Alison Comyn
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I know we are on the cusp of the summer recess but I want to talk about school for a moment. I raise a matter for a future debate or possible Commencement matter with the Minister for education about the inclusion of philosophy as a leaving certificate subject.”
“I believe this proposal sits naturally within the broader reform of the leaving certificate currently being championed by my colleague Senator Shane Curley. As we reimagine and modernise senior cycle education, we should not only be asking what students need to know, but how they should learn to think for themselves.”
“I especially compliment the staff who work in the background for me, including my assistant, Anna Brennan, who I have many times introduced as my right-hand woman. I would not be able to manage without her. I hope she has a very restful week. The work will go on here.”
“Despite all the technological change, people still value the reassurance, convenience and trust that comes with the local post office. That is why this investment is so important.”
“For those people, the post office is not just a convenience; it is an essential service. As a spokesperson for communications, I believe this debate should be about the future, rather than simply preserving the past or what we have at the moment.”
“Croke Park was a sea of red on the day. Many of us wanted to take public transport and it was under immense pressure. However, that was not just because of the semi-final. Dundalk and Drogheda railway stations are under serious pressure every day. One of the main reasons is the lack of parking.”
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“In April this year, the Minister’s own reply stated that the project was at an advanced stage, at the tender stage, and would come in under Project Ireland 2040. Yet, nothing appears to have changed on the ground. Staff and parents are asking when construction will actually begin and when the children will actually move into a warm, safe, habitable and modern building. These conditions are unacceptable in 2025. I ask today for a clear and urgent update from the new Minister for education. I would like to know if the project has gone to tender and, if so, when the work will commence and what is the expected completion date. This has gone on for a long time. The community, the students and the staff, in particular, are suffering. They have waited long enough. They deserve certainty and definitely delivery as soon as possible.”
“I raise the urgent situation at Marymount National School in Drogheda in County Louth. It was built in 1969, more than half a century ago, and is now not fit for purpose. The building is in a really shocking state. A teacher sent me photographs yesterday. The classrooms are so cold and damp that condensation runs down the windows, gathering on sills and the floors. Children are actually getting wet at their desks and wearing coats indoors just to learn. The school is also terribly overcrowded. It has a higher incidence than usual of children with special needs. For years, the school has been promised a new building. In July 2022, the Department confirmed a project for 24 classrooms and ancillary accommodation. In October 2024, it was listed among active projects under the capital programme.”
“As these 16 days begin, we all have to match awareness with action to strengthen supports, fund front-line services and ensure that every person in Ireland can live free from fear, be it offline or online.”
“This year's UN theme, UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All, reminds us that abuse does not end at the doorstep. It follows victims into their digital lives. Online harassment, stalking and sexualised threats are a new form of control and must be treated as seriously as physical violence. Like many women in public life, I have experienced such threats myself, as has every other woman in this Chamber. They are not just words online, they are intended to silence and exclude women from public life. I am here to say we will not be silenced. Earlier today, I also hosted a presentation for Men's Aid here in Leinster House, because no violence is acceptable, whether against women or men.”
“Before I begin, I express my deepest sympathies to the families, friends and colleagues of the two men who lost their lives in yet another day of tragedy, this time on my local roads at Gormanston, County Meath. I am also thinking of the two women who were very seriously injured, both valued members of our local Indian community, and of the emergency services who responded. It is again a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life can be. As mentioned by many of my colleagues, today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This morning, I was honoured to attend the launch by Drogheda Soroptimists of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in Drogheda and to proudly wear orange for awareness.”
“It is not glamorous but it is vital. It ensures that our film industry is not restricted by outdated ceilings but empowered by forward-thinking and forward-looking legislation. It ensures that the next generation of Irish film makers, whoever and wherever they may be, can make their mark, tell their stories and represent Ireland on the world stage. For all those reasons, I strongly support the Bill and I commend its intent to sustain and grow a sector that enriches our culture, strengthens our economy and elevates Ireland’s voice right around the world.”
“Irish documentaries are thriving on international platforms as only we can tell our own unique stories. Our studios are expanding and Irish creative workers are in demand right around the world. This Bill ensures that momentum continues. Finally, we have to look towards the future. The global screen industry is undergoing rapid transformation. New technologies, new platforms, new audiences and, of course, artificial intelligence poses both opportunities and risks. Virtual production is reshaping how films are made and watched and the demand for diverse storytelling has never been greater. If Ireland is to remain at the forefront, we need to make sure our funding structures are flexible, modern and capable of supporting that innovation. This amendment gives Screen Ireland the ability to respond to that changing landscape.”
