Dublin South-West — week of Mon, 17 Feb — Watch Them Work

What your Dublin South-West TDs did this week

Mon, 17 Feb – 23 Feb 2025 · 5 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 70 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 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 2 Ciarán Ahern · Seán Crowe

Did not vote 1 Paul Murphy

Provision of Special Education

2025-02-19 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 87–69

Voted for 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 2 Ciarán Ahern · Seán Crowe

Did not vote 1 Paul Murphy

The motion · motion passed 87–70

Voted for 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 2 Ciarán Ahern · Seán Crowe

Did not vote 1 Paul Murphy

Housing Crisis

2025-02-19 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 88–69

Voted for 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 2 Ciarán Ahern · Seán Crowe

Did not vote 1 Paul Murphy

The motion · motion passed 88–69

Voted for 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 2 Ciarán Ahern · Seán Crowe

Did not vote 1 Paul Murphy

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2025-02-18 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 84–67

Voted for 2 Colm Brophy · John Lahart

Voted against 3 Ciarán Ahern · Paul Murphy · Seán Crowe

Ciarán Ahern — Labour Party 6 votes · 2 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 2 total

Environment 2 questions
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he intends to intervene to halt the privatisation of Bord na Móna; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7037/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the potential use of liquefied natural gas as an energy source in Ireland; if he envisions the construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal in Ireland in the future; if he intends to ban the use of liquefied natural gas as an energy source in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7038/25]

Colm Brophy — Fine Gael 6 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

John Lahart — Fianna Fáil 6 votes · 17 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 17 total

Health 7 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health for an update on the position of new elective hospitals, and specifically a new elective hospital for the Dublin region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5939/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will address the 16-year-old dispensing fee pay-freeze to pharmacies by adjusting the community drug scheme dispensing fee to €6.50. [5997/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will streamline HSE reimbursement processes and reduce administrative burdens to provide for a nationwide programme for safe and appropriate medicine disposal. [5998/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will adopt a more proactive approach to managing medicine shortages. [5999/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will fully implement the expert taskforce recommendations. [6000/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will develop a national pharmaceutical care strategy led by a chief pharmaceutical officer within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6001/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will outline, in tabular form, the specific results of the public consultation about future regulation of e-cigarettes or vapes, which was launched in November 2023 by the then Minister for Health and the then Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy, relating to the following three elements: the number and percentage of responses from adults vapers to the consultation process; the number and percentage of these responses from adult vapers who were not in favour of regulation of flavours; and the number and percentage of responses from adult vapers who indicated to the Department consultation that they used flavour vapes to stop smoking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6834/25]
Housing 3 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are any plans to update or amend the Derelict Sites Act 2020 to allow local authorities to compulsorily acquire derelict houses or buildings that have been unused for a maximum of five years or less; if compensation to the owners of such derelict houses or buildings will be abolished; if the requirement to have planning permission for any simple and standard adjustments by local authorities to such derelict houses or buildings will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5720/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if funding for cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme was suspended to local authorities at any period in October, November and December of 2024; the amount allocated to local authorities for the scheme across each month of 2024; the number in each local authority for cost rental purchase either underway, completed or in the pipeline, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6892/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for vacancies in private houses; the research that has been carried out to investigate the reasons for vacancies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6898/25]
Finance 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Finance the total amount on deposit in banks nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5688/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Finance if he and his departmental officials have engaged with the Revenue Commissioners on the practical implementation of the new national E-liquid products tax, EPT, as set out in Part 2 of Finance Act 2024; the rationale behind the proposed uses of self-declaration as opposed to the use of tax stamps which are issued by the Revenue Commissioners and operate under existing robust legislation; if he, his Department or the Revenue Commissioners have examined the operation of self-declaration systems in other countries where it created a surge in illicit products on the market; if he, the Department or the Revenue Commissioner have estimated the likely loss of taxes due to the absence of tax stamps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6835/25]
Education 1 question
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education when the expansion of special needs classes in a school (details supplied) will be approved; when funding will be made available; and the timeline for the project. [5704/25]
Tourism 1 question
- 2025-02-18 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the international An Gorta Mór day took place in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5675/25]
Transport 1 question
- 2025-02-19 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the disparity in Luas service frequency on two adjoining routes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6621/25]
Public Expenditure 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he plans to address the retention challenges in the fire services, specifically as they relate to pension reforms; if he is considering reinstating the supplementary pension scheme or providing alternatives to support the financial wellbeing of those in uniformed services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6897/25]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a comprehensive statement with regard to avian, bird flu in general; Irelands preparedness for the disease; and cross-Border measures in relation to same given recent incidents in Northern Ireland of bird flu. [6865/25]

