One of our greatest assets in the town of Athenry is now becoming one of our greatest pain points. Train services into Galway city are wholly inadequate. We need to see significant investment in additional carriages arriving at Athenry. As mentioned previously, there are only two carriages going in on the first train in the morning. To put it bluntly, people are packed in like sardines. It is a complete disaster and it is very unfair on the people who are using this service.

I agree that the passing loop is welcome but it points out a huge issue with how we manage infrastructure in this country. Galway County Council was granted urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, funding in March 2021 for that passing loop. It was March 2024 before Irish Rail submitted a planning application for the passing loop. I welcome that it is to commence construction this September. If it has taken three years for Irish Rail to go for a planning application, what does that say about how urgent and h…

Absolutely there can be no doubt that the economies of public transport have completely flipped the script over the last few years. We have seen fares come down and the cost of using a car has gone up. It makes more sense for people to use public transport. As the Minister of State well knows, Athenry is a booming town with huge growth potential over the coming years. We need to see a double track line all the way into Galway city. I do not know if this will come through the national development process or the all-…

The Ceann Comhairle is speaking.

While the storm may be over, the impacts are still being felt heavily in Galway East and in the west of Ireland. In my own community of Monivea, our beautiful woods have been completely destroyed as have Coillte properties and community GAA facilities. What lessons have been learned and what actions will we take in the future? Just because the storm is over now does not mean we can forget about it. It is vital that we move forward progressively to ensure we are ready for the next storm and, as the Taoiseach said, r…

I raise an issue currently in Galway East around Garda stations that currently have no gardaí assigned to them. These buildings are lying vacant and empty. I mention three in particular, namely, Ardrahan, Eyrecourt and Ahascragh. These Garda stations currently have no gardaí assigned to them. Are there any plans in place to ensure they are staffed and that they serve the communities they were built to serve?

I really appreciate the investment that is being made in An Garda Síochána and I appreciate the drive that is currently taking place to recruit more gardaí. I welcome the fact that those rural stations mentioned will be considered in future allocations. What is important as well is that these are fine buildings and they have an opportunity to provide accommodation for young gardaí. A big issue is that if these buildings are not used, they will fall into disrepair and will not be maintained. I see it right across Ga…

I appreciate it is the Commissioner's role to allocate the divisional split across the country. One idea the Government could consider for the future is, similar to how in Galway County Council we have our rural library scheme whereby people can access books in their community on a weekly basis, we should have a community policing service where a van would go around to every community in Galway East and other constituencies. What would happen is that people could use this at a set time, they would know it would be …

Healthcare is not just about treating illness; it is also about enabling people to live longer, healthier and more independent lives. The future of healthcare must focus not just on hospitals and emergency care, but on prevention, early intervention and community-based supports. We are living longer than ever before but the challenge now is to ensure that these extra years we spend are in good health. That requires a shift in how we think about healthcare. We need to move from a system that primarily reacts to illn…

The nitrates derogation is vital to the viability of family farms into the future and to ensuring their productivity in my constituency of Galway East. The programme for Government clearly commits to retaining the nitrates derogation. That said, we have rising nitrates levels, legacy issues with old housing estates and boil water notices are becoming more common. If we are to put our best foot forward to the EU to ask for an extension of our derogation, how can the new committee on water quality play its part and h…

Every town, every street and every public service should be built for everyone. For too many people in east Galway who are living with disabilities, that simply is not the case. We have all heard the stories of parents fighting tooth and nail to get basic supports for children who have been waiting years for essential therapies. Adults struggling to access home care are left to rely on family or to go without. People in wheelchairs are forced to take long detours because a footpath is broken, a shop has a step too …

Artificial intelligence is not something coming down the tracks; it is already here. We are shaping how we do business, how our economy functions and how we interact as a society. The question is not whether we adopt AI but how we harness its potential for the greater good, ensuring that the risks are properly managed. In business and the economy, AI has the power to transform industries, improve productivity and create new opportunities. For Irish businesses, whether it is a global tech company in Dublin or a smal…

Storm Éowyn was one of the most brutal storms to hit Ireland in living memory. In Galway we saw wind speeds of up to 183 km/h tearing down trees, damaging homes and leaving thousands without power and water. Families were left in freezing houses, businesses were forced to close and farmers struggled to keep operations running. It was a devastating event and for many the hardship went on for days. In the face of this destruction, we also saw incredible dedication from those working on the front lines of the response…

Tairgim: Go n-ainmneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Micheál Martin chun a cheaptha ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach. I move: That Dáil Éireann nominate Deputy Micheál Martin for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach. As I was saying yesterday-----

-----it is an honour to finally propose to the Dáil that we nominate Deputy Micheál Martin for appointment as Taoiseach by Uachtarán na hÉireann. By every reasonable measure, Deputy Martin has shown that he is qualified to lead our Government with distinction, that he will be a Taoiseach of substance focused every day on the hard work of serving the Irish people and that no matter how tough challenges are in the coming years, he will meet and overcome those challenges. These are often cynical times. Many will relen…

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle-----

Tairgim: Go n-ainmneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Micheál Martin chun a cheaptha ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach. I move: That Dáil Éireann nominate Deputy Micheál Martin for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach. It is an honour and a privilege-----

-----to finally stand before Dáil Éireann, elected democratically by the people of Ireland------

It is an honour to propose, finally, the name of Micheál Martin for appointment as Taoiseach by Uachtarán na hÉireann-----

Deputy Martin will be a Taoiseach of substance-----