Topics / Departmental Staff

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Departmental Staff

940 questions from 87 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 20 October 2026.

940
questions
935 written, 5 oral
87
TDs have asked
11
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 202567
February 202582
March 202560
April 202570
May 202529
June 202581
July 202562
August 20250
September 202516
October 202512
November 202587
December 202514
January 202650
February 202633
March 2026110
April 202632
May 202655
June 202635
July 202612
August 20260
September 202612
October 202621

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.

  • 100% RDR2 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Aontú37 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil122 from 20 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael146 from 9 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party36 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent53 from 7 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland68 from 3 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party135 from 7 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity6 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin208 from 26 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

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

  1. 84
  2. 58
  3. 54
  4. 48
  5. 42
  6. 39
  7. 37
  8. 36

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Public Expenditure
42. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation The application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2656/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Enterprise
44. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2649/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Education
64. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2648/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Culture
74. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2646/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Housing
93. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2654/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Social
111. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2658/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Justice
118. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2655/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Children
132. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2644/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Health
168. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2653/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Further and Higher Education
203. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2652/26]
Louise O'Reilly Written 14 Jan 2026 · to Rural
206. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2657/26]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Taoiseach
205. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff. [75240/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Foreign
255. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in her Department and within each agency for which she is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75232/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Climate
364. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General in his Department and to the head of each agency for which he or she is responsible; whether this scale has changed in the past two years or whether there are proposals to change this scale in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75190/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Climate
366. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75226/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Defence
427. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Defence the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in her Department and within each agency for which she is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75228/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Transport
631. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75241/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Public Expenditure
918. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General in his Department and to the head of each agency for which he or she is responsible; whether this scale has changed in the past two years or whether there are proposals to change this scale in the coming period; and if he will make a stateme…
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Public Expenditure
920. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if he will make a sta…
Charles Ward Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Enterprise
974. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of WTE qualified legal advisors working within his Department in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74923/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Enterprise
980. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75230/25]
Emer Currie Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Education
1043. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address recruitment and retention issues in the education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74248/25]
Emer Currie Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Education
1044. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address recruitment and retention issues from affecting subject choice in post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74249/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Education
1176. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in her Department and within each agency for which she is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75229/25]
Matt Carthy Written 13 Jan 2026 · to Culture
1316. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General in his Department and to the head of each agency for which he is responsible; whether this scale has changed in the past two years or whether there are proposals to change this scale in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75191/25]