Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IT’S THE END of an eventful 2024 Dáil term, and as TDs now turn their attention to the upcoming general election, there’s still some reflecting to be done on the year that was.
As part of our reflections in The Journal, we’ve taken a look back over the parliamentary questions asked by TDs this year – specifically, who has asked the most and who has asked the fewest.
Parliamentary questions (PQs) are a key component of the toolkit given to TDs in Ireland, allowing them to ask the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and ministers questions on matters of public interest, policy and services.
They are used as a way of putting important and useful information into the public domain, in a manner that is usually much quicker than if journalists have to go through press offices and freedom of information officers.
Before we get into it though, a bit of a disclaimer – it should be said that PQs can’t really be used as a way to determine how much work a TD is doing.
Some TDs see them as invaluable, but others focus more on other work.
So they shouldn’t really be used as a measure of how good a TD is. Instead, it just shows how often they use this particular tool to get answers to questions that they have.
It’s also worth noting that given Ministers and Ministers of State are the ones with responsibility for answering PQs, it’s not unsurprising that they would submit fewer – or no – questions.
Now that that’s out of the way…
Every year tens of thousands of PQs are submitted – some orally in the Dáil, but most in writing to government departments.
In 2024, a total of 28,869 questions were submitted and answered - This equates to an average of 466 for each sitting day of the Dáil.
The Oireachtas has very usefully published data on all the PQs asked this year and those who asked them. So without further ado, here were the most (and least) inquisitive TDs in the Dáil this year.
Bernard Durkan
Ding Ding Ding! In first place we have Fine Gael TD for Kildare North Bernard Durkan with 1,433 questions asked this year. Durkan is yards ahead of any other TD having asked twice as many questions as the deputy in second place.
Most of Durkan’s questions were for the Departments of Social Protection, Justice and Health.
They largely involved questions relating to social welfare queries for constituents and citizenship queries for constituents.
Catherine Murphy
Kildare North is really representing in this list. Up next to Durkan was Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy with 710 questions.
Murphy, a constituency colleague of Durkan in Kildare North, largely focused her questions on justice and health.
The deputy submitted 62 questions relating to An Garda Síochána.
Paul Murphy
In third place is People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, just behind Catherine Murphy with 708 questions.
Of all his questions, this Murphy, a TD for Dublin South West, most frequently asked questions about gender recognition – with 47 questions falling under this topic category.
Another big focus for Murphy was the Greyhound industry, with 30 questions submitted or asked orally on this subject.
Peadar Tóibín
In forth place, with 657 questions this year is Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín.
Tóibín, a TD for Meath West, was most interested in departmental expenditure asking 40 question that fall under this category.
He mostly requested information from the Department of Health, Justice, and Children and Equality.
Matt Carthy
Not far behind Tóibín is Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy with 631 questions.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD, who is his party’s spokesperson on foreign affairs and defence largely focused his questions on (you guess it!) foreign affairs and defence.
Carthy asked 87 questions this year relating to the Defence Forces and 33 questions relating to the Middle East.
Now we turn to the bottom of the list.
It’s worth pointing out at this point that no members of Cabinet have asked any PQs this year, apart from those who were promoted mid-year, which makes sense.
Indeed, although he was Taoiseach for over half the period, Leo Varadkar has since submitted 36 PQs since he stepped down in March.
Similarly, former Finance Minister Micheal McGrath has asked nine since he stepped down from Cabinet at the end of June when he was announced as Ireland’s European Commissioner nominee.
At the very bottom of the list are six TDs with zero questions.
Among them is former Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, who stepped down from Cabinet in early April.
The other five who did not submit any questions are all junior ministers: Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond, Kieran O’Donnell and Martin Heydon, and the Green Party’s Ossian Smyth and Malcolm Noonan.
After these six, Fine Gael TD Damien English and the Green Party minister of state Joe O’Brien both just asked two questions each.
Fine Gael TD for Dún Laoighaire and Junior Minister in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked just three PQs this year.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD for Dublin North West Dessie Ellis asked just four questions this year.