“Screen Ireland has earned that trust through its extensive track record. We should also recognise the broader impact of this sector. Film and television productions support thousands of skilled jobs, such as writers, directors, grips, carpenters, engineers, costume designers, editors and post-production specialists. This sector drives regional development. Not just Dublin, as was mentioned, and Wicklow but also Galway, my own county of Louth, Clare and Donegal have benefited from productions that bring employment, tourism and economic activity. The Minister of State mentioned animation. That is one of our great global successes. It continues to win awards right around the world and employs hundreds of highly skilled artists and technicians.”
“Without this Bill, Screen Ireland would be constrained at precisely the moment when demand for Irish stories is growing, when international studios want to work here and when Irish talent is flourishing. Raising the ceiling ensures continuity. It ensures that projects already in development can move forward, that emerging talent is not lost, that inward investment continues at pace, and that Ireland remains competitive in a global industry where investment is mobile and opportunities can far too easily slip away. It places a huge responsibility on us. With increased capacity, must come increased oversight. We have to ensure that Screen Ireland continues to invest transparently, strategically and in line with its mission to support cultural expression and creative excellence. Public confidence and trust are essential.”
“These investments build an ecosystem that allows talent to develop, from short films right across to features, from local screens to international distribution, from early ambition to world-class audiences. This is why the Bill that is before us matters so much. Although technical in appearance, it is essential in practice. By raising the statutory ceiling on Screen Ireland's cumulative commitments, we are ensuring the agency can continue funding the projects, training, productions and innovations that underpin our entire screen sector. The previous limit has been reached, which is itself a sign of success. The Irish screen industry has expanded dramatically. With that expansion comes a need for a more modernised legislative framework.”
“Its triumph at the British Independent Film Awards marked yet another moment where Irish talent stood proud on a global platform and said, "We are here. We are relevant. We are original." These achievements are not outliers, they are the results of decades of strategic investment by Screen Ireland and our policymakers in first-time film makers, regional production, animation, documentary, Irish language cinema and diverse and emerging voices. Even in my own region, we have the Boyne Valley International Film Festival every year - a vibrant festival. They are throughout the country. This extra funding will help to bring a little of injection and life to those. Of course, I agree that we need to have that regional uplift as well to spread the love across the country.”
“"The Quiet Girl" is an example of one of those most extraordinary cultural achievements of modern Ireland - a modest and deeply human Irish language story that travelled the world, moved audiences everywhere and made history as the first Irish language film ever nominated for an Academy Award. That kind of breakthrough changes global perceptions about us, not just of our film industry but of our language, culture and capacity to create work of profound emotional power. Then came "Kneecap", which exploded onto the global stage; a film that electrified audiences and critics alike to say the least. Supported in development by Screen Ireland, it brought a new unapologetically modern Irish voice to international cinema.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome the Bill and appreciate the opportunity to speak in my role as Seanad spokesperson for arts, culture and media. I begin by reflecting on what this Bill represents because too often technical amendments are treated as dry procedural matters, but this one carries significant weight. It speaks to the kind of country that we want to be, the value we place on our creative industries and our belief in the power of Irish storytelling. In the past few years, we have seen a renaissance in Irish film that has caught the world's attention.”
“Of course, I want to acknowledge as well the first responders and the emergency services at the scene and the doctors and the nurses in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda who did everything humanly possible in the most traumatic of circumstances. Their care, compassion and professionalism deserve all our gratitude. I also want to mention the chaplains who stood beside families and emergency workers offering comfort in moments when words simply could not be enough. This tragedy must also prompt action. I am calling for a debate in this House on strengthening road safety, particularly on our B roads and our minor rural roads which so many young people travel and rely on every day. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.”
