Paul Lawless TD
Aontú · Mayo constituency
All recent activity captured from oireachtas.ie's public open-data feeds — debate contributions and parliamentary questions. Links open the official record on the Oireachtas website.
Parliamentary questions
- June 10, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHospital Staff
Asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the reported extended medical leave and forthcoming retirement of the paediatric diabetes clinical nurse specialist at Mayo University Hospital; and the measures that are in place to ensure continuity of care for children with type 1 diabetes in the region.
- June 10, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHospital Staff
Asked the Minister for Health whether a replacement paediatric diabetes clinical nurse specialist has been identified for Mayo University Hospital; and if so, the arrangements that are in place for training and handover to ensure no disruption to essential services for patients and their families.
- June 10, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHospital Staff
Asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to introduce or appoint an advanced nurse practitioner in diabetes at Mayo University Hospital, in line with other university hospitals; and the steps that are being taken to maintain and strengthen paediatric diabetes services in the hospital.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for ForeignPassport Services
Asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of passports which have been issued but lost in the post in each of the past ten years, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportRail Network
Asked the Minister for Transport to list the rail services which offer catering on board, and those which do not; the reason for the discrepancy; if an assessment of cost has been made on restoring catering services to all routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportRail Network
Asked the Minister for Transport the amount of money spent by Irish Rail on the spreading of weedkiller along rail tracks in each of the past ten years, and the amount used in gallons in each year, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportRail Network
Asked the Minister for Transport if he will list the top twenty highest salaries of persons working for Irish Rail.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportRail Network
Asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent by Irish Rail on the washing of trains in each of the past ten years, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportPublic Transport
Asked the Minister for Transport the amount in unused credit sitting on dormant leap cards in the State, and if he will outline what happens to that money.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportDisability Services
Asked the Minister for Transport the number of disability hackney grant applications received by the National Transport Authority in the most recent funding round, broken down by rural and urban locations; the number approved in each category; if he acknowledges that people with disabilities in rural areas face particular difficulty accessing wheelchair-accessible transport due to the limited number of licensed operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportDisability Services
Asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken by the National Transport Authority to encourage the uptake of the disability hackney grant in rural areas where wheelchair-accessible taxi services are scarce; to outline the targeted supports, outreach, or ring-fenced funding being considered to address regional imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportDisability Services
Asked the Minister for Transport if he considers a first-come, first-served application process for the disability hackney grant to disadvantage rural applicants, particularly those with weaker broadband connectivity or limited access to professional supports; if alternative application or prioritisation models are under consideration to ensure equitable rural access; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for FinanceTax Collection
Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the amount of VAT collected on electricity in each of the past ten years and to date in 2026, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for FinanceTax Collection
Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the amount of VAT collected on fuel in each of the past ten years and to date in 2026, by fuel type, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationDepartmental Funding
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total funding allocated to the July provision programme for 2026; whether this represents a reduction compared to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationDepartmental Funding
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an assessment has been carried out on the impact of any reduction in July provision supports on children with additional educational needs and their families; and if she will provide details of same.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationDepartmental Funding
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to ensure that all eligible children can access July provision programmes in 2026, particularly given reported difficulties in securing places or staffing.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Enrolments
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way the DEIS identification model accounts for rural schools (details supplied) whose enrolment profile changed rapidly due to the placement of a large number of international protection applicants in nearby accommodation centres, resulting in the displacement of local pupils and a complete shift in the school’s socio-educational profile; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Enrolments
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific metrics, indicators, and weightings used in the DEIS identification model; the way in which the geographical area is calculated; the way non-local enrolments are treated; the way in which schools with high concentrations of need but low local deprivation scores are assessed, particularly in the case of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Enrolments
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the DEIS eligibility of a school (details supplied) whose enrolment profile was transformed as a direct consequence of State decisions on international protection accommodation, resulting in the school becoming reliant on non-local, high-need pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Funding
