John Connolly
Galway West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The decision of the Government to purchase the Hammerson site on O'Connell Street - the site of the old Carlton Cinema - clearly shows the intent and determination of the Government to progress and complete the MetroLink project.”
“I mention one such community organisation in my constituency, Connemara Care, which provides home care and support for the elderly, people with disabilities, and people with dementia.”
“I had been aware that the deceased man had been diagnosed with dementia some years earlier. When I expressed my condolences to my friend, his response really struck me. He said that this was the second time they had lost their father.”
“If we can look at training more people in this area and promoting this as a profession, it might help. A concern has been brought to my attention but I do not want to imply wrongdoing on anyone's behalf. A family asked me to get clarity. They were provided with home care hours to be provided by a private company.”
“Families want to support that wish for their own loved ones and I know that across the House, Government and Opposition want to support this. Our health service should be structured to support that. However, in the correspondence that we have received, concerns have emerged regarding the availability of HSE home support services.”
“Cuirfidh mé tús le m'óráid leis an méid ar chríochnaigh an Teachta Aird leis. Molaim an tAire Stáit go bhfuil sé anseo le linn na díospóireachta ar fad. Tá sé anseo ag fanacht. Ní dheachaigh sé amach as an Seomra.”
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Every one of 425 lines we hold for John Connolly, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 9.
“To add to my earlier comment about the development of our public services, the additional teachers - more than 1,000 - and over 1,700 SNAs to be provided next year again highlights the commitment of the Government, and I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, in particular, to the provision of classes for children with additional needs. This is most welcome. We all know parents and have heard about the stress they face coming into September not knowing whether there will be a class in their community for children with additional needs that their child can attend. I hope this additional 1,000 teachers and 1,700 SNAs will ensure more communities have the classes needed to ensure all children can attend their local mainstream school. I also echo the sentiments of my colleague regarding the additional €3 million for the FAI.”
“I have been on career break from my school for just over a year. In the past number of years, especially since the Covid cleaning supplement was taken away from schools, they have been struggling. The increases in the cost of energy and the cost-of-living increases that has affected households has also had an impact on schools. This additional €50 in primary and special schools is badly needed. I hope it will provide some relief to schools and ensure they can provide adequate educational infrastructure while covering the day-to-day running costs of the school, that is, heating, lighting and so on. It is very welcome.”
“Again, we need to make sure the moneys we are providing have that impact and that they provide the buildings for respite care and the staff to provide the service. Another welcome initiative in terms of the public service for next year, which Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan has mentioned, is the 1,000 additional gardaí. Already in the lifetime of this Government, two classes have entered Templemore, resulting in 500 additional gardaí in the past year. The Minister may have said it was even more than that. The Minister of State would know himself. There is funding for 1,000 next year. The commitment to community policing is very welcome. Citizens throughout the country will welcome that. I also concur with my colleague Deputy O'Sullivan in welcoming the additional capitation moneys for schools.”
“I hope that in all children's disability network teams, we will see enhanced therapeutic services and reduced waiting times for the children and support for families. We can talk about these figures, and it is fantastic that we have the capacity in the economy and the Exchequer to provide them, but we need them to deliver for the public, particularly in this area. It is a commitment of this Government and we want to see it having an impact that benefits the end users. Also included in that €3.8 billion increase for disability services are further resources for respite care. We all know families who need respite care in support of the well-being of all of the family members. We all see it being a struggle for certain families to access respite care.”
“According to the budget, we will see an additional 12,500 staff in the public service. It is difficult to think this will not result in significant improvement for citizens accessing and benefiting from public services. This is the aim of it. The public should be reassured by this. We should have measures to make sure the public get the benefit of this expenditure and we should not see this money going into further bureaucracy and red tape. We should see bodies employed quickly to provide services. Some of the measures that stick out are the additional 3,370 staff in the health services and the €3.8 billion increase for disability services. The Taoiseach has spoken about the Government wanting to provide a step change in how we deliver disability services. This €3.8 billion is an indication of this intent.”
