Social Democrats’ Cork TDs ask the most Dáil questions

Cork Social Democrats TDs asked the most parliamentary questions in the Dáil in 2025 so far, data has shown, as the government began its summer recess this month.

There were 1,201 questions asked by Cork’s three Social Democrats TDs, followed by 833 by Fianna Fáil’s seven TDs, 822 by Fine Gael’s five, 661 by Sinn Féin’s three, 435 by Independent Ireland’s two and 393 by the one Labour TD.

A parliamentary question, or PQ, is a formal question submitted by a member of the Oireachtas to a government minister. PQs can be either oral, asked and answered in the Dáil, or written, with the minister providing a written response.

Cork South Central Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice asked the most PQs of any Cork TD, with a total of 555 questions asked. Just under 400 of his questions referred to health, as Mr Rice is the party’s health spokesperson and chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, though he also had questions related to education, transport and housing.

His party colleague in Cork East Liam Quaide asked 351 questions, while their party leader and TD for Cork South West, Holly Cairns, asked 295 questions in 2025, despite being out on maternity leave.

Cork’s seven Fianna Fáil TDs asked a combined 833 questions, with numbers varying by TD. Junior ministers Christopher O’Sullivan of Cork South Central and Michael Moynihan of Cork North West asked 13 and two questions respectively, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin asked none.

The party’s Cork North Central TD Pádraig O’Sullivan asked 318 questions, with Cork East’s James O’Connor asking 188, Cork South Central’s Seamus McGrath asking 158 and Cork North West’s Aindrias Moynihan asking 154.

Fine Gael saw a similar variance, with junior minister and Cork South Central TD Jerry Buttimer asking 21 questions while Cork East’s Noel McCarthy, North West’s John Paul O’Shea, and North Central’s Colm Burke asked 172, 279, and 350 questions respectively.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould asked 307 questions, followed by Cork East’s Pat Buckley with 225 and South Central’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire with 129.

Independent Ireland’s North Central TD Ken O’Flynn asked 358 questions while his party leader and TD for Cork South West Michael Collins asked 77.

Labour’s sole Cork TD, North Central’s Eoghan Kenny asked 393 questions, the second highest of any Cork TD.