Paul Lawless TD

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

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Taoiseach
  Employment Data

  Asked the Taoiseach the estimated number of people who are working from home in the State.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  Bus Services

  Asked the Minister for Transport given the number of fatalities along the Irish coastline in recent years, whether consideration has been given to the use of drone technology to deploy lifesaving equipment, such as lifebuoys or flotation devices, to persons in distress at sea; whether drones could be strategically based at Garda stations and operated remotely from a central hub to support emergency response times; if any feasibility studies, pilot projects or inter-agency discussions (including with An Garda Síochána, the RNLI, the Coast Guard or local authorities) have taken place in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  Rail Network

  Asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of safety concerns raised by rail passengers regarding the short notice given for train departures from distant platforms, including platforms seven and eight, where passengers are often given as little as ten minutes to board for the Dublin to Westport train; the extent to which this results in passengers running through stations, creating safety risks, particularly for older people and those with mobility difficulties; whether Irish Rail has been instructed to review boarding times and platform allocation practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  Rail Network

  Asked the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that passenger information systems in rail stations provide sufficient advance notice and visibility for all users, particularly older passengers; whether consideration will be given to increasing the length of time departure notices remain on display screens and improving the clarity of announcements; what the current time length is on the notice boards pre departure for the trains from Westport to Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  Rail Network

  Asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that there is no access to food or drinking water on certain train platforms and services; whether Irish Rail has plans to provide vending machines or drinking water taps on the trains from Westport to Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if the National Car Testing Service operates under any pass or fail rate targets or key performance indicators linked to test outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of NCT pass and fail rates on a monthly basis for each of the last three years, disaggregated by test centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of NCT pass and fail rates by day of the month for each of the last three years, disaggregated by test centre, in order to establish whether fail rates are higher at particular points in the monthly cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or the Road Safety Authority has analysed whether NCT fail rates vary by time of month or time of year in a statistically significant way; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if the contract between the State and (details supplied) the company operating the National Car Testing Service, contains any provisions governing technician pay structures, bonus schemes, or performance-related pay linked to test outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if there is any independent oversight mechanism in place to ensure that the company operating the NCT system are not incentivised to fail vehicles in order to generate retest revenue for the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined the financial burden placed on motorists, particularly lower-income households and owners of older vehicles, arising from NCT retest fees and associated repair costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport when the current NCT operating contract with a company (details supplied) was last reviewed; the oversight arrangements in place to ensure compliance with that contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Transport
  National Car Test

  Asked the Minister for Transport if the Road Safety Authority conducts any audits of NCT test centres to ensure consistency and impartiality in test outcomes across centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Credits

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated economic value of unclaimed tax credits/rebates in the State.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Credits

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated number of people who did not claim tax credits which they were entitled to in each of the past five years.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Credits

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of people who claimed the working from home tax credit in each of the past five years.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Public Expenditure
  Office of Public Works

  Asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether the Office of Public Works (OPW) has been requested to assess or assist with the repair and stabilisation of the Peace Park in Balla, County Mayo, given its historical, commemorative, and veterans' significance; and the role, if any, the OPW could play in supporting this project.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Funding

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) with an exceptionally high concentration of socio-economic disadvantage and complex educational needs was excluded from both DEIS and DEIS Plus, and whether she will review this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Funding

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason non-DEIS schools are excluded from the DEIS appeals process; the mechanism that exists for a school (details supplied) to seek reconsideration of its exclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Funding

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will conduct a needs-based assessment of a school (details supplied) in light of its exceptionally high level of concentrated disadvantage and the absence of DEIS supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Funding

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim supports that can be provided immediately to a school (details supplied) pending any future DEIS review, given the school’s severe resource shortages, food insecurity among pupils, and high levels of complex need; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Funding

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the DEIS profiling model will be reformed to account for rural schools with non-local disadvantaged enrolments, such as a school (details supplied), where area-based indicators do not reflect the actual pupil population; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Agriculture
  Teagasc Activities

  Asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1417 of 4 November 2025, and the subsequent direct response issued by Teagasc confirming that errors in the reporting of the lambing difficulty score scale occurred in two Teagasc led peer reviewed publications and were corrected by erratum or corrigendum, if he will confirm whether either his Department or Teagasc has examined whether the same or similar error has occurred in any other Teagasc research papers, technical publications, advisory articles, or conference proceedings on sheep breeding, either before or after the identification of these errors; if such a review has been carried out, to list the publications and events examined, the outcome of that review, and any further errata or corrections issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Agriculture
  Teagasc Activities

  Asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will request Teagasc, and where appropriate the Central Statistics Office, to provide the annual average number of lambs weaned per ewe in the national mid season lowland sheep flock for each year from 2000 to the most recent year available, as reported in Teagasc National Farm Survey sheep reports or equivalent publications; the total number of lowland breeding ewes in the national flock for each year from 2000 to the most recent year available, distinguishing, where possible, between lowland and hill ewes; the monthly number of lambs slaughtered in Ireland, separately identified from adult sheep where data allow, or alternatively a seasonal or quarterly breakdown, for each year from 2008 to the most recent year available, as recorded in the CSO livestock slaughtering series, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Agriculture
  Agriculture Industry

  Asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide, in respect of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), the total amount of Exchequer and CAP funding the organisation has received since its inception, for each year from 2008 to the most recent year available; the amount of funding paid to ICBF, disaggregated by source and type, including annual operating grants, capital or infrastructure grants under the Cattle/Sheep Breeding Infrastructure Programme or its predecessors, and project specific or research and development grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Agriculture
  Agriculture Industry

  Asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide in respect of Sheep Ireland, the total amount of Exchequer and CAP funding the organisation has received since its inception; for each year from 2008 to the most recent year available; the amount of funding paid to Sheep Ireland, disaggregated by source and type, including annual operating grants, capital or infrastructure grants under the Cattle/Sheep Breeding Infrastructure Programme or its predecessors, and project specific or research and development grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Housing
  Vacant Properties

  Asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 717 of 28 April 2026, if his Department has assessed the cashflow impact on applicants arising from the requirement to complete all works and submit all receipts before any payment under the Croí Cónaithe grant is made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Housing
  Vacant Properties

  Asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 717 of 28 April 2026, if his Department has examined the feasibility of allowing drawdown of Croí Cónaithe grant funding on the basis of a completion certificate issued by a qualified local engineer, with receipts retained for potential audit, as proposed by Mayo County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Housing
  Vacant Properties

  Asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 717 of 28 April 2026, if his Department has consulted local authorities regarding administrative or operational challenges associated with the current Croí Cónaithe grant payment process, including the requirement for applicants to submit all receipts prior to payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 12, 2026PQ to Minister for Housing
  Vacant Properties

  Asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 717 of 28 April 2026, if he intends to review the design of the Croí Cónaithe grant process in light of motions passed by local authorities, including Mayo County Council, requesting that applicants be permitted to draw down funds on the basis of a completion certificate issued by a qualified local engineer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 07, 2026PQ to Minister for Culture
  Culture Policy

  Asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he plans to extend the new late-night transport pilot serving rural night-time economy locations to other towns and other counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 07, 2026PQ to Minister for Culture
  Artists' Remuneration

  Asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the deadline is for applying for the new basic income for the arts scheme; the way in which the new scheme differs from the previous scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 07, 2026PQ to Minister for Health
  National Children's Hospital

  Asked the Minister for Health the total professional fees paid to date to architects and design consultants involved in the National Children’s Hospital project; the basis on which those fees were calculated, including whether they were linked to a percentage of construction cost; the original estimated professional fees when the project was first approved at an estimated cost of approximately €800 million; the current projected total of such fees; and whether she will publish a breakdown of design revisions, plan changes and cost variations that contributed to increases in professional fees over the lifetime of the project.

