Dublin Rathdown — week of Mon, 17 Feb — Watch Them Work

What your Dublin Rathdown TDs did this week

Mon, 17 Feb – 23 Feb 2025 · 4 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 23 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages

2025-02-19 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 101–55

Voted for 4 Maeve O'Connell · Neale Richmond · Shay Brennan · Sinéad Gibney

Provision of Special Education

2025-02-19 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 87–69

Voted for 3 Maeve O'Connell · Neale Richmond · Shay Brennan

Voted against 1 Sinéad Gibney

The motion · motion passed 87–70

Voted for 3 Maeve O'Connell · Neale Richmond · Shay Brennan

Voted against 1 Sinéad Gibney

Housing Crisis

2025-02-19 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 88–69

Voted for 3 Maeve O'Connell · Neale Richmond · Shay Brennan

Voted against 1 Sinéad Gibney

The motion · motion passed 88–69

Voted for 3 Maeve O'Connell · Neale Richmond · Shay Brennan

Voted against 1 Sinéad Gibney

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2025-02-18 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 84–67

Voted for 2 Maeve O'Connell · Shay Brennan

Voted against 1 Sinéad Gibney

Did not vote 1 Neale Richmond

Maeve O'Connell — Fine Gael 6 votes · 2 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 2 total

Education 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education for an update on her Department’s engagement with a school (details supplied) regarding a proposed extension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5777/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education her views on the programme of work to be undertaken by his officials to implement the programme for Government's commitment to ‘Increase the number of schools offering PE as a Leaving Certificate exam subject’; and if she will make statements on how consideration will be given to ensuring that an equal focus be placed on same-sex girls' schools, where participation levels in sports have typically been lower. [5783/25]

Neale Richmond — Fine Gael 5 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Shay Brennan — Fianna Fáil 6 votes · 3 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 3 total

Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of small and medium enterprises, SMEs, that have successfully applied for and received funding through the digital transition fund since its inception; the total amount disbursed to date; the steps his Department is taking to raise awareness about these digital support programmes among SMEs, particularly those that may be less digitally savvy; and given the goal of achieving 90% of SMEs at basic digital intensity by 2030, what additional measures his Department is considering to accelerate digital adoption among Irish businesses. [6682/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific metrics his Department is using to measure the impact of the digital transition fund on Irish small and medium enterprises’ digital competitiveness; and if it is planned to extend this initiative beyond the current planned expiry date in 2026.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6683/25]
Finance 1 question
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Finance his response to the issue of divestment by the Ireland strategic investment fund from all companies involved in illegal Israeli settlements (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6096/25]

Sinéad Gibney — Social Democrats 6 votes · 18 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 18 total

Foreign 6 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether there is a planned mechanism to maintain Irish neutrality in the absence of the triple lock protection; if he will provide details on that mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6400/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline his Department’s planned response to the US presidential executive order of 31 January 2025, the effect of which is to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6578/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a formal request to the US ambassador that the US side of all joint consortium arrangements with Irish Aid which were in place at 31 January 2025 be honoured in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6579/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide figures on all the joint donor consortia or other collaborative arrangements which existed between Irish Aid and the United States Agency for International Development as at 31 January 2025, across the operational spectrum of Ireland’s international development engagement, broken down by country, by financial allocation and by development sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6580/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has identified whether there are instances of such multi-donor instruments in which Ireland would be obliged to make up the shortfall for the precipitate cancellation of the United States Agency for International Development contribution; if he will provide an estimate of the budgetary implications thereof, including possible displacement effects arising if funding has to be diverted for this purpose from pre-existing Irish Aid allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6581/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions planned to be taken at EU level to coordinate Member States’ response to the vacuum created by the effective withdrawal of the United States Agency for International Development from the international development arena; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6582/25]
Defence 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of proposals outlined in the Programme for Government to remove the triple lock protection; when he plans to bring these proposals before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6401/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence whether progress has been made on Ireland's National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security regarding the protection and participation of women in the Defence Forces; to detail what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6402/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will set out a detailed pathway for the transposition of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive into Irish law; the timeline and steps for same; the Government Departments which will be involved; if it will include a public consultation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6783/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position of his Department, in light of the European Commission’s omnibus simplification package due to be published on 26 February 2025, regarding the re-opening the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive; if he has engaged with stakeholders on the risks to human rights and environmental protections for victims of corporate abuse; if there are plans to ensure transposition and implementation of the Directive into Irish law as quickly as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6784/25]
Housing 2 questions
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7050/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7057/25]
Transport 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7052/25]
Finance 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence, AI, within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7051/25]
Tourism 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7056/25]
Justice 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Justice if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7055/25]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of his Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if he has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7053/25]
Children 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department; if any section of her Department currently makes use of AI; the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; and if she has consulted with any consultancy firms in respect of the use of AI. [7054/25]