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim supports that can be provided to a school (details supplied) whose teaching workload is now dominated by English-language instruction for newly arrived pupils, following the redistribution of international protection families to the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Enrolments
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will establish an appeals mechanism for schools including a school (details supplied) whose DEIS ineligibility arises from geographical indicators that no longer reflect the actual pupil population, due to State-driven redistribution of international protection applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Enrolments
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific criteria, indicators, data sources, and weightings used to determine eligibility for DEIS status and DEIS Plus status at both primary and post-primary level, including the way socio-economic disadvantage is measured, the way geographical indicators are applied and the way in which pupil-level data is incorporated into the model; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for JusticeAn Garda Síochána
Asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current average processing time for Garda Vetting applications where applicants have previously resided in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for ChildrenDisability Services
Asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will initiate a comprehensive review of supports for people with physical impairments and their carers, including personal assistance hours, respite care, access to education and employment, and community based services; if she is aware of the significant levels of unmet need and isolation reported by individuals and families; and when a fully-funded strategy will be put in place to address these longstanding deficiencies.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHealth Services
Asked the Minister for Health if the mammogram service at Mayo University Hospital remains on schedule to resume, given that the previously indicated date was 8 June 2026; whether this timeline is still accurate; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHealth Service Executive
Asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid out in compensation by the HSE in each year since 2015; and if a breakdown can be provided per CHO area or hospital group, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHospital Waiting Lists
Asked the Minister for Health the total number of children on the spinal surgery waiting list in the State; the number who have been on the waiting list six months, 12 months, two years, five years and ten years, in tabular form.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHospital Waiting Lists
Asked the Minister for Health the number of children on a waiting list for spinal surgery in the State; and if a breakdown can be provided on the number of children from each county.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthDental Services
Asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a comprehensive outline of the current HSE orthodontic treatment policy for children, including the clinical criteria and scoring systems used to determine eligibility; the rationale behind restricting access primarily to cases deemed 'severe' or 'very severe'; and if she will consider revising these thresholds in light of growing evidence that many children with clear clinical need, as identified by referring dentists, are being denied treatment, thereby placing a significant financial burden on ordinary working families who must seek private care at considerable personal expense.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthDental Services
Asked the Minister for Health the total number of children referred to HSE orthodontic services in each of the past five years; the number of those who attended assessment appointments; the number subsequently approved for treatment; the number refused on the grounds that their condition did not meet the required severity threshold; if she will provide a breakdown of these figures by region, including Merlin Park Hospital; and if she accepts that a high refusal rate following referral may indicate systemic inefficiencies and a misalignment between primary dental referrals and HSE eligibility criteria.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthDental Services
Asked the Minister for Health the average length and clinical scope of orthodontic assessment appointments carried out within the HSE; whether standardised assessment protocols are in place to ensure thorough and consistent evaluations, if she is aware of concerns from families that such assessments are often extremely brief and result in immediate decisions of ineligibility; and if she will outline any measures being taken to ensure that assessments represent a meaningful and rigorous clinical process rather than a preliminary screening for exclusion.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthDepartmental Data
Asked the Minister for Health the annual cost to the HSE of providing orthodontic assessment clinics, including staffing and operational expenses; the proportion of these assessments that do not lead to treatment being approved; whether any cost-benefit analysis has been conducted on this model of service delivery; and if she will consider reforms to ensure better value for public money, particularly where large numbers of families are required to attend appointments that do not result in access to care.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthDental Services
Asked the Minister for Health if she will initiate an urgent review of HSE orthodontic services nationwide, including examination of referral pathways, eligibility thresholds, clinic capacity, staffing levels, waiting times, and overall patient experience; if she will address concerns regarding overcrowded clinics, long waiting times despite scheduled appointments, and the exclusion of children with genuine treatment needs; and if she will set out a plan to ensure that all children who require orthodontic treatment can access it in a fair, timely, and affordable manner, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
- June 09, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthHealth Services
Asked the Minister for Health the measures currently in place to ensure adequate access to essential health services for people with physical impairments, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, mental health supports and post acute rehabilitation; the current waiting times for these services nationwide; and her plans to address the documented gaps in service provision, particularly for those leaving hospital without sufficient follow up supports.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for Public ExpenditureOffice of Public Works
Asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of vacant properties which are owned by the OPW; the total economic value of the empty properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Staff