“I want to honour their memory by reading their names into the record: Chloe McGee, aged 23, from Carrickmacross; Alan McCluskey, also 23, from Drumconrath; Dylan Commins, aged 23, from Ardee; Shay Duffy, just 21, from Carrickmacross; and Chloe Hipson, also 21, from Lanarkshire in Scotland. To their parents, families, friends and, of course, the wider communities, I am so deeply, deeply sorry. Their grief is unimaginable. I hope they can feel the love, the support and, of course, the solidarity of people right across Louth, Meath and Monaghan and the world who are holding them in their hearts.”
“I echo the words of many of my colleagues here today because the tragic news from my home town and home county, County Louth, and the neighbouring counties over the weekend has shaken us all to the core - five young people, with their whole lives ahead of them, gone in the blink of an eye. They were the same age as my own children and my heart breaks for the parents of those beautiful young adults who had so much to look forward to. I agree with my colleague who said your heart is in your mouth every time your children leave the house. Unfortunately, for these families, the unspeakable happened.”
“A postmaster told me earlier that An Post must step up in respect of its constitutional and corporate responsibility to provide postmasters with a secure future and to make sure they receive investment in order that they can move forward.”
“Everything else, including the cost of living and staff pay, has increased. If we want to protect what we have, we have to be able to look after our postmasters and nurture it as a viable career going forward. There may be two post offices in an area and one may be forced to close because it may only be used by certain number of people. That seems very unfair. We need to encourage the use of these services. I agree that it is very useful for people to be able to pay their TV licence or get their pension paid online, but that is simply not for everybody. Credit unions are amalgamating and taking away vital services from communities. We need to nurture our post offices. It is probably incumbent on An Post to deal with this.”
“It may seem retrograde but we need to return to a scenario where people can attend and know they are carrying out their business in a safe and secure manner. As I said, the investment has been welcome. The Minister of State engaged with the postmasters prior to the budget, as did I. They are very grateful for the amount of investment that is happening. Having spoken to some independent postmasters in my area of south Louth and east Meath, I am aware that there is still concern that this will only plug a hole and will not be the long-term solution they feel is required. Many feel they have not received a pay increase. Their pay has been frozen since 2008. They have received no further payment for the likes of social security benefit payments since 2008, and that is not sustainable.”
“However, we are living in a bewildering world of artificial intelligence, AI, social media and everything going online. We have to look back to what happened during Covid when continuing to use services online was seen as a bonus. For instance, a great legacy of Covid was that we can now attend funerals online. With everything else that has happened - shopping, working and even dating online - what happens is that it isolates the rest of the community. We have a vulnerable and older community who still like to enter a post office to do their business. That is what we need to protect. Let us look at what is happening with social media and the dissemination, misinformation and disinformation. It is not a place to be safe at the moment.”
“As the Minister of State correctly noticed, I have a handwritten letter with a stamp on it in my hand. I get thousands of emails per month, like everyone else in the Chamber. It is quite special to still be able to get a handwritten letter in a handwritten envelope with a stamp on it. What we need to protect and preserve is the ability and choice for somebody who wants to do that because, as has been said time and again, our post offices are the beating heart of the community. While that may be a little bit of a cliché, to take away that centre and hub is to take away a huge amount from communities. There is an onus on us to protect post offices. I appreciate the Government support for infrastructure - it is in our programme for Government - and the investment provided in budget 2026. This is all very welcome.”
“I would also welcome a debate with the justice Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, on the future of IPAS centres because we need to look at what is happening within our communities and the safety and security of people who are in these centres. We need to make sure that they are safe, going forward.”
“These people came to Ireland for sanctuary and instead they found themselves possibly in more danger than the perilous situation they left in their home countries. This is not representative of Drogheda. The vast majority of people are absolutely appalled. I am not going to comment on that vile creature who carried out the action. It is the subject of a Garda investigation and I want to let that happen. Somebody knows who that is. We all saw the video. They know his demeanour and clothing and possibly his vile rhetoric. Please contact the local Garda. We need to get this person off our streets and out of our community. I agree also with my colleague, Senator Nelson Murray, about the role of social media in this respect. I would welcome such a debate.”
“I add my condolences on the passing of Sr. Stan. She was a remarkable woman and her legacy will live on for many years. I will also speak about what happened in my hometown of Drogheda with the arson attack at the IPAS centre. Like many right-thinking people, I am repulsed and very heartbroken at what happened on our doorsteps. My first thoughts are with the victims. One of the local councillors, Councillor Ejiro O'Hare Stratton, has visited the victims. They are doing well, thank goodness, but they are shocked. I also pay tribute to the emergency services who went into that building. They wanted to save the 28 people, who as far as they knew were in there. I also thank the many people who asked how they can help.”
