Dáil vote · 5 March 2025

Waste in Public Expenditure: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]

Amendment to amendment put

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What this vote means

Policy motion

A policy motion expresses the House's position or calls for action. It does not itself change the law or legally require the Government to carry out the policy requested.

Tá means yes and Níl means no to the exact question put. The vote alone does not establish a TD's full position or reasons.

DáilDex interpretation of the official wording.

Oireachtas definitions

The result

Lost

Tá (yes): 56
Níl (no): 102
Staon (abstain): 0

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Peadar Tóibín and Paul Lawless; Níl, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie.

Official record Read the debate

How each party voted

Party	Tá	Níl	Staon	No vote	Most voted
Fianna Fáil	–	43	–	5	Níl
Sinn Féin	35	–	–	4	Tá
Fine Gael	–	36	–	2	Níl
Independent	4	11	–	1	No whip
Labour Party	–	11	–	–	Níl
Social Democrats	8	–	–	2	Tá
Independent Ireland	4	–	–	–	Tá
People Before Profit-Solidarity	1	–	–	2

How every TD voted

Showing 174 of 174 TDs

Aengus Ó SnodaighSinn Féin · Dublin South-Central
Tá
Aidan FarrellySocial Democrats · Kildare North
Tá
Aindrias MoynihanFianna Fáil · Cork North-West
Níl
Aisling DempseyFianna Fáil · Meath West
Níl
Alan DillonFine Gael · Mayo
Níl
Alan KellyLabour Party · Tipperary North
Níl
Albert DolanFianna Fáil · Galway East
Níl
Ann GravesSinn Féin · Dublin Fingal East
Tá
Barry HeneghanIndependent · Dublin Bay North
Níl
Barry WardFine Gael · Dún Laoghaire
Níl
Brendan SmithFianna Fáil · Cavan-Monaghan
Níl
Brian BrennanFine Gael · Wicklow-Wexford
Níl
Brian StanleyIndependent · Laois
Tá
Carol NolanIndependent · Offaly
Níl
Cathal CroweFianna Fáil · Clare
Níl
Catherine ArdaghFianna Fáil · Dublin South-Central
Níl
Catherine CallaghanFine Gael · Carlow-Kilkenny
Níl
Catherine ConnollyIndependents 4 Change · Galway West
Tá
Cathy BennettSinn Féin · Cavan-Monaghan
Tá
Charles Ward100% RDR · Donegal
Tá
Charlie McConalogueFianna Fáil · Donegal
Níl
Christopher O'SullivanFianna Fáil · Cork South-West
Níl
Cian O'CallaghanSocial Democrats · Dublin Bay North
Tá
Ciarán AhernLabour Party · Dublin South-West
Níl
Claire KerraneSinn Féin · Roscommon-Galway
Tá
Colm BrophyFine Gael · Dublin South-West
Níl
Colm BurkeFine Gael · Cork North-Central
No vote
Conor D. McGuinnessSinn Féin · Waterford
Tá
Conor SheehanLabour Party · Limerick City
Níl
Cormac DevlinFianna Fáil · Dún Laoghaire
Níl
Danny Healy-RaeIndependent · Kerry
Níl
Dara CallearyFianna Fáil · Mayo
Níl
Darragh O'BrienFianna Fáil · Dublin Fingal East
No vote
Darren O'RourkeSinn Féin · Meath East
Tá
David CullinaneSinn Féin · Waterford
Tá
David MaxwellFine Gael · Cavan-Monaghan
Níl
Denise MitchellSinn Féin · Dublin Bay North
Tá
Dessie EllisSinn Féin · Dublin North-West
Tá
Donna McGettiganSinn Féin · Clare
Tá
Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireSinn Féin · Cork South-Central
Tá
Duncan SmithLabour Party · Dublin Fingal East
Níl