• May 07, 2026PQ to Minister for Health
  National Children's Hospital

  Asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board maintains records of the number and nature of revised architectural drawings and design changes issued during construction of the National Children’s Hospital; whether these revisions contributed to additional construction costs and delays; and if she will provide details of any value-for-money or performance reviews conducted in relation to architectural and design consultancy services on the project.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Exemptions

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the current age-related tax supports available to individuals aged 65 and over, including the age tax credit and any remaining exemption mechanisms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Credits

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance when the age tax credit was last increased; its value at the time of introduction; whether it has been adjusted since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Credits

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the rationale for maintaining the age tax credit at its current level for over a decade despite sustained inflation and rising living costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Exemptions

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the year in which the former age exemption limits for taxpayers aged 65 and over were removed from the income tax system; the rationale for their removal at that time; whether any assessment was carried out on the impact of abolishing these exemption limits on older taxpayers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Data

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether his Department has assessed the cumulative impact of inflation since 2011 on the disposable income of older taxpayers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Exemptions

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the estimated fiscal cost of restoring the former age exemption limits to their pre-2011 levels, adjusted for inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Finance
  Tax Exemptions

  Asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether he intends to review age-related tax supports in advance of Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Curriculum

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her commitment to develop guidance on best practice arrangements for pupils in denominational schools whose parents request that they do not attend religious instruction, if she will ensure that this guidance is framed in order that it expressly covers all conscience-based opt-outs under section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998, and not only religious instruction, or alternatively that equivalent guidance is issued for non-religious content; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Curriculum

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that any Departmental guidance on opt-out arrangements covers all conscience-based opt-outs and does not create an artificial distinction between families who invoke the same statutory right in respect to different elements of the curriculum given that the same practical and rights-based issues arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Curriculum

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she accepts that providing no more than ad hoc supervision, or requiring a child to sit in the same classroom while instruction contrary to conscience is delivered, is inconsistent with the State’s duty to vindicate parental rights under the Constitution; the way in which upcoming guidance will address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Transport

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of a request submitted on behalf of a school (details supplied) seeking the establishment of a dedicated school transport route from Ballyhaunis; whether this request has been assessed by her Department or Bus Éireann; and if she will outline the current status of this request.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Transport

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether pupils attending a school (details supplied) who reside in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, are considered eligible for school transport under the school transport scheme where their nearest school was unable to offer places due to capacity constraints, as confirmed in writing by the local school; and the way in which such cases are assessed.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Transport

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeframe within which a decision is made to establish a new school transport route where a cohort of pupils - currently 14 - have applied; and whether arrangements can be put in place, in advance of the upcoming academic year in September, given the clear and ongoing need for safe and reliable transport.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Staff

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the continued exclusion of principals appointed after 2015 from receiving the secretarial allowance for acting as secretary to the board of management, given that principals appointed before this date continue to receive the allowance for carrying out the same statutory duties; whether a review of this inequity is under way; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

• May 06, 2026PQ to Minister for Education
  School Staff

  Asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the current structure of principal release-day clusters to ensure that the calculation of base posts reflects the full scope of a principal’s management responsibilities, including the co-ordination and oversight of special needs assistants or SNAs, bus escorts and teaching staff; if she will consider including these roles in the staffing thresholds used to determine release-day allocations; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Dáil contributions

• May 12, 2026Statement
  International Nurses Day: Statements
• May 12, 2026Questions
  Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
• May 06, 2026Orderofbusiness
  An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
• April 29, 2026Debate
  Fertiliser Input Costs in the Agricultural Sector: Discussion
• April 29, 2026Motion
  Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022: Motion
• April 29, 2026Motion
  Family Law Transparency, Child Welfare, and Reform of the In Camera Rule: Motion [Private Members]
• April 28, 2026Debate
  Seaweed Harvesting and Licensing: Discussion
• April 28, 2026Question
  Renewable Energy Generation
• April 28, 2026Statement
  Our Rural Future: Statements
• April 23, 2026Questions
  Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
• April 22, 2026Debate
  Definition of Farmer within the Afforestation Scheme: Discussion
• April 22, 2026Questions
  Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
• April 22, 2026Motion
  Earth Day: Motion [Private Members]
• April 21, 2026Motion
  Special Education: Motion [Private Members]
• April 16, 2026Question
  Climate Change Policy
• April 15, 2026Question
  Cabinet Committees
• April 15, 2026Motion
  Tackling Soaring Energy Costs: Motion [Private Members]