The Minister is right. There has been such a significant investment over the past few years in public transport, active travel and trying to secure the future of our networks. Athenry had a privately-operated bus service. It pulled out essentially because the middle-day services were not feasible. There is a public service obligation, PSO, determination there. It is in place for Athenry and we need to meet it. The bus going from Athenry does not have to go directly on the motorway. It goes in by a place called Derr…

When I speak about special needs assistants today, I want to do so in a fashion that is factual and considered because behind all the headlines and all the political noise over the past week there are real children, real families and real SNAs who show up every single morning to do extraordinary work. Special needs assistants are not an add-on to the education system; they are part of the foundation of inclusive education in Ireland. They support children with additional care needs, assisting with mobility, persona…

Our fishing industry is not just an economic sector, but a backbone of many coastal communities. In 2026, those communities are facing an extraordinary challenge - a 70% reduction in mackerel, a 41% reduction in blue whiting and a 22% reduction in boarfish. These cuts are based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and were formalised at December's Agricultural and Fisheries Council. We have to be clear. The science is not the problem. The science reflects years of overfishing by c…

The deemed disposal tax on unrealised gains for exchange-traded funds, ETFs, is simply madness. We often speak in this House about opportunity, fairness and giving people a real stake in our economy. We need to ask ourselves honestly what kind of Ireland we are shaping through our current tax system. Do we want an Ireland where ordinary workers can build wealth slowly and steadily over time, where someone on an average income with €100 or €200 he or she can put into a savings account a month can participate in the …

I really appreciate the sentiment the Minister of State has delivered before this House. There is an opportunity here for the Government to send a clear signal that for people who are working and contributing to our society and who want to accumulate a security buffer or a cushion, we will support them to do so, not just for their pension but for when other things arise in life as well. I believe that the deemed disposal must go because I fundamentally believe it is unfair to tax somebody on an unrealised gain. I a…

The Minister of State will be aware of the south Galway flood relief scheme. It is set to protect 115 properties, family homes and businesses. What we are facing right now is a series of delays and a lack of action. I know the Minister of State is a person of action and he wants to see something happen. In November, in a response to a parliamentary question, the Minister of State said the scheme would go for planning consent by quarter 3 of 2026. I hope this timeline is adhered to because it is vital that both the …

I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the International Protection Bill 2026. Fianna Fáil welcomes this debate because we believe it is vital and important. We fundamentally believe in the right to claim asylum. That principle is not optional. It is a cornerstone of international law and a test of our values as a country. Equally, we are committed to a fair but firm system, one that respects the dignity of those who genuinely need protection while also safeguarding the integrity of our borders and the cr…

I rise to support the residential tenancies Bill 2026. I will begin by acknowledging the work of the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, in bringing forward this legislation, which tries to do something Ireland has struggled to do for far too long, that is, strike a fair balance between tenant protection and rental supply. I will say this clearly: we need that balance because the truth is that the system we currently have is not serving anybody properly. It is not serving the renters…

They invested, provided rental homes and helped supply. They are coming to me with one fear above all others. They are afraid they will lose control of their own property. Vacant possession matters. I want to put this plainly. It is absolutely right that tenants have security. It is absolutely right that we restrict no-fault evictions. It is also vital, however, that property owners can have vacant possession of their asset if they choose to sell, especially small landlords. For many small landlords, that property …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I want to be very clear from the outset that this is an incredibly important and necessary Bill, and one I am proud to support. At its core, this Bill is about recognising that the world of child welfare and protection has changed significantly since the original Child Care Act was introduced in 1991. The challenges facing children and families today are different. Services are more complex and the need for agencies to work together effectively has never been …

What we have seen in north County Galway in the year since Storm Éowyn has been nothing short of disaster. There have been over 20 power outages in the past year in Dunmore in north County Galway. It is not just Dunmore but surrounding areas like Ballygar, Glenamaddy, Kilkerrin and Clonberne are all affected by regular outages. Outages are one thing but extended outages are another. I thank the ESB for its engagement on the issue. I had a meeting with ESB representatives on this specific matter earlier and it was a…

At my meeting with ESB Networks today, it became very clear that the company has both immediate and medium-term plans. It is important to highlight that vegetation and trees are one of the biggest causes of recurring outages in north Galway, where is a significant amount of forestry. When people planted those trees 30 years ago, there was no legislation suggesting they had to be 30 m distant from either side of the wire. We have to be honest about that. One issue the ESB faces, which it raised with me and was quite…

I welcome the proposals that will lead to the acceleration of infrastructure but what I want to talk about today are the people I represent in Galway East and the lives they live. Everyone who lives in Galway East and who commutes into Galway city faces the same issue of huge traffic. I believe - and the national development plan, NDP, backs this up, as it is funded - that there are three or four key solutions that are outlined in the NDP, are now funded and need to be delivered. We need to build the Galway ring ro…

This conversation is very welcome. I welcome the motion. I speak regularly with young people in my constituency and young families. The reality is that when somebody is in a crisis situation or finally gets to that point where they realise they are not okay, they need support and help and they reach out for help, it is vital that the State is ready to meet them where they are at. We have all heard too many heartbreaking stories of people who have been left waiting, people who have felt unheard or people who have ju…

In east Galway we have a problem in that more and more GP practices are declaring that they can no longer take on more patients. They are at capacity and that is a significant issue. We also have another issue whereby we are not retaining our young doctors coming out university. We invest so much in our young people and their education, from primary school, through secondary school, buses, hot school meals, SUSI and so on, only for them to leave the country. What is the Government's plan to retain young doctors and…

I will focus on the fact that remote working disproportionately benefits rural communities. The trend I have noticed over the past few years in the area I represent, Galway East, is that the more remote working that is happening, the more people there are working in fantastic jobs in Galway city, Athlone, Mayo and Dublin. It has allowed those people to come closer to home. They are able to make a decision to build a home close to where they are from and not have to buy in Dublin or Galway city in order to have a sh…

I will start by speaking about the basics. When I say "basics", I am talking about water pressure. For the people I represent in Gurteen, Cloonsheecahill and east Galway, there are many places where there is low water pressure. During the summer, it has a detrimental impact on their quality of life and ability to live. In the capital plan developed by Uisce Éireann, there are many references to pumping stations, particularly a pumping station on the mid-Galway water scheme. Will the Minister of State's office under…

Athenry as a town is growing at a rapid rate. The town has been without a bus for a year and our trains are completely wedged. I welcome the investment in Ceannt Station in Galway, bringing it from a two-platform to a five-platform station. I welcome the investment in the passing loop at Oranmore to increase frequencies. However, I have to ask whether there is any plan to double-track the line from Galway city to Athenry.

I really appreciate the update and the fact that it is being looked at and that a team has been appointed to design a preferred option. However, I have to re-emphasise that Athenry is a town with a population of over 5,000 and currently has 200 homes under construction across four different sites. Things are going great for the town. Jobs are coming but that access to Galway city is vital but right now a town with over 5,000 people has no bus service. Our trains are completely wedged in the morning. I know that the…

For fear there would be any confusion, I invite the Minister of State to look back through my social media since I was elected in politics in 2019. He will see that month on month, I consistently raised the need for the passing loop at Oranmore. On radio and in local media I have consistently pushed for the double tracking. Those projects are vital and they will be delivered but this has to be done collegially and together. I look forward to working with the Minister of State in the constituency to make that happen…