Eamon ScanlonFianna Fáil · Sligo-Leitrim
Níl
Edward TimminsFine Gael · Wicklow
Níl
Emer CurrieFine Gael · Dublin West
Níl
Emer HigginsFine Gael · Dublin Mid-West
Níl
Eoghan KennyLabour Party · Cork North-Central
Níl
Eoin HayesIndependent · Dublin Bay South
Tá
Eoin Ó BroinSinn Féin · Dublin Mid-West
No vote
Erin McGreehanFianna Fáil · Louth
Níl
Fionntán Ó SúilleabháinSinn Féin · Wicklow-Wexford
No vote
Frankie FeighanFine Gael · Sligo-Leitrim
Níl
Gary GannonSocial Democrats · Dublin Central
Tá
Ged NashLabour Party · Louth
Níl
George LawlorLabour Party · Wexford
Níl
Gillian TooleIndependent · Meath East
Níl
Grace BolandFine Gael · Dublin Fingal West
Níl
Helen McEnteeFine Gael · Meath East
No vote
Hildegarde NaughtonFine Gael · Galway West
Níl
Holly CairnsSocial Democrats · Cork South-West
No vote
Ivana BacikLabour Party · Dublin Bay South
Níl
Jack ChambersFianna Fáil · Dublin West
Níl
James BrowneFianna Fáil · Wexford
Níl
James GeogheganFine Gael · Dublin Bay South
Níl
James LawlessFianna Fáil · Kildare North
Níl
James O'ConnorFianna Fáil · Cork East
Níl
Jen CumminsSocial Democrats · Dublin South-Central
Tá
Jennifer Carroll MacNeillFine Gael · Dún Laoghaire
Níl
Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
Níl
Jennifer WhitmoreSocial Democrats · Wicklow
Tá
Jerry ButtimerFine Gael · Cork South-Central
Níl
Jim O'CallaghanFianna Fáil · Dublin Bay South
No vote
Joanna ByrneSinn Féin · Louth
Tá
Joe CooneyFine Gael · Clare
Níl
Joe NevilleFine Gael · Kildare North
Níl
John BradySinn Féin · Wicklow
Tá
John ClendennenFine Gael · Offaly
Níl
John ConnollyFianna Fáil · Galway West
Níl
John CumminsFine Gael · Waterford
Níl
John LahartFianna Fáil · Dublin South-West
Níl
John McGuinnessFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
No vote
John Paul O'SheaFine Gael · Cork North-West
Níl
Johnny GuirkeSinn Féin · Meath West
Tá
Johnny MythenSinn Féin · Wexford
Tá
Keira KeoghFine Gael · Mayo
Níl
Ken O'FlynnIndependent Ireland · Cork North-Central
Tá
Kevin Boxer MoranIndependent · Longford-Westmeath
Níl
Kieran O'DonnellFine Gael · Limerick City
Níl
Liam QuaideSocial Democrats · Cork East
No vote
Louis O'HaraSinn Féin · Galway East
Tá
Louise O'ReillySinn Féin · Dublin Fingal West
Tá
Maeve O'ConnellFine Gael · Dublin Rathdown
Níl
Máire DevineSinn Féin · Dublin South-Central
Tá
Mairéad FarrellSinn Féin · Galway West
Tá
Malcolm ByrneFianna Fáil · Wicklow-Wexford
Níl
Marian HarkinIndependent · Sligo-Leitrim
Níl
Marie SherlockLabour Party · Dublin Central
Níl
Mark WallLabour Party · Kildare South
Níl
Mark WardSinn Féin · Dublin Mid-West
Tá
Martin DalyFianna Fáil · Roscommon-Galway
Níl
Martin HeydonFine Gael · Kildare South
Níl
Martin KennySinn Féin · Sligo-Leitrim
Tá
Mary ButlerFianna Fáil · Waterford
Níl
Mary Lou McDonaldSinn Féin · Dublin Central
No vote
Matt CarthySinn Féin · Cavan-Monaghan
Tá
Mattie McGrathIndependent · Tipperary South
Níl
Maurice QuinlivanSinn Féin · Limerick City
Tá
Michael CahillFianna Fáil · Kerry
Níl
Michael CollinsIndependent Ireland · Cork South-West
Tá
Michael FitzmauriceIndependent Ireland · Roscommon-Galway