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will list the occasions on which she has met with representative groups of SNAs to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationSchool Staff
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the pause on the review of special needs assistant allocations is still in place; when she expects that review to proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for EducationEducation Schemes
Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the concerns among parents regarding the apparent withdrawal or reduction of access to Department-funded summer camps in primary schools; the reason children who have previously attended and benefited significantly from these summer programmes are now unable to access them in 2026; if changes have been made to funding, eligibility criteria or delivery of such summer programmes; the number of schools that offered Department-funded summer camps in 2024 and 2025 compared to those scheduled to offer them in 2026; the steps she will take to ensure that children are not deprived of valuable educational and social opportunities through these camps; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for SocialPension Provisions
Asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to some individuals in receipt of invalidity pension that may be financially worse off by taking up limited part-time employment (for example, 5 hours per week), due to travel costs and potential impacts on their payment; the measures in place, or under consideration, to ensure that recipients are not financially disadvantaged or discouraged from engaging in suitable employment opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for AgricultureFood Labelling
Asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking to ensure that food labelling regulations accurately reflect the country of origin for meat, dairy and other agricultural products sold in Ireland; whether any review of labelling standards has been undertaken or is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthFood Labelling
Asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to prevent the misuse of Irish food labelling, including the labelling of imported products as Irish-origin; the number of investigations or enforcement actions taken in respect of misleading food labelling in 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- May 28, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthFood Labelling
Asked the Minister for Health whether the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has identified specific categories of food products where mislabelling or misleading origin claims are most prevalent; the enforcement mechanisms available to the FSAI in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- May 27, 2026PQ to Minister for TransportRoad Traffic Accidents
Asked the Minister for Transport for a record of all reported accidents, collisions, or safety incidents that have occurred at or in the vicinity of the unmarked traffic islands in Ballindine, County Mayo, on the N17, over the past 20 years; if road safety audits or assessments have been carried out at this location; and if there are plans to install appropriate road markings or safety measures at this site.
- May 27, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthMinisterial Communications
Asked the Minister for Health if she will list the dates upon which she has met with or corresponded with the CEO of the HSE since she took office.
- May 27, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthMinisterial Communications
Asked the Minister for Health if she will list the dates upon which she has met with or corresponded with the CEO of HIQA since she took office.
- May 27, 2026PQ to Minister for HealthMinisterial Communications
Asked the Minister for Health if she will list the dates upon which she has met with, or corresponded with the CEO of a company (details supplied) since she took office.
- May 26, 2026PQ to Minister for TaoiseachCabinet Committees
Asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will meet next.
- May 26, 2026PQ to Minister for FinanceTax Rebates
Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department has conducted any analysis regarding the amount of rebates and tax credits which people are entitled to, but do not claim; the amount which goes unclaimed each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- May 26, 2026PQ to Minister for FinanceInsurance Industry
Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025-2029; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Dáil contributions
- June 10, 2026QuestionsCeisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
- June 10, 2026StatementTourism: Statements
- June 10, 2026BillcommitteeCriminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Instruction to Committee
- June 09, 2026DebateFinance Bill 2026: Second Stage
- May 28, 2026QuestionsCeisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
- May 27, 2026MotionExtension of Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion
- May 27, 2026MotionFiscal Planning Framework for Economic Certainty: Motion [Private Members]
- May 27, 2026DebateCattle Kill Reduction and Cattle Prices: Meat Industry Ireland
- May 26, 2026MotionCost of Disability: Motion [Private Members]
- May 20, 2026MotionDefence and Neutrality: Motion [Private Members]
- May 19, 2026StatementNational Biodiversity Week: Statements
- May 19, 2026MotionEvictions and Rent Hikes: Motion [Private Members]
- May 13, 2026DebateDeer Management: Discussion
- May 12, 2026StatementInternational Nurses Day: Statements
- May 12, 2026QuestionsCeisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
- May 06, 2026OrderofbusinessAn tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
- April 29, 2026DebateFertiliser Input Costs in the Agricultural Sector: Discussion
- April 29, 2026MotionRemediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022: Motion
- April 29, 2026MotionFamily Law Transparency, Child Welfare, and Reform of the In Camera Rule: Motion [Private Members]
- April 28, 2026DebateSeaweed Harvesting and Licensing: Discussion
- April 28, 2026QuestionRenewable Energy Generation
- April 28, 2026StatementOur Rural Future: Statements
- April 23, 2026QuestionsCeisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
- April 22, 2026DebateDefinition of Farmer within the Afforestation Scheme: Discussion
- April 22, 2026QuestionsCeisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
- April 22, 2026MotionEarth Day: Motion [Private Members]
- April 21, 2026MotionSpecial Education: Motion [Private Members]
- April 16, 2026QuestionClimate Change Policy
- April 15, 2026QuestionCabinet Committees
- April 15, 2026MotionTackling Soaring Energy Costs: Motion [Private Members]