These were mainly about hospital waiting lists, and one about a wage increase for staff in Citizens Information.
Likewise, junior minister in the Department of Justice and Fine Gael TD for Wexford James Browne, also asked just four questions this year.
As did Fianna Fáil ministers of state Thomas Byrne (Department of Tourism) and Mary Butler (Department of Health).
The person with the next fewest questions asked this year was Fine Gael backbencher Colm Brophy, with ten questions.
Speaking to The Journal, Bernard Durkan was unsurprised to hear that he was the TD with the most questions submitted this year.
Durkan said it is a “hugely important part of the job” and that it is an important avenue for public representatives to access information on behave of their constituents.
In his view, the Department of Foreign Affairs is the best, the “crème de la crème”, when it comes to responding promptly and accurately to PQs.
The Department of Justice came in a close second for Durkan, although he said in recent years has become “swamped” with work and as a result, the responses are not as thorough.
“You have to put in a certain amount of time on PQs and on legislation, and you have to balance all of it. If one balances it carefully and properly the system will work from the point of view of the public representatives and the members of public,” Durkan said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
In reality very little was given back. Income tax was not reduced. Tax on Petrol and Diesel was not reduced. The USC cuts were minimal. Motor Tax for ordinary cars was not touched. VRT was not touched. Vat was not touched. So for all the hype in reality its as if their was no budget for middle income earners.
im up 1600 a year, im delighted :)
You must be earning €150,000 + then. Nice money if you can get it but thoes of us on normal incomes this budget may just as well never happened at all.
Mick..add to that they haven’t done anything about the anomaly regarding social welfare entitlements for the self employed and you’re correct..all smoke and mirrors and all of the ‘giveaways’ will be take back if they are in power next budget…keep Edna and his ‘dipidees’ out.
Ignore him Mick..he’s sent in by the FG mother ship to wave the flag every now and then.
No. Hopefully most people will take the miniscule goodies and then vote them out.
It’s not unusual for the rich to look after the rich.
Thanks to FG/Lab policies, the rich are scarce. Definitely not enough of them to vote them back in. Hopefully.
Supernova
Give a credible alternative and people may consider….
So who would you vote in supernova?
Really, Dustin The Turkey?? No prizes for guessing who pays your wages!!
Sinn féin.
@paul @mcmc
Be careful what you wish for. How well has SF looked after the working class in the north. After a few weekof stamping of their feet they rubber stamped the cut imposed by David Cameron. Great socialist they’re are
Not so mickmc try doing a bit of research and you will find that in the 6 counties Sinn Fein are the only large party in the assembly who represent the most vulnerable members of society regardless of religion or class.
Apart from talking waffle how exactly do they help the most “vulnerable members of society”. And by vulnerable do you mean that layabouts that have never none a day work in their lives.
Try reading what I stated brother mc.
Your lacking a lot of detail in your statement. I’m looking for specific how SF have help the vulnerable in both communities in North Ireland
I have family and friends in the 6 counties and that’s what they tell me as I said try doing your own research and don’t be listening to the 26 county politicians who have vested interests in bad mouthing their political rivals.
In other word Paul your waffling.
A fantastic budget. meanwhile SF impose savage cuts on working class people in northern ireland. who are the austerity party again. how many lives has brutal SF austerity taken in northern ireland?
Two tweets above regards 50 million on 1916 commemorative program. 10 million for homeless crisis. Says all really about this scanlous government. Those that fought and died for this freedom will be turning in their graces. Shame on you FG/LAB..