Paul Murphy — People Before Profit-Solidarity 1 vote · 47 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 47 total

Agriculture 14 questions
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he considers it a child protection issue that a 17-year-old boy was permitted to train a racing greyhound to provide a betting product for an Irish semi-State body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6636/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding his Department has provided to an organisation (details supplied) for linear profile training since it was introduced in 2019. [6616/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legal minimum age for a person in Ireland to obtain a licence to train a greyhound to race; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6625/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide Greyhound Racing Ireland's costs to sponsor the greyhound laurels race final on television (details supplied) on 5 October 2024; the viewership figures for this broadcast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6626/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a status update on his Department's public consultation on the proposal to ban surgical artificial insemination in greyhounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6627/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the fee cost or other compensation paid by Greyhound Racing Ireland to social media influencers for the 2024 Irish Greyhound Derby 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6628/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide Greyhound Racing Ireland's costs to sponsor the 2024 Greyhound derby semi-final and final on television (details supplied) on 16 and 23 November 2024; the viewership figures for this broadcast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6629/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are freezers for deceased greyhounds at all fifteen greyhound racing tracks licenced by Greyhound Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6630/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when Greyhound Racing Ireland's new five-year strategic plan will be published, considering that the most recent five-year strategic plan expired in December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6631/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise on the current location and status of a greyhound (details supplied) which tested positive for a prohibited substance at Curraheen track in Cork on 17 August 2024 and was subsequently sold at a sales auction at Curraheen greyhound track on 2 November 2024 for €1,100, but is still listed in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book under the original owner’s name and listed as ‘GRI-sales’ on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website despite the directive on 1 May 2024 that all purchasers of greyhounds at licensed auctions must be registered with the Irish Coursing Club; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6632/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how an Irish greyhound (details supplied) is recorded on the Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system as it was found very recently in a stray dog pound in the UK, following a seven-day stay and described as "full of fleas, overgrown nails and muzzle marks to the nose already with dirty teeth", while still being registered to its Irish owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6633/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the 51,650 non-coursing greyhounds who were entered on the Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system between January 2021 and 19 October 2024, by year of birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6655/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds registered at whelping stage with the Irish Coursing Club for each year from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2024, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6677/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of plans to export 5000 calves from Waterford to the Netherlands on the MV Alondra in April; the health risks such a trip exposes these animals to; if there have been any subsidies provided to cover the trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6879/25]
Health 13 questions
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of each phase of the review into the use of surgical implants in CHI; the terms of reference for which was published by HIQA on 17 November 2023, whereby phase one was expected to be completed by the end of 2023; if this review will be published; and if so, the date. [6452/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will inform the public of recommendations arising from the review on the use of surgical implants in Children’s Health Ireland. [6453/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 816 of 22 October 2024, the reason the planning for the development of the new transgender HSE Model of Care does not include any patient representative groups. [6640/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 817 of 22 October 2024, the specific international guidelines on the management of transgender persons the transgender clinic in University Hospital Galway was referring to regarding hormone targets and weight. [6641/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1439 of 22 January 2025, if the National Gender Service can provide a list of the companies and services that have operated in contravention of Irish Medical Council guidelines; which specific guidelines they contravened; and if the Irish Medical Council guidelines apply to each of these companies and services, in tabular form. [6642/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1439 of 22 January 2025, if there is no risk associated with hormone concentrations, the reason page ten of the National Gender Service’s ‘Recommendations for Endocrine Care in the National Gender Service’ version 3.0 warn about the risks of thromboembolic disease for oestrogen concentrations over 600 pmol/L. [6643/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1440 of 22 January 2025, the page number and exact text from each of the referenced documents that indicate that puberty blockers have led to bone fractures, in tabular form. [6644/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the common issue of transgender people being denied key blood tests by their GPs will be in scope for the Model of Care being developed by the HSE. [6645/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health when the National Gender Service's meetings with the Northern Irish health services started; and when was the most recent meeting. [6646/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of transgender youth who initiated puberty blockers and or HRT in Children's Hospital Ireland at Crumlin since the start of 2021, by year, in tabular form. [6647/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that while employed to develop the HSEs transgender model of care, staff of the programme have written to GPs discouraging them from providing essential blood tests for their transgender patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6648/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service can provide a source for the claim by their staff in a recent interview (details supplied) that in the UK and other countries there is approximately a four to one gender ratio for transgender youth coming forward. [6649/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason the National Gender Service listed the clinical lead of the HSEs Gender Healthcare Programme as a contact for informal enquiries in a recent job posting for a senior medical social worker. [6650/25]
