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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“I have not been a politician for very long. I was a journalist before then, so it is not as though I am unaware of what has been happening over the years. I was a massive history buff in school. We looked at our history books and thought this kind of thing could never possibly happen again, but here we are still talking about it. Action has got to be taken. We had citizens trying to bring comfort and supplies to those in need of them and they have been stopped. I hope we have a safe return for everybody on the flotilla and that there will be an end very soon so we can bring whatever aid can be brought and we can bring comfort to these people. I will support any assistance that will stop the suffering of the people in Palestine and right across the Middle East. There have been 66,000 deaths in Palestine and almost 170,000 people wounded.”
“I wholeheartedly support everything my colleague Senator O'Loughlin has said and, I have no doubt, what will be said today in the House by Members of all parties and none. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. Earlier, I spoke about this matter. I am encouraged that this is being taken very seriously by everybody. What has happened over the past 24 hours is atrocious in the absolute sense of the word. All of the things that have happened in the past couple of years have been atrocities during a genocide. Our thoughts are really with the 14 Irish citizens. As I mentioned this morning, they include my colleague Senator Chris Andrews and, of course, Independent TD Barry Heneghan. They are a small part of what is a huge effort to try to bring humanitarian aid to people who are in dire need of it.”
“As we all, know youth work supports mental health, builds confidence and life skills and provides safe places where young people can thrive, but services are under real pressure with the rising cost of living, increased demand and years of underfunding threatening their survival. This is not just about young people, but the future of our communities. In particular, it is about what we can offer these young people, who are our voices for the next generation. I therefore ask that the Deputy Leader arrange a debate with the Minister for education, Deputy McEntee, to set out clearly how we as a Government can support youth work in budget 2026 and beyond.”
“May I also add my herzliche wilkommen to our German ambassador and also wish him alles gute zum Tag der Deutschen Einheit . I utterly condemn what is happening to the global aid flotilla. It is an outrage. Like everybody else here, I wish for the safe return of all of the participants, particularly Irish citizens and especially my colleague and friend, Senator Chris Andrews. I hope we have a good outcome on this. With the few remaining moments I have, I amplify the voices of 114 people in my county of Louth, many of them young people, who have signed an open letter calling for greater investment in youth work in budget 2026. They are backing the National Youth Council of Ireland's call for an additional €21.3 million to protect existing services, expand access and ensure that safe, well-equipped spaces are available.”
“I know it is not under the remit of the Minister of State, but there are many valuable drivers over the age of 70 who are active and would love to give back and continue to drive their particular routes subject to some sort of licensing test. There are drivers who would love to continue driving. School transport remains a challenge but I know it is a matter that the Minister of State and others will remain across. Go raibh maith agat for coming to the House.”
“They are running special training courses, not only for bus escorts but also for bus drivers, whom they feel need that level of training. They are simple enough courses. Not every child has a very complex need and may just be dealing with undiagnosed ADHD or autism. The bus drivers may not understand if distress is caused, particularly on long journeys or if the children are changing their routines or coming to a different route. Ms Guste and Ms Pakste have suggested that this service, or something similar, could be made available to Bus Éireann drivers, school drivers and volunteer drivers. It is a matter that could be looked into. A simple training course could be made available to anybody who is a bus driver or escort. I will reiterate what some of my colleagues have said.”
“It seemed a random lottery in many ways. I am still working on a couple of cases for parents whose children had tickets from first year but who, out of the blue, did not have places as they were moving into their leaving certificate year, which is a worrying and trying year. We are still not out of the woods with many of those cases. As was mentioned earlier, we are sometimes being held hostage as we are beholden to private providers. Another area about which I have been contacted is bus escorts and children with special needs, additional needs or complex needs who may need somebody to travel on the bus with them, often for long distances. I spoke with a fantastic therapeutic centre in Drogheda, County Louth, called Sensory Space. It is run by two amazing women, Agne Guste and Jurgita Pakste.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank him for coming to the House. He is always amenable to talking about this and other topics. As a townie who used to cycle to school, I am a little disappointed to hear from my colleague, Senator Murphy O'Mahony, how many romances I may have missed out on. Perhaps that was a good thing. I will not repeat what has been said by my colleagues. The school bus system has, in the main, been a success. Some 172,000 children are accommodated. Funding has almost doubled in recent years. There is also the special transport grant. The Leap fare for children and free travel have helped those who have to travel a distance to school. All of us here received many calls over the summer. Many parents have been challenged because they had to wait to see if they were going to get bus places.”