I am praying that these fools don’t get back in. Cuts after cuts and then when an election is due to be called they give the OAP a little Rise and then Christmas bonus is also increased, also the disabled people get their respite back. Looks like these idiots are trying to get voters back. I care for my partner who is blind he wasn’t always blind he held down a full time job.They refuse him the blind pension at first because they said he wasn’t blind even though he was register blind by the eye and ear hospital.we have suffered for the last few years because of all the cuts, we would rather not depend on Social welfare but atm we have no choice. We have two teenage boys and we would love them to contribute to this country but after what I have seen in the last few years ie, bankers and builders getting away with hundreds or thousands of euros and not forgetting Politicans who have robbed this state I have told my sons as soon as they are old enough to get out of Ireland because it is corrupt. I could go on and on but I think everybody who has suffer over the last few years will understand what I am saying
FG popularity is reflective of their fantastic policies. the polls dont lie :)
Just to let everyone know my partner was working since he was 16 , he and I never claimed for anything until he was diagnosed that he was going blind, so let the red thumbs keep hitting because you are either against people that have a disability or against people who are forced onto welfare through no fault of their own. But the red thumbs have to realise that with carers we are saving this government millions. I have to tell my partner all the time were things are , if the cooker is on , if the presses are open etc etc without us carers our hospitals would be packed out all the time. But that’s happening already .
People on €25,000 per year should have the same take home pay as those on €70,000 per year. It makes sense. Well it would if you were a member of one of the loony cults.
und SF proposals every working person would have to adopt a shinner and pay their way in life
That universal social charge should be gone completely!! It was only apparently brought in because of the recession.
Also, free GP care for u6? We pay enough tax in this country for free health care for all like England. Absolute disgrace this country is.
richard i also voted fg in last election as most of my family did..far too much chronyism and too many lies..all our votes for fg are lost next time..how many other people have done the same u think ?
Children with disabilities and carers in a family with a second income were looked after to some extent. Sweet all for adults with disabilities or carers solely relying on 203 a week carers allowance who could be caring up to or over 100 hours a week. The Christmas bonus partly restored and respite restored to what it was years ago. Meanwhile the cost of living has significantly increased. I’m sure most carers would rather their weekly payment reflected the work they do and the billions they save this country than a so-called social welfare bonus.
I have to say I’d love Ends back in. He in my opinion fixed the mess that was left to him.
Richard, no he didn’t fix the mess all all. He followed the agreement set out between FF/troika. Outside factors have also helped, i.e. Weak euro and cheaper energy prices. Kenny et al have been complicit in giving more jobs/contracts etc to the boys. Cronyism and nepotism are alive and well despite all the talk of transparency and new politics. This is simply an election budget. I would also imagine that some scandal will will appear between now and the election and whatever benefits they reap as a result of this giveaway budget will be lost.
So who do you reckon is best to have SF? That’s all the country seemingly wants in but they would ruin it. I think Enda has done well with what he had. Country is well on the way to recovery.
Richard, why would you think I would vote SF just because I think kenny is doing a bad job? I voted FG/Lab in GE 2011. I don’t like people who lie, Kenny lied in order to get into power, he promised the sun, moon and stars and hasn’t delivered. Today’s budget did nothing for those on hospital trolleys, nothing for the homeless. What kind of society do you want Richard?
I voted SF last time,no way would I vote them again,their fantasy economics will ruin what small recovery we have. (although I’m sure they don’t believe half the crapp they say).
If people really believe SF is the answer,look north!they’re doing the opposite to what they preach
the absue scandal and disgraceful coverup turned any decent people away from SF
I wrote on twitter earlier that the actual budget will be judged in relation to disability issues in comparison to the social democrats support for independent living. This being a position which in disability politics is held in common from our far left to our centre right. The budget fails to measure up in this regard. It will not remove disabled people from segregation.
I hope not..
FG are a dead cert to get back in and most likely with labour and a scattering of independents… I’m afraid that’s just the way it is people until a viable alternative is put in place
“No Vasoline” by the esteemed Ice Cube is playing on loop in my brain reading all the budget news.
Not enough alone but I think a few Independents could be convinced to join them……all TD are power hungry so won’t take much to bring them on side.
A reminder of how many less seats that will be available and how many they will require in 2016 would be good….
Ógra Fianna Fáil response – So many things that make such a large dfference can be done so cheaply – https://twitter.com/eoinneylon/status/653989363576119296
Red arrow away but what the hell is usc?
have your say