Galway West — week of Mon, 7 Apr — Watch Them Work

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 7 Apr – 13 Apr 2025 · 6 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 41 questions · 1 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil)

2025-04-09 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 65–83

Voted for 1 Catherine Connolly

Voted against 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Seán Kyne

Water Services (Repeal of Water Charges) Bill 2025

2025-04-09 · 1 vote

The motion · motion failed 64–83

Voted for 1 Catherine Connolly

Voted against 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Seán Kyne

Protecting the Irish Economy Against Increasing Trade Tariffs

2025-04-09 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 83–65

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Catherine Connolly

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 83–65

Voted for 2 Hildegarde Naughton · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Catherine Connolly

Did not vote 3 John Connolly · Mairéad Farrell · Seán Kyne

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2025-04-08 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 87–70

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 2 Catherine Connolly · Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 1 Seán Kyne

Catherine Connolly — Independent 5 votes · 16 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 16 total

Housing 3 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current outstanding strategic housing development planning application list, setting out the number of housing units and locations involved, in tabular form. [17531/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which planning authorities are required to consider whether a building can satisfy building control regulations before permission is granted for it to be built; if planning authorities are required to provide measurements for access routes; if a building that requires a disability access certificate may be built in advance of an application for such a certificate; if environmental concerns about car usage take precedence over disability access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17548/25]
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is necessary to apply for planning permission in circumstances where a wind turbine is dismantled and removed from a wind farm and it is intended to instal a replacement wind turbine at the same location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17736/25]
Education 2 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education for an update on the status of the extension to a school (details supplied); if stage 1 has now completed; the timeline for the delivery of the extension; when the project is expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17119/25]
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the plans for grade deflation of Leaving Certificate results since the introduction of grade inflation; if 2025 Leaving Certificate students will be adversely impacted as a result of grade inflation over that time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17740/25]
Defence 2 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Jadotville community were invited to make submissions when drafting the terms of reference for the tribunal in relation to examining the way in which complaints were made since 1983; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16766/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to clarify that a UN General Assembly resolution may authorise the deployment of Irish troops overseas under the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006; that such authorisation would not be subject to a UN Security Council veto or require changes to the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17135/25]
Public Expenditure 2 questions
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline the monies claimed by Ireland under the Recovery and Resilience Fund; the programmes the funding was expended on; the extent of remaining monies due to be drawn down and by which programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17814/25]
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of candidates in the European elections 2024 who have been reimbursed electoral expenses to date; the number of candidates whose expenses have yet to be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17816/25]
Children 2 questions
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the 2025 rounds of the International Protection Fund, the National Integration Fund and the Community Integration Fund will each be opened for applications; the amounts that will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17818/25]
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of emergency reception and orientation centres currently operated by IPAS; the capacity and current occupancy of each, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17990/25]
Environment 2 questions
- 2025-04-10 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the Oileáin Árann decarbonisation zone in County Galway has achieved the required 7% annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; the status of the implementation plan to achieve the reduction; the resources allocated to Galway County Council in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17823/25]
- 2025-04-10 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 20 February 2025, the extent to which the decarbonisation zone in Galway city has achieved the required 7% annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; the status of the implementation plan to achieve the reduction; the resources allocated to Galway City Council in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17822/25]
Transport 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the current waiting times for driving tests in Ireland; the length of time people can expect to wait to be offered a test; the steps being taken to address the backlog; the new systems being put in place to ensure that people are not waiting months to be offered a test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16708/25]
Social 1 question
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the examination of benchmarking of working age social welfare payments, as outlined in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025; when the examination will be concluded; if it is intended to publish the conclusions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17813/25]
Justice 1 question
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of section 56 family reunification applications on hand at the family reunification unit; the current processing times of applications; the number of FTE staff in the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17817/25]

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 5 votes · 0 questions · 1 new lobbying return

New lobbying 1 return

Green Energy Storage Ireland Ltd Energy and Natural Resources
- Brief on Energy Storage Ireland priorities for Programme for Government

John Connolly — Fianna Fáil 1 vote · 16 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 16 total

Transport 4 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the average time a person is waiting for a driving test in Galway city and county; the number of people who are currently waiting for a driving test in each driving test centre in Galway city and county; the steps that are being taken by his Department to reduce the driving test waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17447/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the planned capital rail priorities for the next decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17519/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if TII makes specific funding available to local authorities to fund safety works at locations where there are primary schools along national routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17521/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport if his Department makes specific funding available to local authorities to fund safety works at locations where there are primary schools along regional routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17522/25]
Education 3 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that sufficient efforts are being made to ensure teachers, schools and pupils are adequately prepared for the introduction of the new leaving certificate cycle in the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17201/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education the efforts being made to increase the number of qualified primary teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17200/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the efforts to increase the supply of primary school teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14612/25]
Further and Higher Education 2 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if any consideration has been given in his Department towards the provision of funding for the establishment of a further cycle of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17526/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proportion of applicants to the CAO for 2025 completed the Leaving Certificate between 2020 and 2024; the efforts he is making to ensure equity in the CAO application process for Leaving Certificate candidates of 2025 who will not benefit from the same level of grade inflation as candidates who sat the leaving certificate between 2020 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17530/25]
Taoiseach 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach to report on the work of the child poverty programme in his Department. [9481/25]
Environment 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on the implementation of the national biomethane strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17523/25]
Housing 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if considerations has been given towards extending the time afforded to successful applicants under the vacant property refurbishment grant to complete the works on the vacant property for which grant aid has been approved beyond the 13-month period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17527/25]
Social 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to a carer’s allowance review requested by a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in making a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/25]
Children 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the staffing cohort at the CDNT at the west Galway children’s disability network team; if the service is currently operating with a full cohort of staff; what roles within the west Galway CDNT are currently vacant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17525/25]
Health 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if the Galway city west primary care centre has received HSE property/board approval; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17520/25]
Rural 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the programmes within his Department that support community groups to employ staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17524/25]

Mairéad Farrell — Sinn Féin 1 vote · 9 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 9 total

Health 2 questions
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if she has made funding available to the HSE to ensure that a transport service is in place for service users of St. Francis day care centre in Galway city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17115/25]
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the situation involving the pension entitlements of certain psychiatric nurses in Galway (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17130/25]
Environment 2 questions
- 2025-04-10 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the engagement he has had with the ESB to improve energy infrastructure and prepare for future catastrophic storms as seen during storm Éowyn. [17755/25]
- 2025-04-10 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the retrofit scheme; the number of homes that have benefitted from the scheme to date; and the work he is undertaking to meet the target of retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030. [17754/25]
Taoiseach 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Taoiseach if he can provide the total social insurance contributions in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and total contributions as a percentage of GNI* and GDP (current prices), in all years, in tabular form [16557/25]
Justice 1 question
- 2025-04-08 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if he will review a case of a young woman (details supplied) who has been resident in Ireland for most of her life, has earned university qualifications in this country and is unable to work due to lack of progress on her application for Stamp 4 status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17451/25]
Education 1 question
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school (details supplied) following extensive damage caused by storm Éowyn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17845/25]
Tourism 1 question
- 2025-04-09 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the plans for the basic income for artists; the amount of funding that was allocated for the scheme in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17657/25]
Social 1 question
- 2025-04-10 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to invalidity pension, if a change has taken place with regard to the application criteria from ‘incapable to work for the following 12-month period’ to ‘incapable to work permanently’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18094/25]

Noel Grealish — Independent 5 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Seán Kyne — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.