Dáil debates

Thursday, 25 September 2025

• Prelude (0 speeches)
  Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere) i gceannas ar 8.47 a.m.
• Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions (0 speeches)
  • Small and Medium Enterprises (7 speeches)
    1. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures he is taking to ensure that small- and medium-sized businesses can access affordable credit and avoid being burdened with...
  • Export Controls (7 speeches)
    2. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether there are concerns in his Department regarding due diligence on the granting of licences for dual use goods, particularly in...
  • Departmental Schemes (7 speeches)
    3. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the means by which existing grant and support schemes are being simplified to make them more accessible to small and medium businesses;...
  • Wage-setting Mechanisms (13 speeches)
    4. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when subminimum pay rates for young workers will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50574/25]
  • Wage-setting Mechanisms (7 speeches)
    5. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the action plan on collective bargaining will be published; the timeline for publication of the underpinning legislation; and if...
  • Business Regulation (7 speeches)
    6. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action he is taking to simplify business regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51027/25]
• Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (0 speeches)
  • Tourism Policy (7 speeches)
    7. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for the up-to-date position on the development of a tourism plan for the Muscraí district to include the Gearagh, County Cork; and...
  • Industrial Development (6 speeches)
    8. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to ensure that County Offaly does not fall further behind neighbouring counties in attracting IDA Ireland...
  • Industrial Development (7 speeches)
    9. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investments IDA Ireland is targeting in the west under its current strategy; its performance in investments in the west...
  • Industrial Development (6 speeches)
    13. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the midlands under its current strategy; its performance in midlands investments...
  • Pigmeat Sector (8 speeches)
    16. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to consider supporting producers of pig products impacted by Chinese tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50805/25]
  • Business Supports (7 speeches)
    15. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on the steps being taken to help reduce the cost of doing business; and if he will make a statement on the...
  • Export Controls (8 speeches)
    18. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number and value of dual-use export licence applications, in respect of end-users in Israel, approved by his Department by quarter...
• Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions (0 speeches)
  • Poverty Data (9 speeches)
    82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware that the measurement 'consistent poverty' obscures the full number of people both at risk of poverty and in...
  • Social Welfare Appeals (7 speeches)
    83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide the number of requests for an oral hearing over the past four years; the number of oral hearings that have been...
  • School Meals Programme (7 speeches)
    84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools under contract to a supplier (details supplied) under the hot school meals programme; the number of...
  • Programme for Government (7 speeches)
    85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to introduce a cost of disability payment to help address the significant additional costs of having a disability;...
  • Pension Provisions (7 speeches)
    86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of former An Post employees whose initial applications for pensions were refused in each of the past ten years; and...
  • Social Welfare Code (6 speeches)
    87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans for phasing out the means test entirely for the carer’s allowance during the lifetime of this Government, as...
• Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (0 speeches)
  Question No. 88 taken with Written Answers.
  • Pension Provisions (8 speeches)
    89. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to review the contributory pension entitlement of someone with fewer than 520 contributions; and to grant those recipients a...
  • Pension Provisions (6 speeches)
    90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to develop a pension solution for foster carers, in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable...
  • School Meals Programme (7 speeches)
    91. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools enrolled in the school meals scheme in 2025; the percentage of waste analysis has been done in these...
  • Departmental Schemes (7 speeches)
    92. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of active participants in the fish assist scheme in each county, in tabular form; to consider an increase in the...
  • Public Sector Staff (8 speeches)
    93. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the classification of employees of State and semi-State bodies (details supplied). [39838/25]
  • Social Welfare Eligibility (7 speeches)
    94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to reform the disability allowance payment and remove anomalies in the current means test for the payment. [50675/25]
  • Social Welfare Schemes (7 speeches)
    95. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of reducing the minimum required hours under the wage subsidy scheme from 21 hours to 15 hours in April 2024; and if...
  • Social Welfare Eligibility (6 speeches)
    96. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the assessment criteria for social protection payments in cases where applicants and-or part-time farming...
  • Social Welfare Code (6 speeches)
    97. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents, there is no mechanism by...
• Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 speeches)
  Can I make a point of order? My party leader has written to the Ceann Comhairle and the leaders of the Government parties. We tried to introduce an urgent motion to condemn the attack on the...
• Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (4 speeches)
  Caring for the elderly in our communities is both a duty and a privilege. Providing an older person with the support he or she needs for both physical and emotional well-being gives that person...
• Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (62 speeches)
  The new special needs assistant, SNA, review guidelines have been met with outrage. The guidelines are about one thing and one thing only: restricting the number of SNAs and rationing SNAs....
• Public Health (Alcohol) (Amendment) Bill 2025: First Stage (5 speeches)
  I move That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 by restricting the advertising of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products bearing...
• National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (17 speeches)
  I thank the Members of the House for participating in these wonderful statements on our national social enterprise policy. I pay tribute to those involved in social enterprises across our...
• Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (1 speech)
  I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Grace Boland - To discuss...
• Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate (0 speeches)
  • Childcare Services (4 speeches)
    I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, for coming to the House. I want to talk to her about childcare, particularly in Kilcullen, County Kildare, in my constituency. It was the end...
  • Irish Language (4 speeches)
    There was a huge protest on Saturday in Dublin, called Cearta. The streets were dearg le fearg with 25,000 people coming out to demand action on funding for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht...
  • Disability Services (6 speeches)
    I wish to discuss the NCSE’s new guideline review. In the last three days, my office has been inundated with emails and the telephone lines have been choked by calls from concerned...
  • Artificial Intelligence (4 speeches)
    I thank the Minister of State for being here to address the question of a national office on artificial intelligence. It is very much within her brief. I welcome the commitments she has made to...
• Industrial Relations (Boycott of Joint Labour Committees) Bill 2025: Second Stage [Private Members] (9 speeches)
  I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." It is a privilege to be able to bring this vital Bill before the House on Second Stage. We have a chance today to make clear our commitment...