Albert Dolan
Galway East · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The Tánaiste will be well aware of the case of Carrabane National School in east Galway. I have no doubt that multiple representations have been made to him about it. While I do not expect him to have an answer today as to what the case is, I want to highlight the frustration that exists among the school community.”
“Those are people who were not already in a pension, who were working hard and earning money but who were not contributing to their future retirement and now they are auto-enrolled into a pension. You would have to ask if they know what they are a part of. Do they know the potential of it?”
“I would say that we need to be careful. I welcome the Grow Digital vouchers, but this would lead to businesses depending on those vouchers to get the expertise and skills to be talented with AI. The whole idea of AI is that it is going to be usable by anybody for anybody with their own critical thinking and their own ability.”
“This is something that I am very passionate about. It is something that affects us all. It is about financial literacy: understanding how a mortgage works, understanding how contributions to a pension can compound, understanding how people can better manage their own financial situations individually and, ultimately, understanding how peo…”
“Go raibh maith agat a Aire Stáit. I appreciate the update and the work that is ongoing. A key area I want to highlight, and I know the Minister of State is hearing this regularly, is energy costs.”
“I really appreciate the Minister of State's engagement on this issue. I welcome the response from the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the financial literacy framework and directive that are in place. I know about that because I experienced it when I was in secondary school.”
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“The Tánaiste will be well aware of the case of Carrabane National School in east Galway. I have no doubt that multiple representations have been made to him about it. While I do not expect him to have an answer today as to what the case is, I want to highlight the frustration that exists among the school community. Two months ago, I and all of the other public representatives in east Galway attended a public meeting at Carrabane National School. On the night, Councillor Moegie Maher had a letter from the Minister, Deputy Naughton, confirming that this project would break ground in 2026. We have now reached the summer and still have not heard the outcome of the tender process. All I ask is that the Tánaiste engage with the Minister, if possible, and revert to the Galway East representatives as to the status of Carrabane National School.”
“It is also about bringing all the elements together in one holistic approach to educating people about financial literacy and making them aware of how to manage their money and how they can take control of their own circumstances. As I said, there are a lot of people in the autumn enrolment who might not fully understand how money functions and how having knowledge of it will benefit them in the future.”
“We need a whole-of-life approach to how this is taught to young people for the benefit of their future. I could not agree more regarding credit unions. The role they can play is absolutely transformative in educating young people on how saving can benefit them in the future, whether for college, learning a trade, as mentioned, or otherwise. It is really important to educate students on how money functions specifically in an Irish context, including how different Government schemes and grant opportunities function. That aspect of the functioning of money can be very effective in terms of its impact on people's personal lives. This is an area where there is more work to be done.”
“I really appreciate the Minister of State's engagement on this issue. I welcome the response from the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the financial literacy framework and directive that are in place. I know about that because I experienced it when I was in secondary school. I was really interested in commerce, economics and accounting and I went on to study accounting. I took those three subjects and did not do any science subjects. I was exposed to all those different elements and received a well-rounded learning in them. However, students who do not choose those subjects might only get exposed to those lessons in higher level mathematics if they do compound interest or the repayment calculation for their leaving certificate. There is a focus on money in secondary school but it is very fragmented.”
“It would greatly benefit our country going forward for everyone to have a base level understanding of financial literacy.”
“Those are people who were not already in a pension, who were working hard and earning money but who were not contributing to their future retirement and now they are auto-enrolled into a pension. You would have to ask if they know what they are a part of. Do they know the potential of it? There are probably pamphlets and leaflets and everything online to explain it, but that education needs to come from the ground up. It was Warren Buffett and Albert Einstein who said the eighth wonder of the world was compound interest, because the power of it is significant. I believe that if financial literacy were in our schools, it would greatly help our young people as they go throughout life in managing their personal financial situations. Money is still a taboo topic in Irish society and people do not want to talk about their money situations.”
“I am not saying teachers should do a qualification to be financial adviser or become an expert in insurance products, rather question whether we as a society would not benefit significantly more financially if everyone had a base level of financial literacy. I see it across my constituency clinics and in dealings I have with people, that sometimes people do not understand how the system functions, how banking works, how they can best protect themselves in the event of something going wrong or how they can plan for a future. I welcome the proposal to bring in the State saving scheme. That will be a huge opportunity but, like that, it is an investment and people need to know what are they investing in. From the start of this year, there are now thousands of people in auto-enrolment.”