“I certainly hope these measures have the intended impact. There is figure of close to €1 billion, I think it is €700 million, and it would be fantastic to think we might tackle the housing crisis through a combination of public and private investment. One of the most noteworthy features of the budget is the effort to which it goes it goes to protect and further develop our public services. All of our citizens benefit from good quality public services. It is one of the great levellers in society. The Taoiseach said after the election last year that the development of better public services was one of the main focuses of the Government. It is mentioned throughout the programme for Government. I hope we see the measures in the budget having impact and being continued over the life cycle of the Government in each budget.”
“I do not see why we do not advise local authorities of their budgets at the start of the year and state that by the end of the year we will expect them to have built or developed a certain number of social and affordable houses. Local authorities are the bodies responsible for this. We have the budget now to allow this. Give them the money and let them do it, rather than having a process of the local authority seeking approval from the Department of housing. It seems to duplicate work. We should streamline it by giving the local authorities the money. I look forward to the publication of the new housing strategy during this Dáil term. I hope it will accelerate residential developments. Other measures are included in the budget, which we hope will trigger investment in the private sector and the development of apartments.”
“I hope it can bear fruit quickly. We need these houses urgently. We should alert the local authorities again that the Government has announced efforts to reduce the bureaucracy around gaining approval for public housing projects. We are advised the Government has reduced the approval process for social and affordable housing projects from a four-stage process to a single-stage process. I hope this will see quicker development of housing. I hope it will not be a case that it will still take the same length of time but with the process condensed into one stage. I hope we will see quicker decisions. Allow local authorities to build.”
“The Galway city ring road is long spoken about and I am very hopeful of a planning decision on it by the end of the year, and if not by the end of the year then early next year. I hope the new infrastructure task force and accelerating infrastructure guidelines to be published by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will make sure the ring road is developed in a quickly. The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, will be interested in the development of the pier at Rossaveel and, perhaps, the Galway Harbour Company. A planning decision is awaited and I hope it will receive planning permission and move through the infrastructure task force quickly. There is also the cross-city link, which will be a substantial public transport development in Galway city. I welcome the record funding of €7.2 billion for housing next year.”
“I will mention a few projects in Galway in particular that I hope will benefit from it. We are advised that funding is there for them but I want to see them move through the infrastructure guidelines quickly. The development of two additional bed blocks at University Hospital Galway will be the first phase of the redevelopment plan for the hospital. I understand from the HSE that a design team is to be appointed before the end of the year. I hope that in 2026 we see this progressed through the accelerating infrastructure task force and planning system. As I have said, it is a first phase, following which will be development of the new emergency department, the maternity section, the paediatric section and cancer services. I hope we will see the quick development of these using the new infrastructure guidelines.”
“I welcome the emphasis in the budget on capital investment in infrastructure and housing. There is a full allocation of €19.1 billion for infrastructure in budget 2026, which is an increase of more than €2 billion on the 2025 figure. I very much welcome this. When we have such quantities of money to spend, it is important that we do not allow it to become bogged down in red tape and bureaucracy, which slows down the development of infrastructure. I know that next month the Minister, Deputy Chambers, is to publish an action plan on infrastructural development. I very much look forward to this simplifying regulation and reducing the administrative burden and red tape involved in progressing crucial infrastructure projects in all of our constituencies throughout the country.”
“On a local point, the Minister of State met a group regarding an LSSIF grant in Galway. We might discuss that again. It relates to the aquatic centre in Knocknacarra.”