Tá
Michael Healy-RaeIndependent · Kerry
Níl
Michael LowryIndependent · Tipperary North
Níl
Michael MoynihanFianna Fáil · Cork North-West
Níl
Michael MurphyFine Gael · Tipperary South
Níl
Micheál CarrigyFine Gael · Longford-Westmeath
Níl
Micheál MartinFianna Fáil · Cork South-Central
No vote
Naoise Ó CearúilFianna Fáil · Kildare North
Níl
Naoise Ó MuiríFine Gael · Dublin Bay North
Níl
Natasha Newsome DrennanSinn Féin · Carlow-Kilkenny
Tá
Neale RichmondFine Gael · Dublin Rathdown
Níl
Niall CollinsFianna Fáil · Limerick County
No vote
Niamh SmythFianna Fáil · Cavan-Monaghan
Níl
Noel GrealishIndependent · Galway West
Níl
Noel McCarthyFine Gael · Cork East
Níl
Norma FoleyFianna Fáil · Kerry
Níl
Pa DalySinn Féin · Kerry
Tá
Pádraig Mac LochlainnSinn Féin · Donegal
Tá
Pádraig O'SullivanFianna Fáil · Cork North-Central
Níl
Pádraig RiceSocial Democrats · Cork South-Central
Tá
Paschal DonohoeFine Gael · Dublin Central
Níl
Pat BuckleySinn Féin · Cork East
Tá
Pat the Cope GallagherFianna Fáil · Donegal
Níl
Patrick O'DonovanFine Gael · Limerick County
Níl
Paul DonnellySinn Féin · Dublin West
Tá
Paul LawlessAontú · Mayo
Tá
Paul McAuliffeFianna Fáil · Dublin North-West
Níl
Paul MurphyPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dublin South-West
No vote
Paul Nicholas GogartyIndependent · Dublin Mid-West
Tá
Paula ButterlyFine Gael · Louth
Níl
Peadar TóibínAontú · Meath West
Tá
Pearse DohertySinn Féin · Donegal
Tá
Peter 'Chap' CleereFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
Níl
Peter BurkeFine Gael · Longford-Westmeath
Níl
Peter RocheFine Gael · Galway East
Níl
Réada CroninSinn Féin · Kildare North
No vote
Richard Boyd BarrettPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dún Laoghaire
No vote
Richard O'DonoghueIndependent Ireland · Limerick County
Tá
Robert O'DonoghueLabour Party · Dublin Fingal West
Níl
Robert TroyFianna Fáil · Longford-Westmeath
Níl
Roderic O'GormanGreen Party · Dublin West
Níl
Rory HearneSocial Democrats · Dublin North-West
Tá
Rose Conway-WalshSinn Féin · Mayo
Tá
Ruairí Ó MurchúSinn Féin · Louth
Tá
Ruth CoppingerPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dublin West
Tá
Ryan O'MearaFianna Fáil · Tipperary North
Níl
Seamus HealyIndependent · Tipperary South
Tá
Séamus McGrathFianna Fáil · Cork South-Central
Níl
Seán CanneyIndependent · Galway East
Níl
Seán CroweSinn Féin · Dublin South-West
Tá
Sean FlemingFianna Fáil · Laois
Níl
Seán Ó FearghaílFianna Fáil · Kildare South
Níl
Shane MoynihanFianna Fáil · Dublin Mid-West
Níl
Shay BrennanFianna Fáil · Dublin Rathdown
Níl
Shónagh Ní RaghallaighSinn Féin · Kildare South
Tá
Simon HarrisFine Gael · Wicklow
Níl
Sinéad GibneySocial Democrats · Dublin Rathdown
Tá
Sorca ClarkeSinn Féin · Longford-Westmeath
Tá
Thomas ByrneFianna Fáil · Meath East
Níl
Thomas GouldSinn Féin · Cork North-Central
Tá
Timmy DooleyFianna Fáil · Clare
Níl
Tom BrabazonFianna Fáil · Dublin Bay North
Níl
Tony McCormackFianna Fáil · Offaly
Níl
Verona MurphyIndependent · Wexford
No vote
William AirdFine Gael · Laois
Níl
Willie O'DeaFianna Fáil · Limerick City
Níl