“Evan had complex special needs and he attended the Drogheda ABACAS Special School of which Mark and Louise were founding members. Evan was one of the first two students who took part on 10 March 2003 and he stayed there for 14 years. Many families owe Mark and Louise a debt of gratitude for the amount of campaigning and lobbying they carried out. Of course, Evan then went on to attend the Praxis Care day care centre, also in Drogheda, where he was described as "everybody's little buddy" and he was "a bright shining star". For everybody right across the county and country, it has been shocking, and we send our heartfelt condolences to everybody in the O'Connor family.”
“There are many things one hopes never to have to raise in the House and unfortunately what happened in the small townland of Drumgowna just outside Tallanstown in County Louth yesterday morning is certainly one of those, with such a tragic loss of Mark, Louise and Evan O'Connor. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a pall of shock and disbelief over the entire county and beyond into Monaghan at what happened. I know it is part of a Garda investigation and we will not go into further details but we send our sincere condolences to the entire family on what happened. They have been described as an integral part of the community and that really does not go deep enough. They were so loved and they were so active. They were a youthful, active couple. Mark ran the Boston marathon and Louise raised so many funds for the community.”
“It is about calling for the world to act, to join together to recognise Palestine, and to enforce international law. We need to create the conditions, which were started a long time ago, but that are not being enacted, for peace. I wholeheartedly support this motion. I urge all Senators to do the same today.”
“We are sending a clear signal that we will not allow economic support for illegal settlements. We have a proud tradition in this country of multilateral diplomacy and peace building. In this moment of despair - because nobody can look at this right across the world and not feel despair and a certain amount of helplessness, while people are turning to us for the answers and the solutions – we must use every single tool at our disposal to champion international law on humanitarian access and the ultimate peace we all seek. This motion is about much more than the words that are on the pieces of paper; it is about confirming our collective will that Ireland will not stand idly by while these children starve and all these civilians are massacred.”
“I am proud that the Government and in particular my party, Fianna Fáil, has shown very consistent and principled leadership throughout the crisis. Ireland formally recognised the State of Palestine in May of last year, standing with the international community in calling for a genuine two-state solution. We have consistently called at the UN, the EU, every forum available and every platform on which we have spoken, for the protection of civilians, access to humanitarian aid and an end to what we are seeing on a daily basis. We have always provided significant humanitarian support to the region, even as we continue to press for safe corridors and protection of all convoys. The Government has committed to legislating for the occupied territories Bill, following the International Court of Justice advisory opinion.”
“I have stood here and spoken as a mother and a former journalist and said that we have to take immediate action. The suffering that is being inflicted on the people of Gaza cannot be sustained any longer. The United Nations commission of inquiry has found that Israel is committing genocide against Palestine. It is a stark and damning conclusion. It places a duty on every single one of us, as legislators, human beings, mums and dads, brothers and sisters, to speak out and to act. This motion, which I wholeheartedly support, rightly calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, for humanitarian aid to flow freely and safely and for the unconditional release of all hostages. These are basic building blocks of the human decency that we need to provide and for international law.”
“I second the motion. I say that with pride. I am absolutely behind Senator O'Loughlin and her words today. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Minister of State for coming here today. I could not agree more that there are very pressing issues in our country today, but we simply cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza. We are seeing images and report every day of families torn apart, children dying of hunger and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. It represents an absolute outrage that none of us can ignore any more. What is happening before our eyes is definitely and undoubtedly war, but it is also famine. It is the collective punishment of an already desperate population in Gaza and in Palestine. I am absolutely horrified. I have said this before.”
“With the second part of the port access northern cross route confirmed to begin in January of next year, now is the time to really organise the third phase, which is where the railway station and the bridge for it needs to be built. The developers are there and more land is being rezoned for more housing. Drogheda United is also going to place its stadium there. The money will be coming in and a great deal of money would not be needed for that. My colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and I work strongly in east Meath. We need to look at a railway station for Bettystown as well. This is a national issue. In order to help our transport and our commuters, we need to be looking with the Minister for Transport, Darragh O'Brien, and debating whether these new stations are a possibility.”
“We need a debate with the Minister for education on what co-ordination there should be between houses being built and where schools are being built in order to facilitate the children coming into our communities. Lastly, I raise an issue that I have raised before but circumstances do change. It is probably timely to mention the second railway station for the north side of Drogheda as well. I mentioned all of the houses being built. The current railway station on the south side of the town is under sever pressure. People are almost not able to use it because of the lack of parking and not being able to cross the town in time to reach it.”
