Galway East — week of Mon, 3 Nov

What your Galway East TDs did this week

Mon, 3 Nov – 9 Nov 2025 · 4 TDs · 2 bills voted on · 49 questions · 1 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages

2025-11-05 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 61–72

Voted for 1 Louis O'Hara

Voted against 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

The motion · motion passed 93–41

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Education (Affordable School Uniforms Bill) 2025

2025-11-05 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 72–62

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

The motion · motion passed 72–62

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Albert Dolan — Fianna Fáil 4 votes · 22 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 22 total

Health 7 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the progress of the working group on the National Hearing Care Plan; if she has received the report from the working group that was due by end of Q2 as per the terms of reference; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57885/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the way in which the €9 million in full-year funding allocated in budget 2025 to support vital cardiovascular initiatives has impacted the cardiac services reform strategy; the way in which this investment has contributed to the development of a new national cardiovascular strategy; and when the implementation plan for this strategy will be published. [58125/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the way in which her Department will be involved in the preparation of the forthcoming Life Sciences Strategy; and whether her Department will have a leadership role in the delivery and implementation of that strategy. [58126/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to expanding the range of services offered in primary care centres to include minor procedures and additional clinical services, with a view to alleviating pressure on hospital accident and emergency departments; and if she will consider the development of a pilot initiative to assess the feasibility and impact of such an expansion. [59371/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 766 of 21 October 2025, if she will provide a detailed update on the progress of the best value medicines programme in achieving its stated target of at least 80% of individuals being in receipt of the best value medicine; if she will provide a breakdown of uptake levels by each target area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59592/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if there are any policy proposals or changes planned that will assist how the best value medicines programme contributes to reducing the financial burden on the HSE’s medicines budget and assists in securing access for patients to new and innovative treatments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59593/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to outline the expected policy changes planned to achieve the Programme for Government commitment to “ensuring that patients have access to new innovative new medicines and treatments as quickly as possible”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59594/25]
Defence 3 questions
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans to increase officer cadet pay above the minimum wage, and to a level of at least that of all other inductees in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60384/25]
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the Defence Forces regulation regarding a directive of military prosecutions will be amended following his announcement on 14 October 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60383/25]
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the supports available to Defence Forces personnel who are being discharged on medical grounds, particularly in cases involving long-term illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56896/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the timelines for the publication of the forthcoming Life Sciences Strategy; if it is intended that the strategy will be published in advance of Ireland's EU Presidency in 2026; and given the strong connection between innovation and funding, whether the strategy will examine how innovation is valued through new pricing and reimbursement structures. [58127/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether the Government’s 15-day prompt payment requirement applies to all payments made by Departments and agencies, including reimbursements or grant payments to community, voluntary and non-profit organisations; if not, to identify the categories of payments excluded; and to explain the rationale for this distinction. [59595/25]
Education 2 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify whether the “above-SERC SNA” review process remains in operation under the new SNA allocation guidelines; if schools with autism classes will continue to be able to apply for above-SERC reviews throughout the school year in cases where a child’s needs cannot be met within the standard staffing allocation; and if she will confirm whether principals will be required to redeploy staff from their mainstream SNA allocation to meet above-SERC needs in special classes, given the already limited mainstream SNA ratios in many schools. [57880/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the review into the upper age limit for school transport drivers contracted by Bus Éireann; when changes to allow drivers over 70 years-of-age to continue transporting children to and from school are expected to take effect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58102/25]
Housing 2 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the income assessment criteria for social housing eligibility, with particular reference to the including of the working family payment (WFP) in the calculation of assessable income; to consider introducing an income disregard for the WFP on the basis that it is a social welfare support for low-income working families rather than earned income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58805/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to increase the social housing eligibility thresholds nationally, particularly in light of recent increases in the working family payment and the ongoing cost-of-living pressures; if consideration is being given to introducing an annual review mechanism to ensure thresholds keep pace with inflation and wage adjustments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58806/25]
Public Expenditure 2 questions
- 2025-11-05 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will consider establishing a unified and modern framework to close the transparency loop in public procurement, linking tenders, contract awards, purchase orders and payments in a single, machine-readable, publicly accessible system, in order that the full cycle from tender to payment to performance can be viewed by citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59829/25]
- 2025-11-05 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he plans to provide greater level of detail to the public on the way in which public moneys are spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59828/25]
Finance 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the recent VAT reduction applied to the hospitality sector to include the beauty industry, given that beauty salons were classified under hospitality during the Covid-19 closures but are not currently recognised under any defined VAT category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58103/25]
Children 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details on the 700 additional childcare places announced in Budget 2026; where these places will be located; how they will be located; the timeline for their delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57838/25]
Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the statutory, policy or administrative basis under which his Department publishes its consultancy spending reports (details supplied); whether this publication is required under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, or undertaken as a voluntary transparency initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59596/25]
Climate 1 question
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department is liaising with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the new draft wind energy guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59827/25]