The full text TDs voted on

This vote decided an amendment to an amendment: a proposed change to the replacement text, not to the original motion.

A motion can bundle several proposals together. Tá or Níl applies to the whole question put, so a TD may agree with one part and still vote against it because of another. Read the full wording, and the debate where TDs gave their reasons, before treating this vote as a position on any single point.

The motion as movedMoved by Deputy Michael Collins on Wednesday, 5 March 2025

That Dáil Éireann:
notes that:
— overspending and waste within the public sector not only erodes trust in Government but also diverts resources from essential services; and
— as members of Dáil Éireann, and therefore custodians of the public purse, we have a duty to the people of Ireland to be committed to ensuring that taxpayers' money is managed responsibly, efficiently, and transparently;
acknowledges that there have been numerous ongoing failures by Governments past and present to properly manage cost control on Government funded projects, such as:
— the €808,000 Dáil printer scandal, where a printer was purchased but could not fit into the print room, leading to over €230,000 in modifications;
— the €725 million RTÉ bailout;
— the Office of Public Works (OPW) Government Buildings security hut at a final cost of €1.43 million;
— the National Children's Hospital overrun which has surpassed €2.5 billion;
— the €22 million on covid ventilators, that never worked, with another €50,000 spent on storing them;
— the €2.5 billion paid out in medical compensation over ten years, by the Health Service Executive;
— the OPW Leinster House bike shed at a cost of €336,000;
— the OPW Iveagh House refurbishment at a cost of €825,000;
— the National Transport Authority spend on Metro North, in the region of €300 million with nothing built;
— the OPW wall at the Workplace Relations Commission's Dublin headquarters escalated from an initial estimate of €200,000 to over €490,000;
— the electric buses, that sat idle for a year and a half because there were no chargers;
— the €7 million by the Arts Council on an Information Technology system that has never been used;
— the National Gallery scanner, purchased at €120,000, but never used because no suitable room was found; and
calls on the Government to:
— acknowledge that the historical record indicates that there is systemic dysfunction across Government in public expenditure control and oversight;
— establish within the first year of this current Government, an Independent Watchdog for Government Spending; "The Department of Efficiency and Reform":
— to be an independent entity recruited from the private sector, dedicated to monitoring and improving public sector spending;
— to operate similar to Revenue Commissioners or Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), with a regional scope, assigned to geographic areas;
— to appoint commissioners through a competitive tender process targeting qualified private professionals, such as private sector efficiency consultants, solicitors, auditors, accountants, actuaries, tasked to address procurement and tendering processes to streamline and improve efficiency with implementation of timelines and goals for delivery of projects, with powers codified in legislation and authority similar to HIQA's inspection framework;
— to conduct unannounced audits and inspections of public bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations and agencies;
— to investigate waste, inefficiencies, or mismanagement of funds; and
— to issue recommendations or corrective measures, escalating unresolved issues to the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Amendment No. 1Moved by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that:
— the Government condemns the waste of any public money and notes that significant sums have been spent on providing better public services in recent years with the additional funding allocated towards improving and expanding the public services provided to our people;
— Government expenditure has provided, and continues to provide, a robust response to the challenges and needs facing the Irish nation, through continued investment, leadership, and value for money in the delivery of public services and important infrastructure projects with this investment making significant positive impacts, including:
— since 2021, completion of almost 53,000 new local authority scheme dwellings and delivery of hundreds of projects under the Rural and Urban Regeneration and Development Funds;
— significant reductions in outpatient waiting lists and improved health facilities, such as the National Forensic Mental Hospital in Portrane, hospital extensions and new primary care centres and community nursing units across the country;
— a reduction of approximately 48 per cent in the weighted average waiting time for outpatient appointments, down from just over 13 months in September 2021 to 6.8 months at the end of December 2024;
— cost barriers associated with healthcare being reduced through the abolition of inpatient charges, the introduction of the free contraception scheme, and the expansion of access to free general practitioner care to over 670,000 people, making healthcare more affordable for individuals and families;
— Ireland performing well on treatable and preventable causes of mortality and making significant improvements over the past decade, including reductions in the mortality rate for all cancers;
— Ireland being among a small group of seven European Union (EU) countries where life expectancy at birth is above 82;
— significant upgrades to Ireland's national road network and improvements to the public transport system, including BusConnects;
— high-quality cultural and sporting amenities delivered, such as the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown;
— continued progress under the National Broadband Plan, such that over 330,000 homes have now been passed and can avail of the high-quality connectivity offered by this plan;

Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 1Decided in this vote

To delete all words after "notes that:" and substitute the following:
"— there needs to be a disciplinary process for senior civil servants for instances of repeated waste of public funds;
— accountability needs to be written into the contracts of senior civil servants; and
— there should be a Minister of State for Accountability, nominated and located within the Department of the Taoiseach, to track live procurement and infrastructural projects to ensure they do not go over budget and are delivered on time, to report to the Taoiseach on a weekly basis in terms of accountability.".

Wording as published in the official Dáil record, unedited. Read the debate