“One of the reasons I wanted to speak today was to raise the issue of school places. As we know, we are back at school but for many parents the summer was a time for uncertainty, particularly if you were a new arrival or had moved house. In Drogheda, County Louth, we buck the trend a little bit because we are building a lot of houses. I live in the north of the town and there will be 7,500 new houses fairly soon. We are talking about thousands of houses and, unfortunately, the school places are not tallying with those. I worked with five or six parents over the summer who had received or bought a house and automatically assumed they would receive a school place as well.”
“I also extend a warm welcome to Stella O'Loughlin. She can see the inner workings of the Seanad at first hand. I begin with a tribute to Kevin Geraghty, a wonderful and warm Fianna Fáil stalwart from Collon, County Louth, who passed away recently. He was in his 90th year and was a member of the third generation of his family in Fianna Fáil in County Louth. His father Nicholas founded the first Fianna Fáil cumann in 1927, which will shortly be celebrating 100 years in existence. Sadly, he was predeceased by his brother Paddy only a matter of weeks ago and another almost-brother, Peter Murphy. The three of them assisted me greatly during my campaign last year in Collon. I wish his loved ones the very best, including his brother Larry and Larry's wife Carmel, who were also of great assistance to me.”
“As was mentioned earlier today, another challenge is the toxic impact of misinformation and rumour, much of it spread, as the Minister of State said himself, through social media. This is fuelling division and fear in communities and we must be proactive in providing the facts, as outlined by my colleague Senator Rabbitte. We must engage openly with local people and consult them before, not after, the decisions are made. Ireland can manage this challenge but only, as has been mentioned, with honesty, resources and leadership. I believe the firm and clear approach being taken by the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, is the right starting point. It is one that the House should wholeheartedly support.”
“The benefits of migration both culturally and economically cannot be ignored. They are abundant. I live near one of the largest regional hospitals. We have nursing, hospitality and culinary. We have vibrant Indian, Pakistani and Filipino communities. We simply cannot survive without them. I like the idea outlined by the Minister of State of a contribution initiative for a much fairer system. As the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, has said, we need a system that is rules based, transparent and efficient, but that means properly resourcing the International Protection Office to make timely decisions. It also means firm enforcement when applications are unfounded, so that the system cannot be manipulated, and it means real integration supports for those entitled to protection, enabling them to contribute positively to Irish society.”
“We must balance our well-known compassion with control, to ensure that those in genuine need of protection are supported, while also maintaining public confidence that the system is, as the Minister of State says, fair and enforced. The reality is that communities across the country are under severe pressure. Housing, healthcare and education systems are overstretched. People are very worried about the pace and scale of arrivals. My hometown of Drogheda is suffering economically from the stripping of our tourism accommodation and other buildings for IPAS accommodation. As I know from over the summer, not enough school places are being provided for the volume of new arrivals. At the same time, too many asylum seekers face long delays, poor accommodation and a lot of uncertainty about their future and status.”
“Like my colleague, I begin by commending the Minister of State and my colleague, the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, on the decisive and proactive stance both have taken on migration since assuming office. It has been a clear and firm message to everybody that while Ireland has a proud humanitarian tradition, we cannot allow our migration system to be overwhelmed or abused. The leadership of the Minister and the Minister of State brings a much needed sense of direction and reassurance to this debate. It is to be welcomed but we all know that migration is one of the most defining issues of our time. Across Europe, it is testing the resilience of governments and the cohesion of communities, and Ireland is no different.”
“Bogus accounts, anonymous smears and fake posts are spreading unchecked, undermining trust in our public discourse and leaving individuals exposed to harassment and misinformation. It is not an abstract concern; it is a clear and present threat to the health of our democracy and the safety of ordinary citizens. I call on all platforms to stop ignoring this issue and take ownership of the problem. As a former journalist, there is no way I would have gotten away with spreading or broadcasting half of what is going out there. It is being normalised daily and fed to our children, young people and the vulnerable in our society. Stronger regulations, faster intervention and real accountability for those platforms are needed now, be it through Coimisiún na Mean, the Minister or the platforms themselves. The time for gentle warnings has passed.”
“I wish everyone a welcome return to the House and an especially warm welcome to Martin Hughes. I would like to be associated with the welcoming wishes and also wish Martin Groves and Bridget Doody a long and healthy retirement. I will stay with congratulations. As a proud Louth woman, I congratulate Dundalk's own Kate O'Connor on her outstanding achievement in securing a silver medal at the World Athletics Championship. Her success is a source of enormous pride not just for County Louth but the entire country. She continues to be an inspiring role model for young athletes. I wish to highlight something that is becoming ever more urgent, which is the dangers posed by unregulated and unfettered activity on social media platforms.”