“Anecdotally, I have heard that many of those groups are paying a lot of money to use those facilities. Those facilities have been grant-aided by the Government. An examination of that is necessary. The programme for Government commits the Government to an "audit of sports facilities to address shortages in areas underserved including towns with populations over 1,500." We should progress that. Many people have mentioned where there are certain locations within their constituencies that do not have adequate facilities. We should pinpoint those. In the past, there used be a rapid top-up for the sports capital grant. I am not sure if that came from the Minister of State's Department or the Department of community. Of course, that helped to develop facilities in disadvantaged communities. We should look at trying to bring that back.”
“While most people will welcome that change, we must recognise that many schools do not have adequate facilities for teaching PE. Certainly, very few schools have indoor facilities of the standard required, and many schools have very limited outdoor facilities. More modern schools have facilities, but older schools do not. I will make a point about the next iteration of this process. As part of the criteria, it should be an advantage for your project if you will provide access to your local primary schools to use the facility at no charge. If we could include that in the criteria, it would be beneficial. We need to examine the charging regime the local authorities that have availed of this scheme are employing for the use of those facilities by the community groups who use them.”
“Also welcome, of course, is the increased participation in sport and the increase in the variety of sports now available to children. In my youth, what was offered was quite limited. There was football, soccer, and perhaps rugby and hurling. Beyond that, though, sport really was not an option for many people. The variety of sports now available for young people is certainly something I think this scheme has helped to create. It is beneficial for all young people and for people of every age group. I share Deputy Devlin's sentiment: it would be good to know when the next iteration of the process will open and if we can get that information, it would help. The new primary school curriculum doubles the teaching time provided for PE.”
“A number of Deputies have noted the recent sporting achievements of many Irish athletes. I take the opportunity to congratulate Fiona Murtagh, a Galway native, who was successful in the World Rowing Championships in the single sculls grade. She is an Olympian. I think this may be her second world title, but it is certainly a notable achievement and deserves congratulations. I echo the sentiments of many speakers about how advantageous and beneficial this programme is to communities in terms of the availability and the significant improvements made in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in communities across the country. It is money well spent. The fact that the community has to come up with resources itself embellishes the scheme and generates a sense of community surrounding a project. This is also welcome.”
“This infers a departure from the standard provision of two additional SNAs per non-mainstream class. It infers the departure in the existing review and is also something schools could be concerned about in future. In the clarification provided by the NCSE, it is said that no change will be made to the baseline of two SNAs in each special autism class. It leaves other categories of special classes unaware of their provision.”
“One of the things that has worked so well to make our schools more accessible and more inclusive is the deployment of additional SNAs to our schools over the past two decades. I raise this issue in light of the recent publication of the guidelines for the review of SNA allocations in schools provided by the NCSE and the concern raised around it. I have to say I feel some of the concern is very justified. Specifically, it is disappointing in light of the investment the Government made prior to the summer in non-mainstream classes in mainstream schools. The point of concern is that the guidelines now refer to schools now being resourced "on a whole school allocation basis. Schools are expected to deploy SNA posts to their mainstream or special class based on the greatest level of need across the student population".”
“The programme for Government also makes a commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment, with a view to incrementally increasing it over the lifetime of the Government's term. Is this part of the current considerations in terms of the review of the disability payment?”
“I understand the Department is currently reviewing means testing across all of our schemes. Has that job of work progressed? When might we expect its completion? I refer in particular to the means test for the disability allowance. One issue is that a slight increase in household income can lead to a substantial decrease in the allowance paid to disabled members of society. That is one of the major anomalies the review of the means test should examine.”
“I again ask the Minister to look at that low threshold for seaweed harvesters. The income threshold for seaweed harvesters who might wish to also participate in the fish assist scheme is very low. It has not changed since the mid-nineties. It is €1,270. Taking inflation over the years into account, we could look at increasing that figure. The equivalent figure today might be €6,000 or €7,000. That would not be a regressive step at all but quite a positive one. Failing that, perhaps we could look at some other type of scheme akin to the fish assist scheme for seaweed harvesters that would be purely for their own industry and trade.”