“She also took time to be the secretary of the local tennis club, and also president of the ICA, so she really was part of the fabric of Collon and life in County Louth. I offer my deepest condolences to Ciaran, Orla, Aileen, Dara, Fergal, Oisín and Dónal. Maura and Kevin will both be greatly missed. I hope both their gentle souls rest in peace.”
“If you will indulge me, I will use my time to pay tribute to a member of the Fianna Fáil family in County Louth who we lost in recent weeks. It was only at the end of September that I paid tribute to the late Kevin Geraghty, a real stalwart of Fianna Fáil in Collon in County Louth, and yet only two short weeks later, his family lost his beloved wife, Maura. They were a coalition for 62 years. She was in her 85th year. It is a great loss, unfortunately, to the Geraghty family. They had their own little cumann; they had seven children. Between the two of them, they raised some fine Fianna Fáil members. Maura was also a strong member of the local community. She did not only make the sandwiches. I am told that she could have been a TD if she had put her mind to it but she was busy with seven children, and now many grandchildren.”
“We need to look, as the Minister of State mentioned, at a wider discussion of how this will be looked at going forward. The current situation cannot stand, and I noticed in the programme for Government that we are keen to get local government back on our books and maybe look at a borough council, town council, town manager or city manager for Drogheda.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that response, even if it is not exactly the one I was looking for. At the same time this is a wider discussion that needs to be had. We know that it will take legislation and the Minister of State mentioned some of the precedents with Limerick City and County Council and Cork City Council, and Dublin County Council being divided into the three local authorities of Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. There are examples. We are not looking for a precedent to be set, but at the same time we have a huge and burgeoning demographic. We are looking at 7,500 new houses, which brings 25,000 in new population to this area, and we do not have our own local governance. We are being governed from north of the county and from Navan, which is far away from east Meath and south Louth.”
“This means fair funding, including access to urban regeneration funding for schemes like the West Gate vision we have coming down the road. It means a governance model that matches the scale of the population it serves. Therefore, I am proposing that the Government establish a Drogheda city status task force to produce a road map to full city status within 12 months. It must be cross-departmental, must engage with both local authorities and must be driven by facts, not political hesitation. It is time to give Ireland’s largest town the status, structure and support it needs. It is time to make Drogheda the country’s next city.”
“There is ambition and there is real momentum but we cannot deliver long-term progress while trapped in the wrong governance structure. If we are serious about balanced regional development, we must recognise that Drogheda’s role is the future of this country. We stand on the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor, which is the most strategically important growth axis on this island. If Ireland is to develop sustainably, it needs strong cities beyond Dublin and Drogheda is poised to be one of those. City status is not about prestige; it is about planning, proper investment and accountability. It needs a single authority with responsibility for housing, infrastructure, transport, education, planning and economic development.”
“GP practices are full, waiting lists are growing, and sports clubs and community groups are squeezed to breaking point because facilities have not kept pace with population growth. This is what happens when an area grows like a city but is governed like a small town. Despite this, Drogheda has not given up. In recent months, we have seen real progress. Millions of euro have been secured for town centre regeneration. The living city initiative has finally been extended to Drogheda to unlock the vital investment we need and to restore life into our heritage buildings, which I hope the Minister of State will see next month. The port access northern cross route is opening new potential for expansion and jobs on the north side. This is the vision in Drogheda.”
“It is entirely unsustainable. The consequences are felt every day by people living there, by businesses and by workers. Parents cannot find school places for their children, not only at secondary school level but also increasingly at primary level. The young couples who are buying the many houses that we are building in new estates expect basic public transport, but buses are overcrowded and the rail service is beyond capacity. A second railway station, on the north side of the town, is now imperative. Workers commuting from Drogheda face daily gridlock on local roads that were never designed for the scale of development that we are now seeing in our town, which is soon to be a city.”