“I am dismayed that as we go into the recess with security, 13 of those staff go into it with a lack of job security and will be forced to sign on or get work in other places. The Committee of Public Accounts is set to hear from them and review their situation. Perhaps the relevant Minister might write to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and ask that there be a pause in the tendering process until the issues are sorted out. These staff are not receiving the same fair pay and conditions as other Oireachtas staff. They carry out such a vital role that it would benefit us all if they were looked after with the same fairness. I wish everybody a good summer recess. I assure all those watching the proceedings, who are able to do so due to the Oireachtas broadcast workers, that our work will go on during the recess.”
“I join colleagues in thanking the Belgian ambassador for her many years of service and wishing her bonne chance in her new adventures. I stand here, on the last day of term, with a sense of gratitude that I have had an opportunity to raise so many local and national issues. It is a privilege to be able to do so and we do not do it alone. Without wanting to sound like an Oscar winner, I thank the many people who are involved in enabling us to do this, from the ushers who meet us in the morning to the staff who give us our cups of tea. A cast of thousands help us to do our jobs, including my wonderful administrative assistant, Anna Brennan, who has become my right-hand woman. There is a group of staff without whom we would not be able to pass our messages on to the great public. I refer to the Oireachtas broadcast workers.”
“Let us ensure no young girl in Ireland ever questions - whatever age she may be - where she belongs on the pitch, in the ring, on the starting line or on the tennis court.”
“If we get more older people to stay in sport, their fitness improves and they will live longer. We also might not have the issues we have with medical problems. Gaps remain in media sponsorship, visibility, resources and leadership. I call on the Minister of State to continue championing policies, legislation and funding to push us closer to full equality in sport because the work is obviously not finished. On a quick personal note, Termonfeckin tennis club near me in County Louth has received tremendous capital funding. I have just started tennis lessons. I fear I will not be ready for Wimbledon next year, the year after or possibly in a decade. At the same time, I am enjoying it and we would not have it if it were not for that confidence in the sport and being able to get those vital funds.”
“The under-representation of women in coaching, officiating and governance roles further entrenches a male-dominated culture in many sporting organisations. Cultural barriers also persist. Teenage girls drop out of sport at much higher rates than boys. It is often due to a mix of body image, lack of confidence or simply feeling they do not belong. That is a heartbreaking waste of potential and is entirely avoidable with the right supports in place. This is not a time for complacency. We have seen what is possible when women's sport is given the spotlight and support it deserves. We have also seen the unity and pride that women's teams bring to the country on the field, in the ring and on the track. I have to agree with Senator Conway that we could also use it as a preventative message.”
“Funding disparities are still stark. Many female athletes and teams continue to receive only a fraction of what their male counterparts do. Too often, elite level sportswomen are juggling training with full-time employment or being a parent, simply because their sport does not pay enough. Media visibility also remains a major barrier. Women's sport receives just a small share of overall coverage in Ireland. That is not just a representation issue; it affects sponsorship, public interest and the opportunities available to young girls who cannot be what they cannot see. As we know, access to facilities and professional supports also remains unequal. Female teams often report second-tier or restricted access to pitches, gyms and support staff. Changing in toilets or car parks is still too regular an occurrence.”
“Importantly, recent budgets have committed to enhancing supports for high-performance female athletes. This support is essential, as was stated by Senator Ní Chuilinn, not just to celebrate success but also to enable it. Our Olympians, World Cup players and community leaders in sport deserve the support and recognition that match their talent and sacrifice. We have also backed the development of a safe sporting environment because participation alone is not enough. Sport must be safe, inclusive and respectful for women and girls. Campaigns like 20x20, which we were delighted to support, have helped to reshape how we talk about and see women in sport. Visibility really matters, not only for recognition but also for the inspiration it gives to the next generation. Despite this progress, significant challenges remain.”