“However, the key is that there is no real personal financial education in our schooling system. Nobody is teaching young people: how to go about applying for a mortgage, what the qualifying criteria are, how you ensure you are maximising the potential of your pension, and how you ensure you are working towards an initiative for the future that will be beneficial to both yourself and your family into the future. Essentially, I am calling for consideration of an element of financial literacy to be brought into our education system. I do not know any education system where it has been brought in but there are so many people online who claim to be financial experts or who portray financial advice and they might not necessarily have the credentials or qualifications.”
“This is something that I am very passionate about. It is something that affects us all. It is about financial literacy: understanding how a mortgage works, understanding how contributions to a pension can compound, understanding how people can better manage their own financial situations individually and, ultimately, understanding how people can make the best possible lives for themselves. That comes back to financial literacy and financial awareness. In secondary school, there are courses on accounting, which teaches you the specifics and the technicalities of accounting - your debits and credits. There is economics that teaches you how an economy functions, and there is macroeconomics and microeconomics. There is also business studies, that looks at marketing, HR, European affairs and all such matters.”
“I welcome the Minister of State's mention of the next-generation sites. As he knows, outside Oranmore there is potential for one of the country's most strategic sites. It was reported in the Business Post over a year ago that the Minister, Deputy Burke, was to bring a memo to the Cabinet about potential investment in Galway to upgrade the infrastructure on Mutton Island and wastewater infrastructure, and to provide a new link off the motorway and a new rail stop at the site. Can I have an update? Where is that currently? Did that memo ever come to Cabinet? Will the Minister be able to provide an update about the prospects of a company selecting that site for a chip fabrication plant or whatever the preferred option is?”
“FDI decisions are going to be driven by talent, innovation and, ultimately, infrastructure. When I say infrastructure, I am talking about public transport, housing and everything that goes into the quality of life of the employee because, ultimately, companies are going to locate where the talent wants to be. In Galway, as I have mentioned previously, we have a significant medtech sector. It is absolutely incredible what has happened there over the past 30 years. That does not just happen. We need to see a continued push to drive more investment into Galway and into our medtech sector. Beside the site where Dexcom Ireland has been developed are additional IDA lands that are prime for development for more jobs for east Galway. That is what I push for here this evening.”
“The Minister of State knows the huge investment Dexcom has made in Athenry. I would love to see a med tech AI hub in Galway that works with these companies to deliver next-generation technologies that can impact the globe.”
“I would say that we need to be careful. I welcome the Grow Digital vouchers, but this would lead to businesses depending on those vouchers to get the expertise and skills to be talented with AI. The whole idea of AI is that it is going to be usable by anybody for anybody with their own critical thinking and their own ability. It is going to be about allowing people to gain the skillsets and the critical thinking capacity to use AI. I would be careful not to fund so many vouchers that people become dependent on them. Another point is that the benefits of AI need to be felt and spread right across the country. From the point of view of the Government particularly, and this is something I have called for before, an AI hub for the west of Ireland is needed. We have an incredible medical technology and medical device sector in Galway.”
“The Minister of State will have seen over the weekend that access to Fable and Mythos outside the US was shut down. How would we respond if we were dependent on AI services and they got shut down?”
“I am firmly of the opinion that the countries that adopt AI responsibly will yield the greatest benefits over the next generation. We can be economic leaders through AI and we can show what a society is capable of. A part of where this conversation has to be is about the societal benefits that can come from AI-gained efficiencies. With those efficiencies, however, come a lot of concerns. We have to address the challenges that there will be around job displacement and workforce skills and ensure that people can upskill, develop and wield the power that AI will give them as individuals. How is the Government going to ensure that Ireland will not simply be depending on other countries' AI but that we have some sort of AI independence?”
“Artificial intelligence, AI, is one of the biggest economic opportunities facing Ireland over the next decade. It has the potential to transform productivity, innovation and competitiveness across every sector. What is the Government doing to position Ireland as a leader in AI adoption and development?”
“Has the Minister of State assessed the impact that increased rates costs are having on small and medium enterprises? What does he plan to do about this cost?”
“The Government has to go further, in particular for small and medium enterprises that do not have the scale to acquire electricity at a discounted rate. This is who we have to consider and support. I want to move on to another cost of business issue which is constantly coming up for me, in particular in recent weeks. It is with regard to rates. Commercial rates are increasingly becoming a frustration for businesses. I understand that rates were not revalued for a long time but the revaluation has led to significant costs imposed on businesses. Sometimes there is a value question. The businesses pay rates but they could be in a rural location and they just are not seeing the value of what they are paying. There has to be better engagement from local authorities on this.”
“What is the Minister of State doing specifically to support further solar grants and energy efficiency and reduce long-term energy costs? The price of electricity is simply too high.”
“Go raibh maith agat a Aire Stáit. I appreciate the update and the work that is ongoing. A key area I want to highlight, and I know the Minister of State is hearing this regularly, is energy costs. Energy remains one of the largest overheads for SMEs, particular in the hospitality sector, the manufacturing sector and the agribusiness sector. Small businesses do not have the same purchasing power that larger entities or corporations might have. It might be feasible for a large entity to buy the energy coming from some renewable energy development but this is not feasible for small businesses and small manufacturing entities. We have so much talent in our communities. I think of all the great businesses in Galway East that have massive energy costs but do not have the scale to purchase power at that level.”
“Essentially, what I am asking about is the cost of doing business. With rates, insurance, electricity and labour costs, the costs of doing business over the past few years have soared and while the Government has, at times, tried to intervene and support people, I want to know what plans the Minister has to further support businesses?”
“Ultimately, this legislation is about standing up for international law, supporting the prospect of a genuine two-state solution and ensuring that Ireland remains consistent in its commitment to justice, human rights and peace. I welcome the introduction of the Bill and look forward to its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas.”
“I also welcome our Government’s effort to continue pursuing broader action at European level. I believe we must use our EU Presidency to do so. While Ireland has taken a national step today, lasting impact will come through collective, international action and renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable peace settlement. Ireland has a proud history of supporting the Palestinian people and advocating for their right to self-determination. Last year, Ireland formally recognised the State of Palestine, reaffirming our belief that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace, security, dignity and freedom.”
“Families have been displaced, communities devastated and countless lives lost. It is right that Ireland continues to speak clearly and consistently against actions that undermine peace and deepen human suffering. This legislation is an absolutely critical step. The position of Ireland is clear and the European Union's position needs to be clearer. Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law and undermine the prospects of a viable two-state solution. The Bill sends a clear message that Ireland will not facilitate trade in goods originating from settlements considered illegal under international law. I welcome that. It demonstrates that our commitment to international law is not merely rhetorical but can be reflected in practical action.”
“I welcome the progression of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. I am pleased the Government is now bringing forward legislation that reflects Ireland's long-held position on this issue. Ireland has consistently stood on the side of international law, human rights and the pursuit of peace. We have been among the strongest voices internationally in condemning the horrific loss of civilian life on Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, demanding the release of hostages, supporting humanitarian access and advocating for a lasting solution. The scenes we have witnessed over the past number of years, particularly in recent months, have shocked people across Ireland and the globe. Thousands of innocent civilians have suffered enormously.”
“Galway County Council should take it over and should operate it. I know we have met with the Minister on this, that he has it as a consideration and that he needs other Departments to row in with him to make this a reality. Months have passed now and Galway County Council has not taken it into ownership. If Galway County Council took it into ownership, there is nothing stopping it from opening over the summer on a minimum viable product basis. That essentially means it does not have to be perfect for us to open it. Right now, the longer it is left sitting it is rotting and it is decaying and we will never be able to replace it. We are going to look back at history and say we did a great job with the Wild Atlantic Way but the best castle on the route was closed.”
“It would also add to the local authority's workload in their planning departments so that is also an important consideration. Over the past decade, Fáilte Ireland did an incredible job, along with the local authorities, of implementing, designing and driving the Wild Atlantic Way. In 2024, there was a ten-year report on the Wild Atlantic Way and it showed it drives an extra €3 billion in revenue per year and has added an additional 35,000 jobs to the tourism sector. That is an incredible story. When the Wild Atlantic Way is so successful and has so much to offer, why are we allowing the best, most photographed castle in the west of Ireland and one of the most photographed castles in Ireland be left vacant and closed? It is currently owned by the Shannon Group, which is looking to divest.”
“I can understand the power the Bill can have on big cities in terms of bringing townhouses and apartments back in as long-term rental accommodation use, which they were originally built for and which they were originally given planning permission for. However, there are a lot of units, dwellings, granny flats and really creative ideas like tepee huts and log cabins. A lot of these have been there for many years providing a unique form of accommodation and providing a unique experience. Whatever about the register, there needs to be serious consideration when it comes to the planning side of it because the obligation it would put on these operators would be seriously onerous and, from all the dealings I have seen from local authorities, is that it would amount to a significant cost on them as well.”
“I am going to start off addressing the short-term lets. As the Minister knows, I am a member of the enterprise committee where we have been considering the legislation and considering the conversations around it. One of the main things that consistently comes across from people in the industry is that they are not really concerned with the register as such. However, they are very concerned with the implications that could follow on from the register if there is a planning obligation forced on so many of these rural lets. I represent Galway East where we have a significant number of fantastic short-term let options that provide accommodation that, to be honest, would not be there only for tourism. That accommodation is the type of accommodation that this Bill really is not going to bring back into long-term letting.”
“An adult travelling daily from Athenry to Galway city currently pays approximately €5.10 each way by rail, despite the journey taking only around 20 minutes and the route increasingly functioning as a major commuter corridor for workers and students travelling into Galway. Meanwhile, a commuter travelling from Clonsilla to Connolly Station in Dublin, a journey of approximately 28 minutes, can travel for roughly €2.60 each way under the Dublin commuter fare structure and the Leap card system. This is wholly inequitable. It is not fair on the people of Galway and it is not fair that somebody commuting in from Athenry has to pay almost double the price just to access public transport. Is there any consideration that the Government can give to allowing people in Galway to use the Leap card structure and avail of lower fares?”
“I greatly appreciate anything the Minister can do in this regard. This is an opportunity to provide a greater level of transparency and I know the Minister is committed to that as well.”
“The Office of Government Procurement stopped centrally collecting procurement spend data in 2019 citing general data protection regulation, GDPR, concerns and six years later, nothing has replaced it. The Department is estimating its procurement spend using estimated tender values on eTenders, not actual expenditure data. I believe this is a structural governance problem and a very practical step is adding one additional column to published purchase order reports identifying the relevant contract reference or contract award notice. It sounds small but it would be transformative. It would begin creating that golden thread from tender to contract award to payment because public money should be traceable from beginning to end. I will say this plainly: we cannot govern a system that we cannot see.”
“Some entities and some suppliers have multiple contracts with multiple State entities and it is actually really difficult to see exactly what they were doing or what they provided. For Ministers and for everyone to be able to assess what value was actually provided, we need to know which contract underpinned that spend. That is where I am going with this and that is where that additional column needs to come in.”
“I thank the Minister for his work in writing to all the State bodies to remind them of their obligation under the EU open data directive that they have to publish their purchase orders in machine-readable format. To give the Minister an example, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, the children's hospital and the Arts Council were not publishing but once he wrote to them, this ensured that they did start publishing. We had written to them as well. The Minister will be aware of my work with my team in collating all the information to get over €100 billion in procurement spend tracked over the past decade. It goes back to the fundamental point that the State can tell us that a payment was made but it is not easy to see which contract authorised it.”
“Will the Minister consider instructing Departments and bodies under his remit to include an additional column in their published purchase order reports to indicate the specific contract under which each payment is made? From a purchase order report, I can see who was paid, how much they were paid and when they were paid but I cannot see what they were paid for. The only way we can do that is by linking it back to the original contract.”
“The other point I want to make is around innovation and people taking a chance on themselves in the context of starting their own companies. It is so important that we continue to invest in innovation and in people who want to see something that is a game-changer take place in our country. Companies and individuals struggle to scale across Europe and do not make it big. That comes down to capital access as well. However, we have an opportunity to invest in innovation over the coming years and to see to it that there are huge success stories which generate massive employment and excitement across the country.”
“People will constantly have to re-educate, reskill and better equip themselves for the opportunities that are going to come their way. On the advance of AI and the opportunities and threats that come with it, what I want to say is that there could be massive economic benefits to Ireland from AI. What will it all be for, however, if the benefit is not felt by everyone? The key lies in ensuring that our workforce is skilled and educated and moves with AI and that we leverage our country as being one of the best countries in the world in which to do business through AI. We must also facilitate it and see that Ireland garners disproportionate benefits over other countries in terms of our speed of implementation. That is where the biggest wins will be achieved.”
“Something that we have to be cognisant of is that over the past few years many people have said that it is our corporate tax rate that has attracted so much investment. That is not the case any more. It is our people who are driving that investment. It is also down to our knowledge base, our skills base, our highly-educated workforce, our work ethic and, I guess, to a desire for better and to do more. That does not just happen, however. That will only happen with continuous investment, continuous learning, continuous education and a continuous drive to see people upskill and be better prepared to take on the challenges that are coming at us. It also is a reflection of the fact that nobody will do one job for 30 or 40 years any more. Such jobs will be highly unlikely.”
“I welcome the work that is going on with the Critical Infrastructure Bill but we have to be able to show tangible results. For me, priorities would be to see the double-tracking of the line from Athenry to Galway, and to see the 300-bed block get through the critical infrastructure pathway and be built.”
“As a Government, we have to ensure we have the financial power to be able to deliver serious public services. A lot of the work I have been doing on public spending and the management of that is so there is transparency for the public on how government is spending and how contract management is working. It is only when you get that transparency you can track what is happening and make a decision on how we could be more efficient, which is a problem the Government has at the moment. So much money has come in and one of the biggest frustrations I hear out there day in, day out is that the Government has all this money yet we are not seeing the boots on the ground and the projects being built, including large-scale infrastructure. That is where we need to see that acceleration.”
“They must be able to see that in their pockets as well. It is also important to recognise the ground is shifting. What used to be a career for life is no longer the same today and the jobs market is shifting rapidly and changing. It therefore becomes even more important the Government is prudent in how it manages its finances so we can help transition in the coming years to the newer economy we are going to experience. With that, we cannot leave people behind. We have to ensure people are upskilled, educated and given every opportunity to succeed, going forward. I firmly believe Ireland is best positioned in the European Union to be one of the most successful countries over the next five or ten years. However, if we do not bring people with us and if everyone does not feel that success then what was it all for?”
“It is really important to say that at any time a government needs to be both ready and able to respond to crises if and when they arise. We saw recently that when the Government was in a position where it could respond. It had the capital to deploy to help support people through the oil shock we are experiencing due to what is going on in the Middle East, and to the tune of €750 million. It is prudent financial management over the past few years that has got us into a position where we are able to respond should crisis arise. However, there are people out there right now who are struggling. They are struggling to pay bills and to afford the cost of living in this country and they need to be supported in the upcoming budget. They need to be supported to see that hard work pays and that the work they are doing is valued both by society.”
“I speak regularly to sole traders, farmers, tradespeople and small business owners who are under immense pressure from rising costs, irregular income patterns and administrative burden. Many also remain concerned about the level of protection available to them if illness strikes or if business slows. Will the Taoiseach look seriously at strengthening supports for the self-employed, including areas such as simplified tax compliance, improved income protections and measures that recognise the reality of the risks they are taking to provide employment across the country?”
“I am conscious that the Taoiseach does not want to start producing lists of projects that are critical infrastructure but for our hospitals, for these beds and for the people of Galway, I ask that this get priority.”
“In the past two weeks, we had some fantastic news for Galway. In our only model 4 hospital, the design team was appointed for a 300-bed block at University Hospital Galway. This is really welcome. However, as the Taoiseach knows, design teams get appointed, we go through the planning process and it can take an incredibly long time before we see a shovel in the ground. Would it be possible for the only model 4 hospital in the west to have the 300-bed block that it is seeking designated as a critical infrastructure project, cutting through the red tape and getting the project moving? This is part of a larger phased development that will transform the model 4 hospital in the west.”
“The train is the only piece of public transport that we have, so let us enhance and make the most of it. In the time to come, I hope that Ceannt Station and the passing loop at Oranmore will see an enhanced frequency of service but, right now, we have this stumbling block to overcome. We need to keep the service after July 2026.”
“The NTA must show ambition and provide a dedicated, reliable commuter service that is stabled in Athenry and available for people when they want to use it in the morning. I understand the service was funded through capital funding for the project in Ceannt Station, but the same point remains. These carriages are like gold dust. They are hard to come by and I do not know where they are going to be moved to or whether another service will be changed. They are in Athenry, where they are serving a lot of people and working really well. I cannot see why the NTA should not fund this. Let us call a spade a spade. In the past 18 months, the NTA has not delivered a bus service for Athenry. Athenry, a town with over 5,000 people, has no bus service to Galway city.”
“I appreciate the Minister of State’s comments and sentiment. This new service was welcomed when it started last October. The critical piece of the Minister of State’s reply is that these carriages were stabled at Athenry, which allowed for the early commuter service. I completely welcome the works and the incredible transformation and investment that have taken place at Ceannt Station. Regardless of what is happening in the city at Ceannt Station, however, there is nothing stopping those carriages being stabled in Athenry and used to operate that commuter service. When the new carriages come, we can enhance and further expand the service. We must show people that we are ambitious, and that is what I want to see from the NTA.”
“People need and depend on this service. They need to trust that we, as a Government, will continue to support people who wish to commute to work via public transport. I understand it is a decision for the NTA, but the NTA needs to look at this. Where else is it going to send the stock? Why would it reduce commuter services in Athenry given it has been such a success?”
“I ask the Minister of State to communicate with the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, to ensure there is no loss of service in Athenry and that people who wish to avail of public transport can do so. Given the cost increases for commuting over the past few years, many people are choosing to use the train as a more economical option. It makes perfect sense and it gives them back some quality of life. A consultation was carried out in the past 18 months on what people wanted to see in Athenry for the commuter service. The consistent message was that people wanted to see more early morning services, and this was part of the response to that. This new service at 6.50 a.m. was brought in and it allowed people to be in early. There is now a fear out there that the service will be lost because it is not funded any further than July 2026.”