“Drogheda is already larger than the city of Waterford and is close to overtaking Galway and Limerick within a decade based on current growth trends, yet it still does not have city status or a single local authority. In 2014, during the Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition, Drogheda lost its borough council and, with it, meaningful local decision-making. That was a turning point. From that moment on, Drogheda began to grow rapidly but its ability to plan and manage that growth was taken away. We now find ourselves governed by two local authorities, Louth County Council and Meath County Council, from two distant towns. That division is failing the people I represent where I live. We are falling between the two proverbial stools because we have two councils and two development plans, but one urban population with no unified strategy.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach agus an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for coming in to listen to this today. As someone born and raised in Drogheda, I speak not only as a Senator here today but as a proud daughter of a place that has outgrown the soubriquet of Ireland's largest town and now needs to be made Ireland's next city. For far too long Drogheda has been spoken about as though it were still a provincial town on the edge of Dublin. That really does not reflect reality. It has a population in excess of 50,000, but combined with its natural hinterland in east Meath we are talking about a population of about 80,000.”
“My first thoughts, of course, are with the staff, but second are to the customers and residents in the town centres. It is another conversation we need to have about protecting our town centres.”
“The store on West Street has been there since the 1960s and, as I said, its closure will decimate the main street. Another irony is that we have just received funding from the living city initiative in Drogheda and in Dundalk. This is designed to encourage the use of town centre stores, town centre locations, living over the shop and all those kinds of things that will breathe life into our town centres. I want to try to promote a wider discussion for the likes of retailers to please have a look and see what the removal of such a vital store will do to a town centre. There are stores on the outskirts, but not everybody has a car or other means of transport to and from those larger stores. We are trying to breathe life into our town centres, so for this to happen is devastating.”
“May I add my condolences to my colleague, Senator Teresa Costello, on the loss of her father. When I was driving up from Drogheda today I heard the really sad news that the Dunnes Stores premises on West Street, Drogheda's main street, is to close in a matter of weeks. I am not certain if there will be job losses or whether people will be redeployed, but it will be devastating for those workers and their families. Some of them have worked there for decades. It an important store because it is on the main street and is used by elderly people and vulnerable customers, so it will be a great loss to them. There are two others on the outskirts of the town. The irony is that Ben Dunne himself trained as a draper on West Street in Drogheda in the 1920s, where he first worked in Anderson's.”
“I would still like to see more of these beds being put into primary care centres, not just to allow a wheelchair to be tilted but also in order that people can be treated with dignity on a bed or in a hospital of their choosing. I thank the Minister of State for that.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her detailed response. It is good to see that it is being noted and looked at, and that there is provision. From my point of view, I hear from people who are suffering and have been for the past couple of years. What can happen in an implementation plan is different from what is on the ground. The idea of it being prevention focused - on the root cause, if the Minister of State will pardon the pun - is the ideal scenario. That is not what is happening at the moment, which is that people are not being treated quickly enough. There is a misnomer that many dental surgeries are wheelchair accessible, but that does not mean that somebody can go and get treated there. I welcome the fact that there will be more investment next year and the following year.”
“We all take for granted that we can pop to our dentist and have a check-up, but it is not that easy for people with mobility issues. Right now, their access to that care depends on luck, geography and the ability to fight their way through a system that, to be honest, was never designed for them in the first place. Two specialist beds for an entire country is not a health system. It is an oversight that I feel is bordering on neglect. I ask that this issue be treated as a matter of national priority. I ask the Minister of State to please bring forward a plan, one that ensures every person with a disability in every part of Ireland has access to the dental care they deserve, provided locally, safely and, of course, with the utmost dignity and respect.”
“I have a bit of a wish list here that may help. It asks for a national review of special care dentistry capacity, including access to theatres and anaesthetic support, immediate funding to expand dental surgery facilities beyond Dublin into every region and the installation of a specialised dental chair for routine and ongoing care in every primary care centre in the country so that people with disabilities can access preventative and restorative dental treatment locally without needing hospital referral. It also asks for a long-term workforce plan to train and recruit more clinicians in special dental care. This is not a matter of luxury. We are not talking about people getting cosmetic dentistry. It is one of dignity, equality and health. Oral health is integral to overall health.”
“Our dentists and nurses throughout Ireland are doing exceptional work under impossible constraints. The problem is capacity. Just to be a wheelchair-friendly surgery is not enough. We do not have the facilities, the specialist equipment or the trained staff to meet even the basic oral health needs of people who cannot physically access a standard dental chair. It is not acceptable that in 2025, in order to receive care under anaesthetic, a person with a disability must travel to Dublin and hope to get access to one of only two available dental beds. It is not acceptable that families are told again and again to keep waiting while their loved one lives on in pain. It is not acceptable that disability continues to mean de-prioritisation within our health system. I am hoping for some urgent action.”