“To begin, I acknowledge the significant strides that have been made in fostering excellence for sport in women as was mentioned by the Minister. Thanks to the previous leadership of the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, the former Minister, Catherine Martin, and the Minister's own leadership now we have seen real progress. Sport Ireland's gender equality in sport policy now requires funded sporting bodies to have at least 40% gender representation on their boards, a crucial step towards embedding equality in decision-making. Core funding to national governing bodies has increased and there has been a stronger emphasis on encouraging female participation at all levels. The Women in Sport programmes, as was mentioned, are encouraging more women and girls to get involved, particularly at grassroots levels.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming here today. I rise today as Ireland continues to bask not just in sunshine but also in the success of one of our finest athletes, Katie Taylor. Her brilliance on the world stage continues to inspire, reminding us what is possible with talent, support and opportunity. Katie's journey lit a path that many others have since followed. Indeed the way was paved for her by Deirdre Gogarty. We have seen our women's football team reach the World Cup, our rugby players demand reform and respect, and our athletes, rowers and boxers bring home medals from the world's biggest stages. These are not isolated achievements; they are the result of skill, resilience and determination, often in the face of historic underinvestment and inequality.”
“For that reason, I ask that the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, come before the House to address these concerns, clarify how AMPDS is being monitored on a nationwide basis and assure communities in the north east and around the country that they will not be left exposed in moments of serious crisis.”
“This has created a real fear among front-line responders that a life-threatening emergency could occur with no unit available to respond quickly. Do not get me wrong, I know that the National Ambulance Service faces huge pressure, handling over 1,200 emergency calls per day. It has defended AMPDS on clinical grounds but the concerns raised here are credible and come from professionals working on the ground. An awareness campaign highlighting alternatives for patients would be timely. Patients can use GPs, go to their local pharmacist or use the doctor-on-call service. There is a misconception that getting an ambulance to an accident and emergency department will get a patient seen sooner but that is not always the case. These issues deserve a constructive and transparent discussion.”
“I want to raise an issue of serious concern today that was reported by one of my former colleagues, Mr. John Kierans, in the Drogheda Independent this week relating to ambulance cover in Drogheda and the wider north-east region. Paramedics quoted in the article say that Drogheda is regularly left without a local ambulance as crews are being dispatched long distances for non-urgent calls that could and should be managed differently. The core issue appears to be the advanced medical priority dispatch system, AMPDS, which paramedics say is over-triaging and sending highly trained emergency responders to calls for things like shaving cuts, stomach aches and high temperatures while real, time-critical emergencies go uncovered.”
“There is also a clear and growing need for a regional veterans support centre in my home town of Drogheda, County Louth. The north east and east Meath have a strong Defence Forces tradition and there is an active ONE branch in Drogheda and Slane. However, veterans there have to travel to Dublin or Dundalk for help, a hurdle that leaves many of them without the services they need. A local centre in Drogheda would make services accessible and show that our commitment extends well beyond the capital. It was a proud and patriotic day on Sunday, but if we are serious about respecting services we need to prove it in our actions, not just with medals and parades but with housing, healthcare, support and human dignity. I feel a debate would be timely, perhaps ahead of the budget, to discuss these matters.”
“It is a place of real care and respect, helping former Defence Forces members who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. However, they are doing this essential work with limited resources, and that needs to be addressed in the budget. Too often veterans fall through the cracks. The services they need like housing, healthcare and pensions are scattered and difficult to access. That is why I am supporting the call for the establishment of a central veterans support bureau, located in the GPO, a place rich in national symbolism. This bureau could be a one-stop shop offering support with housing, mental health, pensions, job training and access to Defence Forces organisations like ONE and the Irish United Nations Veterans Association.”
“This past Sunday, like many of my Oireachtas colleagues, I had the honour to attend the National Day of Commemoration at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. It was a really moving and dignified ceremony remembering all those who died in past wars and on service with the UN and honouring all who have served in our Defence Forces. While I stood there, I found myself thinking not just of those we lost, but also of those still with us, many of whom are struggling. After the parades and ceremonies, too many of our veterans face serious challenges like homelessness, PTSD, poor mental health, unemployment and family breakdown. Often, they face these struggles in silence. Yesterday, I visited Brú na bhFiann in Smithfield in Dublin city centre, the veterans' hostel run by Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann, ONE.”
“I ask that it is given consideration and for an update on what is happening with the second phase of the port access route.”
“Drogheda is ideally placed to be almost a regional hub. The road is vital for opening up land for housing, as otherwise new developments will be landlocked, for supporting the port and for keeping Drogheda moving. It is about future-proofing the town, not just five years from now but right now. I ask the Minister of State and all involved to make these two projects, a second train station and phase 2 of the PANCR, a priority. I understand they need to be included in the national development plan. They need to be seriously considered. Drogheda is not a little town on the outskirts of Dublin anymore. It is a fledgling city right at the heart of this region and a vital part of the M1 corridor. It deserves to have the infrastructure to match.”