Louis O'Hara — Sinn Féin 4 votes · 20 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 20 total

Public Expenditure 5 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on the south Galway flood relief project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57872/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of visitors to Athenry Castle, by month, in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [58059/25]
- 2025-11-05 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation his plans to improve the management of the River Shannon; his plans to tackle the issue of flooding in the Shannon Callows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59983/25]
- 2025-11-05 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on the south Galway flood relief project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59982/25]
- 2025-11-05 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the timeline for his Department to publish plans for how it intends to spend its funding allocation following the review of the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51975/25]
Enterprise 5 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the status of the development of an action plan for promoting collective bargaining as set out in Article 4 of the EU Adequate Minimum Wages Directive; the timeline for the completion of this action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57938/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if the flexibility set out in section 22 of the Employment Permits Act 2024 could be applied to a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58241/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on an employment permit application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58342/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on an employment permit application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58343/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on an employment permit application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58344/25]
Education 3 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59134/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a special class will be established in a school (details supplied) for the 2026-2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59135/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application to establish a special class by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58005/25]
Health 2 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health the reason the national transfer list exists for some grades within the HSE but not for health & social care professionals, including speech and language therapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59154/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health the actions her Department and HSE are taking to address internal employment mobility barriers for those within the HSE; if she will advise the means to avoid a barrier (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59155/25]
Climate 2 questions
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the analysis his Department has undertaken into the effect the withdrawal of energy credits in budget 2026 will have on the rates of energy poverty and energy arrears in Irish households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60470/25]
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the actions his Department is undertaking to tackle rising electricity prices; whether his Department will initiate new actions in view of the recent IEA report on electricity prices (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60469/25]
Housing 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the income thresholds for social housing will be reviewed, in light of increases in social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58537/25]
Social 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons receiving a pension are only offered a half-rate carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59149/25]
Children 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports her Department will provide to a group (details supplied) to establish a new community creche in Caltra; if funding is available from her Department for construction and initial operational costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57876/25]

Peter Roche — Fine Gael 4 votes · 7 questions · 1 new lobbying return

Questions asked 7 total

Health 3 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure in 2024 on health and social care research and development; to provide a detailed breakdown of this expenditure by programme, funding stream and agency; the proportion of the overall health budget this represents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58204/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients on waiting lists in University Hospital Galway and Portiuncula University Hospital who have received care via third party insourcing activity; the extent to which this activity has reduced waiting lists, from 2021 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58205/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to restrictions placed on third-party insourcing and National Treatment Purchase Fund published data showing a parallel increase in waiting lists in recent months across the country, including in University Hospital Galway; the steps her Department will take to ensure an appropriate balance is being struck in phasing out third-party insourcing while also ensuring all avenues are explored in reducing waiting lists where no permanent solution is immediately available within current HSE capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58206/25]
Education 2 questions
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address the growing financial pressures facing schools, particularly in relation to the rising costs of heating, electricity, and day-to-day operational expenses; if increased funding will be made available to ensure schools can continue to function effectively and safely through the winter months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59750/25]
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to expand youth mental health support within schools and community youth centres; if there are plans to enhance coordination between local education providers and HSE mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59749/25]
Housing 1 question
- 2025-11-04 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department last requested the Department of Health to provide its position on wind turbines, given environmental noise affects human health and that the current 2006 Section 28 Wind Energy Development Guidelines provide no specific health protection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58203/25]
Defence 1 question
- 2025-11-06 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Office of Emergency Planning plans to advertise the way in which the public should respond to the various emergencies it deals with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60388/25]

New lobbying 1 return

Drury Health
- Request for meeting to discuss the role of insourcing in reducing waiting lists in the health service.

Seán Canney — Independent 4 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns