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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“Second, we have to implement and prioritise the buses through BusConnects because if you have a strong and solid bus service, people can rely on that, use it and it will be a cost saver for them. It will also aid the further reduction of traffic in Galway city. Third, we have to double-track the line from Galway city to Athenry and build the western rail corridor. The carriages that are on order also have to be delivered and we, as a Government, have to show leadership on that in getting them as soon as possible. This is a three-pronged approach through road infrastructure, bus services and rail. If those three things were delivered over the next five years, that would transform the quality of the lives of people living in Galway East right now.”
“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 road. That has to happen in the lifetime of this Government. It has to get approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála and it has to drive on. Let it not get stopped and leave people in their cars for years.”
“There are national clinical programmes in all 26 emergency departments now. There are proper assessments, safety plans and follow-up care. I will finish with one last point. Everybody here can agree that when somebody is in a crisis or somebody has an emergency, the State needs to be there to meet them.”
“That was really welcome. I know there are new, specialist crisis nursing teams that are working out of hours in major hospitals. These are all things to show the Government is taking this seriously and we want to see serious improvements in this. It is also a reflection that more has to be done because we all know the cases. We all know families who feel that their person who ultimately took their own life was let down by the State or services and it is really important that we minimise those encounters and situations. They cannot be allowed to happen. We have to be there to support people. The system has to be there to support people. We also have to be really solution-oriented here. All of those investments I spoke about there is the direction of travel. It is important to discuss how hospitals respond as well.”
“Oftentimes, emergency departments are not the best setting for a person to present in a mental health crisis. It is already a chaotic environment and there is no doubt that can contribute greatly to how somebody would be feeling at that time at a point of despair. It is really important that we look at that, acknowledge the merits of this motion and move forward collectively, all seeking the best outcomes for anybody who ends up in a position where they have built the courage to present. They need to know the State is right there beside them. It is important to look at what happened in the budget. It was a major step forward. It included 300 additional mental health staff and more than €15 million ring-fenced for crisis supports and suicide prevention. Speaking as a man, there were 15,000 hours allocated for men's counselling last year.”
“From nurses to clinicians, gardaí and volunteers, oftentimes the people on the front line go above and beyond. They do everything they can to help. They sit with people through their darkest hours. They deserve credit for that but they also need a system that will enable them, support them properly and ensure that when they are trying to support people, they have the support in place to do that effectively. That is a really important point. We need a system that supports our front-line workers. I welcome the debate primarily because it is a chance for us to have an honest conversation about the gaps that exist while still acknowledging progress. The Government has a clear policy here about the need for the right care in the right place at the right time.”
“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 at that point 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 just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The impact that can have on a family, friends and entire communities cannot be underestimated. It is also important to acknowledge the front-line professionals.”
“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 young Irish people here so that they can serve rural communities like Galway east and ensure that we have GP capacity when we need it?”
“Until that sewerage network is upgraded, we will not see any improvement for villages like Eyrecourt. Will the Minister of State's office undertake to follow that up?”
“We have 300 homes being built right now, which is really exciting for a town that has so much going for it. I have also seen the worst of Uisce Éireann. When I send a representation, I get a reference number and that is where the representation dies. Nothing comes back to me. It is absolutely vital that if we as public representatives have a query, we can get back to people so they can trust in Uisce Éireann and we can hold it to account. On that, will the Minister of State follow up on the Eyrecourt sewerage network upgrade that is required? Eyrecourt is a beautiful village in east Galway. It has a fine community hall, which it has invested in over the past two years. It has a shop, pub, primary school and library. It has so much going for it and such wide beautiful streets, but the reality is that it has a population crisis.”
“They cannot be taken in charge by the local authority and, simultaneously, they do not have the funds to upgrade infrastructure. What needs to happen first and foremost is that the Department needs to allow local authorities draw down funding whereby footpaths, lights and green areas in unserviced estates within villages can be taken in charge. This would lower the cost burden on homes currently servicing the wastewater and would allow us to plan for the future. Focusing on Uisce Éireann, I will make a critical point. I have seen the best of Uisce Éireann. I have seen it at Athenry, where €13 million was spent delivering a fantastic upgrade to our sewerage network that will allow us to go from a 5,000-person town to a 9,000-person town. I am glad to report that before Christmas over 180 homes commenced in Athenry.”
“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 undertake to follow up on that? A pumping station should not be something that takes many years. It should be rapid infrastructure that gets delivered to the people who need it because they have to live their lives without that water pressure. Many estates in east Galway are left in limbo, as they are right across the country.”
“They are looking for people who are able to contribute in a digital world that is accelerating at an ever greater rate. It is vital to ensure our workforce is educated, equipped and ready to contribute as best as possible.”
“When we reflect on life in Ireland in the past few years, it is very clear that one of the single biggest improvements to quality of life has been remote working and how our mindset around work has changed as well. I will support the Government amendment to the motion and I am really excited to see what its proposals will mean for the future of remote working. The Government has done a significant amount in terms of investment and introducing tax allowances to enable people to claim expenses that may arise from working from home. It is really important to acknowledge the work that has been done and to work with the bodies that want to see improvements in remote working. Across Europe right now, companies are looking for remote workers.”
“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 short commute. They can manage the longer commute much better for the two or three days they go into the office and can be more effective with their time.”
“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. We have a town that is growing at a rapid rate and the commuter service and the access to the city before 9 a.m. are vital. I appreciate the work that is being done but I would definitely invite the Minister of State to look back through my social media and I think he might be pleasantly surprised.”
“The passing loop at Woodlawn as per the sectoral plan is vital as well because that would drastically reduce intercity times. All of this is progress but the Minister of State has to understand how serious it is right now in Athenry. There has been no bus service for over a year and trains are completely wedged.”
“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 trains and carriages are on their way but they cannot come quickly enough. The people are crying out for them and they want to see this happen. The double tracking is critical because that would enable a direct commuter link from Athenry to Galway city.”
“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.”
“An issue that has come across my desk a few times in the past year concerns young couples or individuals being refused planning permission along national roads and having it objected to by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. I understand TII objecting in the case of national roads. The problem is that these people are already living at home with their parents. They are proposing to build beside their parents and come out the same entrance that they are already using, so the justification for objecting or not allowing them to build a home beside their parents is lunacy. Does the Government have plans to look at the issue of planning permission on national routes? I know it forms part of the programme for Government.”
“The increase in capital funding for school building projects is absolutely vital and is reflected in the NDP. In Galway East and across the country it is also vital that we remember smaller secondary schools that play a crucial role in rural areas. I talk specifically about Coláiste an Chreagáin in Mountbellew. It has over 120 pupils and operates out of a historic structure. It is truly a fantastic place, and I will be visiting it this week. It has an application at the moment for an extension for two extra classrooms. I met with the GRETB, and this is a project it is keen to see progress. I ask that this Government will continue to support smaller secondary schools in rural locations that play a huge role for those hinterlands.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the update on those schools. For the people of Galway East, these projects are absolutely vital but I will focus on Carrabane National School. I know this has been raised with the Minister of State multiple times and that progress is taking place but the school is in an absolutely dire state at the moment. It needs that large-scale investment to build a brand-new school to bring it into the 21st century and ensure the children in that area are not left behind but receive the standard of education that is required in what is ultimately a safe and healthy environment. That is what is really important.”
“I submitted a question seeking an update on many building projects in Galway East such as Coláiste an Eachréidh, which is a fantastic Gael campus project; Kilcoona National School; St. Brigid's in Loughrea; Carrabane National School; Gort National School; and Gort Community School. If the Minister of State could provide me with an update on any of these projects, I would be grateful.”
“It only shows them information that will benefit them. However, we only see information that is distracting, pulls us away from our goals and distracts us with the lives of others. The Government needs to make a very clear decision about which way we will go here. First and foremost, we have to protect people. We have to ensure we leave no child behind and go back to our community roots. We do that by enforcing rules on these companies which seek nothing more than profit.”
“No doubt, technology has provided a huge amount of information, access and ability for people but, to be honest, all I see at the moment is distraction. Recently, I attended an event in Labane in County Galway that was run by a lady called Aoife Noone. She runs Think Smart Cyber and is travelling around County Galway holding events for parents. Recently, in Loughrea, there was a packed room at her event and there were packed rooms in Labane and Dunmore. She is selling out rooms to parents because they simply do not know what the answer is or how to get their children away from the phones. What do most parents want? First and foremost, they want their children to be safe. They then want their children to achieve the very best of their potential. Look at the way China rolls out TikTok to its young people.”
“It would be remiss of me not to tell the Minister of State the story of my generation. When we started in secondary school in 2011, all of our phones were still call and text phones. By the time we reached the junior certificate year, every single person had a smartphone, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. The entire landscape of being a teenager in Ireland had completely changed by 2013. Since then, what we have seen has been an escalation and elevation of the speed at which mobile phones and the applications therein seek to take our attention and time and, ultimately, rob us of the ability to form real life connections with people in school, on the pitch, going out and living life as a normal teenager would have done for many years.”
“We need to double-track the rail line from Galway city to Athenry. The passing loop at Oranmore is under construction now. Ceannt Station is moving to be a station with five platforms. Huge investment has gone in but we must continue it because we are going to wait years for the Galway city outer bypass and the reality is that rail is the lever we can pull. We can build a double track from Athenry to Galway city which would greatly improve the quality of life for all commuters in east Galway.”
“Our gardaí on the ground right now are working really hard but they need to be supported to handle the large caseloads right across the country but particularly in Galway East, we need additional gardaí.”
“When we are talking about national security, it is vital we also give people confidence at a local level in our local security, particularly with regard to An Garda Síochána. In Galway East we have towns that are booming, thriving and growing such as Gort, Loughrea, Tuam and Athenry. Those towns are all feeding into Galway city. They have seen massive population increases and for those people to feel secure in those towns, we need an increase in our gardaí allocation and our gardaí numbers. More importantly, as the populations continue to grow in these towns, we need gardaí that become community gardaí, that the people know and connect with and can build relationships with into the future. These gardaí will serve the area.”
“There is a huge opportunity there to provide units that could benefit communities and families and would act as a support to people as well.”
“They are the people who end up contributing to those areas, whose populations have declined in the last 15 years. It is vital that the spec on those shared wastewater treatment systems not be overkill and that when Uisce Éireann works with the developer, it can take them over swiftly and efficiently so that developers are not waiting for the ESB or Uisce Éireann but have collaborative partners that want to see them get the job done and get these houses built. The last point I will make is around the backyard modular units. I have a fear that whenever the guidelines come out for the updated exempted development guidelines, they will be over-specced and overkill, and people will not have that flexibility to do what they need in their own back garden space.”
“In my own town of Athenry, in 2023, over 200 homes were refused in the space of two months. We have 1,000 jobs on the way to the town now and housing is going to be a huge issue. We need our planning departments acting decisively to make sure that homes are being granted on these sites and that they are working in conjunction with developers and councillors to see homes delivered. The wastewater shared treatment systems in rural villages are really welcome. Countless villages in County Galway have not seen homes built for 15 years because they would have been refused planning if anyone went for a small scheme of ten or 15 homes. Those small schemes provide people for those villages, for the GAA clubs, the local schools and the local community.”
“I welcome the updated housing plan. The plan is only as good as the money that goes into it and ultimately this is the largest investment that has ever been made into housing. The launch of the infrastructure plan this morning will give the plan the credence it needs to go forward and actually deliver the homes. They have to be underpinned by the necessary infrastructure. Once we have the infrastructure and the funding, really there is no excuse but we do have a problem with red tape, bureaucracy and local authorities. If we want the housing crisis to be resolved or improved, we need our planning departments to look at every zoned site in towns and villages right across the country and ask how we can get homes built there, not how we can stop them or why we should stop them.”
“We need more flexible criteria that reflect the real cost of living and not rigid income cut-offs that ignore mortgages, childcare and disability-related costs. The new national energy affordability task force is an opportunity but only if we use it ambitiously. It must not be another report that sits on a shelf. The task force should deliver a clear actionable plan in 2026 to structurally lower energy prices, speed up renewable integration, reduce dependence on gas and ensure fairness for every household and business. Affordability must be the test of our energy policy; not headlines or targets but the ability of a family to heat their home without fear of the next bill. We have acted strongly during the crisis and now we must act strategically for the next decade. This is what the public expects and what we must deliver.”
“The speed at which the SEAI is reviewing people's homes and then ultimately giving them grants is far too slow. I have many constituents in Galway East who are trying to retrofit their homes because it is the most effective way to reduce energy costs for their homes but they are being left on the long finger with the SEAI and they are not seeing any progress in their applications. Even getting a BER review takes months. This is something we should allow constituents to do themselves and we would fund it on approval. We need to strengthen protections for vulnerable customers. The increased fuel allowance, expanded eligibility and a moratorium for vulnerable customers are positive steps but too many families just above the thresholds continue to struggle.”
“Price decisions may technically be commercial matters but when households continue to feel squeezed while wholesale prices fall, we need quicker and more honest path through. The programme for Government commits to an independent review of this and this review not only must happen but also has to be acted on. Consumers deserve clarity and not lag times, leaving them paying more than they should. We must push forward aggressively on grid investment. The €3.5 billion earmarked for 2026 to 2030 is welcome but grid delays are driving up costs, slowing renewable projects and undermining energy security. This investment should be front-loaded where possible because every year of delay keeps Ireland dependent on volatile global energy markets. We need to accelerate retrofitting at scale. I raised this with the Taoiseach earlier.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the cost of energy, an issue that continues to weigh heavily on households and businesses throughout the country. While the worst of the crisis has passed, the reality is that energy prices remain stubbornly above pre-pandemic levels. I firmly believe responsibility now falls on us to take the next steps not only to protect people this winter but to reshape the system so energy in Ireland becomes predictably affordable for the long term. Yes, the Government acted decisively during the crisis, with €3.3 billion in energy credits, the VAT cut to 9% and hardship supports that kept families afloat but if we are serious about long-term affordability, the response must shift from crisis management to structural reform. We must ensure general transparency in the price setting system.”
“For many constituents in my constituency, it is taking too long to get through the process of approval of the grant to construction.”
“It is vital that when we speak about regulatory reform, we talk about the administrative operations of existing systems in the function of the State. I will specifically reflect on the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and the roll-out of grants. We are about to have a debate in this Chamber on energy costs. One thing that is vital is that the best way the Government can help to reduce energy costs in homes is to retrofit them for the future so that they simply do not need as much energy. That is the number one way to reduce the cost and it facilitates homes to be more efficient and takes pressure off the grid. The Government needs to do something to accelerate the rate at which homes can be retrofitted by the SEAI.”
“The fear is that our landscapes will be unrecognisable because it is too late to react to the planning applications that are in today. We need to move at speed in dealing with the proliferation of energy projects in Galway East.”
“I appreciate that it will go to public consultation and guidelines will be forthcoming, but the fear for people at the moment is the speed at which we are moving to see this enacted. While we in the Dáil and Government Departments are dealing with this, there is a delay that is allowing for more of these applications to come forward. Five or six of them are live in Galway East right now for wind farms, and there are proposals coming forward for solar also. Consideration definitely needs to be given to the appropriateness of different sections of land for solar. We have multiple proposed developments at the moment. Solar was not really viable in this county and it is only become viable in the last two or three years because of the decrease in the price of panels. Solar is going to play a bigger role.”
“I am talking about reassuring communities that wind energy can be done in a responsible and plan-led way. Does the Government plan to introduce robust solar energy guidelines to stop what is currently haphazard sprawl? We want to do our bit, but we in Galway East cannot be sacrificed for the betterment of the national grid.”
“If all these projects get the green light, our county will be unrecognisable. We will no longer be a place of villages, farms and families; we will be an industrial energy park for the national grid. We are still judging wind farm applications based on guidelines from 2006, which were written when the turbines were half the height they are today. That is an abject failure of policy. Furthermore, we have no specific planning guidelines for solar farms. This is coming across to the public as if it is a free-for-all. My questions are simple and I need the best answers possible. I need to know when my constituents can expect the wind energy guidelines to be finally updated to reflect the modern reality. I am talking about setback distances. I am talking about noise management.”
“I stand here today to defend the landscape and future of Galway East. We all understand the necessity of the energy transition and we know we must move forward with renewables but what is happening in my constituency right now is not a transition but an invasion. It is an unregulated chaotic industrialisation of the Irish countryside on a scale that is terrifying. A perfect storm of development is gathering over our communities. We are facing proposals for 27 separate wind farms in north Galway. We are looking at a solar farm spanning almost 1,000 acres on fine arable land. In Athenry, we have a proposal for the Cashla peaker plant. In Portumna, we are staring down the barrel of a gas plant with a stack height the size of Croke Park, a fossil fuel giant dropped into the heart of a rural community.”
“That is the potential output of the turbines. As a result, those planning applications can go through directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála. The reality for a lot of these farms that are proposed is that their output will be a lot less than 50 MW and they should be going to the council first based on output, not based on potential capacity. That is something that needs to be hammered quickly because they are acting as if they are going to put out 50 MW when the reality is it will be a lot less.”
“Recently I had the privilege of walking one of the proposed sites in Shancloon near Caherlistrane in County Galway, where what was before me was beautiful open landscape. What amazed me was that this windfarm was proposed to be built on a bog. In order to build a turbine on a bog, a significant amount of peat has to be excavated in order to put in the concrete base to allow for the turbine to go up. The problem here is that this goes against everything we are working for environmentally; digging up bogs to put in wind turbines that ultimately have a useful life of maybe 30 to 40 years before they have to be considered to be taken down at that point. I also highlight that the engagement that happens in advance of these developments going to a planning process where a turbine farm is being proposed at 50 MW.”
“I appreciate the update and that the Department of energy and climate is working on the noise aspect. The speed at which this is dealt with is vital. Right now, there is a gold rush and a race to get planning applications through for these wind farms. I am speaking on behalf of the people of east Galway in Killimordaly, Barnaderg, Shancloon, Laurclavagh and Clonbern. There are 27 proposed wind farms in north Galway alone, with up to 150 turbines. The entire character of north Galway would be transformed if these were permitted. Beyond the social impact, I need to raise the hard economic fact about the viability of these projects. EnergyCloud was before the committee last week. A total of €2 billion worth of electricity is being curtailed. This cannot be allowed to go on. It is not a sustainable model the way we are operating.”
“The current wind energy guidelines date back to 2006. In 2006, turbines were 80 m high. Today in east Galway, communities are fighting applications against 180 m industrial structures using rules from two decades ago. It is regulatory negligence to apply 2006 rules to 2025 technology. My argument is simple. The guidelines must protect people first, through strictly increased setback distances and noise regulation. Only then can we provide the renewables. We cannot continue to regulate modern monsters with obsolete laws. We need the update and we need it now. When can we anticipate the new energy guidelines?”
“Is the Department of climate working with the Department of housing on the delivery of updated wind energy guidelines? I would be grateful for an update on same. Is there any anticipated timeline for when we can expected updated wind energy guidelines? It is of huge concern to the people of Galway East. I appreciate any response.”
“When will approvals be given so we can see projects get shovels in the ground and see children experiencing a higher level of education in this country?”