“A second railway station on the north side, close to phase 2 of the port access road, would ease pressure, cut commuting times and encourage people to leave the car at home, which is what we are aiming for. It is not just a convenience; it makes real common sense. Phase 2 is the port access northern cross route, or the PANCR road. Phase 1 was delivered. We were delighted to welcome the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, to cut the ribbon on that. It has already made a massive difference. However, without phase 2, the job is only half done. HGVs are still going through residential areas. Our town centre is clogged up. Housing and other developments are being held up. We have done the planning and the route is mapped out. It was scheduled to begin work in January of this year, so now we really need to see shovels on the ground.”
“I raise again the need for a second railway station on the north side of the town and the immediate start of phase 2 of the port access northern cross route. Let us start with the railway station. As I have mentioned before, Drogheda is the biggest town in Ireland and growing fast, especially on the north side, with an estimated 7,500 houses on the way and planned. However, we still have only railway station, located on the south side in a densely populated area. It is already hugely over-capacity, with a serious shortage of parking spaces. We have thousands of commuters heading into Dublin and Belfast every morning, many of them forced to drive across town or into the centre of town to try to catch their train. It is causing traffic chaos and gridlock. It is bad for the environment and it is making daily life hard for families.”
“I thank the Minister of State, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and the Department for all the incredible work carried out, even in the short time the current Government has been in office, to improve connectivity, reduce transport and commuting costs, improve EV charging, increase train and bus options, and, especially in my home town of Drogheda, effectively cutting the cost of a ticket to Dublin by half. We know the DART service is well on target to extend to the town. I speak once again, as I did in my first weeks as a Senator in February, about something very real and urgent to the people of Drogheda. Anybody who knows me knows I am like dog with a bone when it comes to issues close to my heart, and I will not let this one go.”
“Supporting the post office network is aligned with our programme for Government commitments on rural Ireland, digital equity and sustaining public services. I add my voice to those urging the Cabinet to act decisively and work with An Post and the Irish Postmasters' Union to deliver the €15 million needed. We can and must secure the future of our post office network. Let us not look back with regret in a few years, wondering how we let it slip away. It will be far too late then. Instead, let us ensure it continues to serve our people as it always has, reliably, locally and with heart.”
“With adequate resources they can evolve into expanded community hubs and part of our wider vision for balanced regional development, digital inclusion and rural regeneration. Without interim financial support, they simply will not get there. How much is needed to halt the decline? We have heard the figure is €15 million. This is a modest sum in the grand scheme of things but one with an enormous social return. Compare it to the cost of losing these services. There would be increased pressure on welfare offices, the loss of community connection and a hollowing out of rural and small-town Ireland. That price is far higher. As a Government, we have a duty not only to respond to crises but to act with foresight.”
“This would not be a handout but a strategic investment in national infrastructure. As a Government party, Fianna Fáil must listen carefully and respond constructively. Let us be clear that this is not about propping up a failing business model. It is about enabling transformation. It is about recognising that if a post office closes in a rural village, or even in an urban setting with high levels of deprivation, it is not easily replaced. No amount of broadband roll-out or bank ATMs can replicate the human and community value these post offices provide. Moreover, our postmasters do not resist change, but embrace it. Many post offices now offer financial services, digital Government transactions and even local enterprise supports.”
“Post office services are very much at risk. Almost 900 of the independent postmasters who operate the vast majority of our post offices are telling us loud and clear they cannot continue without immediate support. Rising costs, reduced footfall and a rapid shift towards digital services have left many on the brink. This is not speculation; it is reality. Some post offices have already closed and others operate at a loss but continue due to the postmasters' deep commitment to their communities. The figures are stark. Of 888 independently run post offices nationwide, more than 250 have closed in the past ten years. When costs are removed, 108 postmasters earn less than the minimum wage. I have just met the Irish Postmasters' Union, which is calling for €15 million in annual funding to maintain the network.”
“I speak in support of this matter, which goes far beyond simple logistics or commercial viability. I speak of our post office network, a cornerstone of Irish community life, and the urgent need to ensure its survival and sustainability. The post office is not just a facility. It goes even beyond a public service. It is a social connector and, in many parts of rural and regional Ireland, a vital lifeline. Whether it is a pension collection, a child benefit payment, the BillPay service, banking or simply a familiar face for someone who may not otherwise speak to anybody else on the day in question, the post office does it all. Think of how it almost became another emergency service during Covid. I used to look forward so much to my conversations across the garden gate when my post was delivered in Drogheda.”