Environment 4 questions
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware that the emissions impact of imported liquefied natural gas, LNG, is worse than that of coal; and if he envisages the building of either a State-led or commercial LNG terminal in that context. [7030/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will intervene to stop the sale of Bord Na Móna Recycling to a private company; if he is concerned at the negative impacts this would have on waste management from an environmental perspective and on terms and conditions for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6792/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is concerned about potential transboundary environmental impacts from gold mining in the Sperrins; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6791/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his awareness or otherwise as to whether An Post has complied with Ministerial authorisations on pension increases, as required under Rule 13 (details supplied). [6894/25]
Children 3 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of a review (details supplied) and the related issues raised in correspondence to the Minister from a survivor of abuse. [5595/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the subpar conditions experienced by people in direct provision (details supplied); the measures his Department intends to take to address their concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6639/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are IPAS accommodation centres which have vacant rooms and yet are not admitting new residents; the way he plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6836/25]
Taoiseach 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on plans to implement the Dublin city task force recommendations. [6089/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on any recent discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. [6088/25]
Education 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 469 of 5 February 2025, regarding funding for a school (details supplied) if she will provide information and the progress and status of the additional school accommodation that was received by her Department in November 2022. [5948/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the plans to provide a special class in a school (details supplied); when a special class will be provided; and the plans to provide a special education teacher in the school. [6843/25]
Housing 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is any policy to ensure that approved housing bodies repair any damage done to neighbouring properties as a consequence of insufficient maintenance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6211/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is planning to exempt external wall insulation from planning permission, like it did with solar panels, to reduce the uncertainty and barriers to homeowners who want to get their homes insulated, a necessary step towards reducing household emissions and radically reducing home energy costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6481/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will abolish subminimum wages for young workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6496/25]
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will increase wages for apprentices to at least the national minimum wage where they are below that level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6497/25]
Defence 1 question
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide a list of all meetings of the Ukraine Contact Defence Group that Ireland has been represented at; who has represented Ireland at these meetings; and the location in which these meetings took place. [6454/25]
Social 1 question
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing times for social welfare appeals by scheme between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6485/25]
Finance 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit will no longer be subject to taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6872/25]
Justice 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of civilian staff recruited under the An Garda Síochána civilianisation programme since 2008; the number of gardaí who have been put on the beat on foot of this programme since 2008; the cost of the civilianisation programme each year since 2008; and the number of gardaí sitting at desks as of 29 January 2025. [6829/25]
Rural 1 question
- 2025-02-20 Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his attention has been drawn to the €100 thousand allocated to organisations which facilitate the neutering of dogs, this information was not made available to the public until 16 January 2025, two weeks prior to the ban XL bully dogs who will not be neutered by this date; if this deadline will be extended to allow for these dogs to be neutered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6820/25]

Seán Crowe — Sinn Féin 6 votes · 4 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 4 total

Education 2 questions
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education to provide an update in relation to her Department’s efforts to remedy very serious health and safety issues identified at a school (details supplied). [6294/25]
- 2025-02-18 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education if consideration has been given to the financial burden of applications to the emergency works scheme, as some schools are being charged up to €2000 per report, which are a criteria for application to the scheme, and that some schools in need of extensive works will have to submit several reports at once. [6295/25]
Health 2 questions
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the drug vamorolone is currently being considered for approved use by the HSE. [6471/25]
- 2025-02-19 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the drug givinostat is being considered for approval for use by the HSE. [6585/25]