Two newly elected TDs have yet to speak in the Dáil 

Mr Hayes was suspended by the Social Democrats in advance of the first sitting of the 34th Dáil, after it emerged that he did not sell his shares in controversial tech firm Palantir until after he was elected as a Dublin City councillor. Picture: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Two newly elected TDs are yet to make any speaking contributions to the Dáil, more than four months after the general election took place.

Fine Gael’s David Maxwell and suspended Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes are the only two new members of the 34th Dáil who are yet to make their maiden speeches to the house.

Both TDs have been in the Dáil chamber on a regular basis to take part in votes, with Mr Hayes seen on multiple occasions attending setpiece Dáil events such as Leaders’ Questions.

However, neither have spoken in the Dáil since their election.

The Dáil itself returned on December 18, 2024, to elect a Ceann Comhairle, before electing a Taoiseach and Government on January 23.  Formal Dáil sittings then resumed on February 5, with five sitting weeks since then.

Neither Mr Maxwell nor Mr Hayes have asked any parliamentary questions of Government ministers since they took up office.

TDs are permitted, on a daily basis, to submit written, oral, and priority questions for Government ministers to respond to, either in the Dáil chamber or in writing.

In comparison, other TDs have submitted hundreds of parliamentary questions since the 34th Dáil resumed.

As of March 12, People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy has asked the most parliamentary questions in 2025, with 259 submitted.

Mr Murphy is followed by newly elected Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill, who has asked 248 parliamentary questions this year. Two Sinn Féin TDs — Matt Carthy and Pa Daly — are close behind, with 244 and 240 questions respectively.

Another new Fine Gael TD, Peter Roche, has made his maiden speech in the Dáil, but is yet to ask any parliamentary questions since he was elected.

In a statement, Mr Hayes said that, alongside constituency work, he has been focused on hiring staff and setting up his office.

In that context, I chose to run a transparent, open, competitive, and exhaustive recruitment process. I expect that process to close this month and the office to be fully operational thereafter in navigating parliamentary processes.

Mr Hayes was suspended by the Social Democrats in advance of the first sitting of the 34th Dáil, after it emerged that he did not sell his shares in controversial tech firm Palantir until after he was elected as a Dublin City councillor.

It was confirmed last month that Mr Hayes would remain “indefinitely suspended” by the Social Democrats, with no clear criteria of how he might return to the party.

A senior source in the Social Democrats said that there was no “diktat” from the party that was preventing Mr Hayes from speaking in the Dáil.

Meanwhile, Mr Maxwell took the Fine Gael seat in Cavan-Monaghan previously held by Heather Humphreys — a former deputy leader and senior government minister in the previous coalition.

Mr Maxwell was contacted for comment.

The Dáil is due to resume later this week, after a weeklong break while Government ministers travelled abroad for St Patrick’s Day events across the world.

The Government has been criticised in recent weeks over the light Dáil schedule, with no legislation due to be tabled in the weeks ahead.

The only laws passed by the new Coalition so far are reforms to expand the number of junior ministers from 20 to 23.