in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33217/26]
Colm Burke Written 7 May 2026 · to Defence
98. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding her recent meeting with UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer at the latest UK-Ireland Summit in Cork, in particular in relation to a new defence agreement between Ireland and the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22374/26]
Sinéad Gibney Written 7 May 2026 · to Defence
103. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Defence if her Department has engaged with the United Nations General Assembly to bring forward the criteria for the fulfilment of the Defence Act and Triple Lock requirements; and to detail the action taken to work with international partners on this issue. [33324/26]
Louis O'Hara Written 7 May 2026 · to Defence
107. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the planned legislation to abolish the triple lock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32066/26]
Richard Boyd Barrett Written 7 May 2026 · to Defence
119. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence her views on whether sending Irish troops on military missions without the safeguards of the triple lock system would jeopardise Ireland’s military neutrality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33101/26]
Cathy Bennett Written 7 May 2026 · to Defence
136. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Defence the timeframe in which she plans to dismantle the triple lock neutrality protection. [33260/26]
Cathal Crowe Written 7 May 2026 · to Education
307. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the confirmation of English as an additional language (EAL) hours for the 2026/2027 school year; the reason the new online form for data collection via the Online School Claims System (OLCS) has not yet been made available to schools despite the fast-approaching deadlines; to address the specific anomaly whereby children born …
Mairéad Farrell Written 7 May 2026 · to Health
565. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) antibody injection for newborn babies, amidst news that it is at risk of being discontinued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33882/26]
Cathal Crowe Written 6 May 2026 · to Finance
220. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the Government's position on the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, specifically regarding the inclusion of dedicated health-related funding windows and earmarked resources for EU-wide cancer prevention and research initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32240/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Education
372. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's policy position on schools operating for extended periods without permanent accommodation; and the measures in place to address cases where such arrangements persist over multiple decades. [32272/26]
Pádraig Rice Written 6 May 2026 · to Education
412. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth the mechanisms in place to address situations where a child with ADHD, ASD or other special educational needs is repeatedly disciplined for behaviours arising from their disability; whether her Department records suspension rates for neurodivergent pupils; if her Department has considered a review of reduced timetable arrangements, suspensions and in…
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn Written 6 May 2026 · to Education
424. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the policy on private companies offering free cooking demonstrations in primary schools, which could be seen as an opportunity to promote their products for sale; whether this is a decision solely for the board of management of a school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32836/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Justice
681. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has published internal guidance on the operation of section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, including evidential thresholds for fraud, concealment of material facts, and serious threat to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32932/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Health
983. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether interim national guidelines or directives have been issued by her Department to the HSE governing gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors pending completion of the model of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32522/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Health
1008. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a copy of any formal written policy, guideline or standard operating procedure governing eligibility decisions under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; and if none exists, to confirm this. [32561/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Health
1014. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has considered developing a national policy definition or classification framework for surgical procedures by clinical priority, medical necessity, quality-of-life impact, and elective status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32577/26]
Ken O'Flynn Written 6 May 2026 · to Health
1015. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts the HSE position that there is currently no agreed or standardised definition of a procedure that is not medically necessary; whether her Department intends to address this policy gap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32578/26]
Mark Wall Written 6 May 2026 · to Health
1187. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health if she will outline her Department's plans to address the challenges facing Ireland given the ageing demographic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33078/26]