Galway West — week of Mon, 22 Sept — Watch Them Work

What your Galway West TDs did this week

Mon, 22 Sept – 28 Sept 2025 · 6 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 38 questions · 5 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Special Education School Places

2025-09-24 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 72–61

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 76–63

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

Energy Costs

2025-09-24 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 76–63

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 77–63

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

Child Poverty and Homelessness

2025-09-24 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 77–63

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

The motion · motion passed 77–63

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2025-09-23 · 1 vote

The week's Dáil business schedule · motion passed 82–65

Voted for 3 Hildegarde Naughton · John Connolly · Noel Grealish

Voted against 1 Mairéad Farrell

Did not vote 2 Catherine Connolly · Seán Kyne

Catherine Connolly — Independent 0 votes · 17 questions · 1 new lobbying return

Questions asked 17 total

Children 10 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 95 of 17 June 2025, for an update on efforts to secure further contributions from the religious organisations associated with the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49952/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of actions underway to reduce waiting lists for assessment of needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49955/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress to-date on development of the national plan to further the development of Irish language provision in the Early Learning and Care and school-age childcare; the timeline for the publication of the plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49956/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the promised delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030; the membership of the committee; the timeline for when the committee will be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49953/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s plans to increase funding to the Ombudsman for Children, following reports (details supplied) that a lack of adequate resourcing is impacting on the Ombudsman’s ability to carry out their responsibilities; the details of her Department’s engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for Children on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49954/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of community disability network teams in the State; the locations of the teams; the number of CDNTs that are fully staffed; the locations of the teams; the number of WTEs in the CDNT workforce; the current vacancy rate in the CDNT workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49941/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the evaluation of the national childcare scheme promised for 2025; the status of the evaluation; the timeline for completion of the evaluation; her plans to publish the final report of the evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49942/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting to be seen by CDNTs in the CHO2 area, by team and number of weeks waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49943/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for an assessment of need; the number of children in CHO2 who are currently waiting for an assessment of need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49944/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s engagement with disabled persons’ organizations and other disability stakeholders in the preparation of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49940/25]
Social 3 questions
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection pursuant to the Programme for Government, the status of plans to reform the disability allowance payment; his plans to remove the means test for disability allowance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50763/25]
- 2025-09-25 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection pursuant to the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a permanent cost of disability payment, the timeline for the introduction of the payment; the details of the planned payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50759/25]
- 2025-09-25 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to publish the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group which reviewed the system of means test for carer's payments; the timeline for the publication of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50760/25]
Health 2 questions
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the full roll-out of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy; the reason for the delay in including this condition in the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50780/25]
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the full roll-out of newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency; the reason for the delay in including this condition in the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50781/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-09-25 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism 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 to date in 2025; the number refused in each quarter to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50786/25]
- 2025-09-25 Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 19 June 2025, the status of the preparation of the Second National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights; if the plan has been finalised; the timeline for publication of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50785/25]

New lobbying 1 return

Epilepsy Ireland Health
- Seeking Deputies submit parliamentary questions on the status of epilepsy services in their local hospitals.

Hildegarde Naughton — Fine Gael 7 votes · 0 questions · 3 new lobbying returns

New lobbying 3 returns

National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability · 3 returns Budgetary matters · Justice and Equality
- Calling for immediate action to tackle the untenable financial risks faced by Section 38 and Section 39 disability service providers that deliver essential services to people with intellectual disabilities and autism
- Invitation to Minister Naughton to meet with the Secretary of the National Federation's Inclusive Research Network
- Oireachtas Disability Group - Pre-Budget 2026 Campaign

John Connolly — Fianna Fáil 7 votes · 6 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 6 total

Education 2 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to progress the application for a new school building for a school (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the urgent need for this new school building due to the current overcrowding and the ageing infrastructure currently accommodating students and staff at the school that is not fit for purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50249/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has any proposals to provide a secondary school in Moycullen, County Galway, taking account of the increase in secondary school aged children residing in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50268/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-09-25 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of critical skills employment permits approved in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50838/25]
- 2025-09-25 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for the number of general employment permits approved in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50839/25]
Social 2 questions
- 2025-09-25 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of active participants in the fish assist scheme in each county, in tabular form; to consider an increase in the rate of payment under the fish assist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50828/25]
- 2025-09-25 Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of active cases of social welfare fraud investigation currently ongoing in each county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50827/25]

Mairéad Farrell — Sinn Féin 7 votes · 15 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 15 total

Climate 4 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will confirm that there are two principal officers assigned to the Inland Fisheries Division, as stated by his Departments website on 12 April 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50212/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his views on whether Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) should continue operating as a statutory body considering its reluctance to fully comply with the EU Habitats and Water Framework Directives by conserving invasive/non-native freshwater fish in Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50214/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department will continue to legislatively conserve and validate invasive non-native freshwater fish such as pike and roach in SACs within the confines of a Geopark (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50215/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department will provide additional funding to Inland Fisheries Ireland to initiate a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for the Blackwater River after the catastrophic fish kill in August 2025 considering the river’s status as a SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50216/25]
Education 4 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of concessionary ticket applications which were refused in 2025 to date on bus route 770 to Coláiste na Coiribe in Galway; the figure for each of the past five years, in tabular form; if a larger bus has been requested for this route and the outcome of that request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50331/25]
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the building of a new school at a location (details supplied); when it will go to tender in view of the fact it was granted planning permission on 8 May 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50523/25]
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plan and the consideration that has been given to deliver a secondary school in Moycullen County Galway given its increase in population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50524/25]
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans being considered to deliver a secondary school at a location (details supplied) in view of the increase in population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50525/25]
Justice 3 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason for the backlog of join family visa applications; the work his Department is undertaking to decrease waiting times for Irish citizens to reunite with their families in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50321/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether a third level student who is resident in Ireland on a stamp 3, and is required to do work placement to complete their college course, must have the right to work in Ireland generally; how they go about getting this; if he will advise on an individual case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50364/25]
- 2025-09-24 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding an application dated 11 August 2025 for relocation due to medical needs (details supplied) [50565/25]
Health 2 questions
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the plans in Budget 2026 to provide for Belimumab for those with lupus who are in urgent need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49580/25]
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of security staff hired directly and through agency in Galway University Hospital; the number that are hired directly, and through agencies; the overall cost, from 2020 to 2024, per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49925/25]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether a third level student who is resident in Ireland on a stamp 3, and is required to do work placement to complete their college course, must have the right to work in Ireland generally; how they go about getting this; if he will advise on an individual case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50362/25]
Housing 1 question
- 2025-09-23 Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the financial supports available to people with damaged roofs in private housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50371/25]

Noel Grealish — Independent 7 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Seán Kyne — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 1 new lobbying return

New lobbying 1 return

Sage Advocacy Health
- Information regarding the advocacy supports provided by Sage Advocacy for survivors of institutional abuse.