“Right now, Ireland is reported to have only two specialist dental beds for public use that can allow dentists to carry out procedures on someone who cannot be treated in a standard dental chair. Two beds, and that is for the 20% of people living with some form disability. There are hundreds of people right across the country waiting for treatment for months or possibly years. Many are living on soft or pureed foods. Some are taking repeated courses of antibiotics or relying on daily painkillers just to function. We are not talking about cosmetic procedures here. They are urgent, medically necessary treatments for infection, decay and severe pain - the same conditions that, for the rest of us, will trigger emergency care. This is not due to a lack of dedication from our dental professionals.”
“I want to raise a matter of real concern which may never cross most people's radars: the serious lack of access to dental care and surgery for people with disabilities, wheelchair users and those with significant challenges. The issue is not theoretical. In recent weeks I spoke to a constituent of mine who uses a wheelchair and has been waiting over 18 months for essential dental surgery. That is 18 months of pain, infection and distress, and all because there is nowhere in her region equipped to safely treat her. She is not the exception; she is one of many. Much of the information I am sharing today comes directly from the Irish Wheelchair Association, which has always been clear and consistent in highlighting the barriers people with disabilities face in accessing even the most basic dental care.”
“We know the pressure that is on everybody trying to live in Dublin. I have done it for four years with my two children. It is an impossibility. They are being forced to sleep on couches or to drive, which again is an impossibility for most youngsters at the moment, because of the cost of the travel or the cost of insurance. We must look at improving bus services, in particular for large commuter towns. We are talking about the largest university and the largest town, yet you simply cannot get to a lecture on time. I would like to have a debate in the House with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, not only on the position in Drogheda, County Louth, and in Dundalk, but also right across the country, to make university much more accessible to everybody.”
“I genuinely hope that today is the day we see a permanent and lasting ceasefire, an end to the genocide, and a return of all the hostages to their families. Closer to home, the buzzword at the moment is "living experience". I would like to speak on behalf of my two children. We have all gone through a journey of travelling from Drogheda in County Louth to UCD for the last four years. One is continuing for the next year. It is an impossibility to commute from Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland – a de facto city – to get to UCD for a 9 o'clock lecture. There are three private coaches that say they will get people there on time, but it is an impossibility. You are either 45 minutes late for your first lecture at 9 o'clock in the morning or you are forced to try to live in Dublin.”
“Already 6,500 homes have been built there, which equates to more than 20,000 people, with 2,000 or 3,000 more houses coming down the line. We do not have the infrastructure or the administration and this is exactly what we need. I would like a debate with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on making this an actuality. Drogheda has got to be the latest city in Ireland. Let us make Drogheda a city.”
“This is coming at such a tremendous time because last night I attended a presentation by the Drogheda city status group showing compelling and irrefutable evidence that Drogheda is already a city and must be seen and taken officially as that. There are in excess of 54,000 citizens within the Drogheda and east Meath area as it stands, projected to rise to 60,000 by 2031. There was talk of a task force, which is exactly what is needed, to make this a city with its own administration. Right now Drogheda and east Meath are administered from Dundalk and Navan. There is nothing in what is, in fact, the sixth city of Ireland. Last night I saw a video that offers compelling evidence. I urge anybody to find it on my Facebook page or that of the "Drogheda City Status" Facebook group.”
“On this budget day, I warmly welcome some great news for Drogheda and Dundalk in Louth. They are both being included in the regional centre scheme under the national planning framework. What this means is they will be included in the living city initiative. This is something I and others have lobbied for for a long time. What will it mean? I have seen it described as a carrot and stick, the carrot being that there will be tax relief to restore older buildings, thus creating over-the-shop living, and we have such a huge problem with dereliction and vacancies and a lack of town centre living. The stick will, of course, be Revenue collecting the derelict sites levies. That will be very bad news for those landlords.”
“Let us not forget the innocent Israelis also, with 1,200 deaths and more than 6,000 wounded. There are no winners in this. We must make whatever effort we can to end the suffering.”