“One of the things about the fish assist scheme that prevents people from also participating in seaweed harvesting is that any income above £1000, that is, €1,270, gained from seaweed harvesting eliminates the opportunity to avail of the fish assist scheme.”
“I thank the Minister. It is quite a low number of participants considering we are an island nation. Fishing has been a traditional means of earning a living and sustaining some vibrancy in coastal communities in this country for centuries. The number the Minister has given us as regards people availing of this scheme is an indicator of the number of people involved in the industry in general. That is a matter for another debate on another occasion. One of the things we could look at in trying to ensure people continue in this trade and craft is the other small marine-based trades and industries that could avail of fish assist or for which a similar scheme could be introduced. I think particularly of seaweed harvesting.”
“What is the number of participants in the fish assist scheme? How many are there per county? Could we get that information? In light of budget 2026, will the Minister look at the scheme to see if it could be made more attractive for more participants?”
“One issue that pertains to this was brought to my attention last week. It pertains to a number of schools in the Connemara region. Unfortunately, due to the upgrading of guidelines over the summer preventing food from being heated or cooked on site, a number of operators are no longer providing a service to these schools, which has resulted in the loss of the service for the children and families there. The schools are trying to source a new provider but they are having difficulty in doing so. The alteration of the guidelines has caused one or two concerns we need to look at.”
“My understanding is that the preliminary business case highlights that the annual financial contribution required will be 1% of the annual health budget over a ten-year period. We will see substantial benefit from that investment. It will give us the type of facility the Irish Cancer Society talks about in its pre-budget submission and reassure the patients of the west and north west.”
“I appreciate the Tánaiste's response greatly. The one line that really gives me hope is his comment that the master plan for the development of the regional hospital in Galway will be a game-changer. It certainly will. Some of the preliminary works to enable it have started. Some of the outpatient services have moved to Merlin Park University Hospital and there are plans to move more services there to ensure we have a top-class facility for acute requirements and that we also have outpatient and elective services in Merlin Park. However, I ask that the Government look at a commitment under the social infrastructure aspect of the national development plan to make sure this master plan is fully developed and comes to fruition.”
“I am looking for a commitment that the implementation of the master plan for the hospital in Galway will be included in the national development plan and will specifically include all aspects of the progression of the master plan, including the new cancer facility.”
“Among the proposals in the master plan are additional beds, a new accident and emergency unit, a new maternity and paediatrics facility, new laboratories and a new cancer centre. I understand that the preliminary business case for the new master plan will be delivered to the Department of Health by the end of July. Interestingly, in the Irish Cancer Society's pre-budget submission, it calls on the Government to address the deficits in cancer care by prioritising cancer infrastructure in the new national development plan. I noted that in an earlier response, the Tánaiste mentioned the social infrastructure that will be included in the new national development plan.”
“The Tánaiste and I spoke previously about the work of the capital programme oversight board at University Hospital Galway and the need for progression of the infrastructure master plan it has developed. University Hospital Galway is the only model 4 hospital in the HSE west and north west region. It serves a population of more than 850,000 people and that patient population increases to 1.1 million for cancer services, for which it also covers County Clare and parts of the midlands. The Saolta group stated during the development of the master plan that the outdated and suboptimal facilities in the hospital make the provision of adequate care more challenging. Recently, the Minister for Health launched the master plan for the hospital in Galway.”
“McCarthy went on to describe the conditions of the facilities in Galway as follows: In 2016, the day ward in Galway University Hospital had 13,000 visits. By 2024, that had increased to 25,000. Our doctors, nurses, hospital pharmacists and others have done everything they can to minimise waiting times. However, we simply don’t have enough staff, space, or equipment to cope and patients are paying the price. The report went on to note that at University Hospital Galway there is no PET scanner, meaning scans are being conducted privately at a higher cost. The hospital also needs a new CT scanner and facility. One CT scanner is 17 years old and keeps breaking down. Visit volumes have increased as patients require more intense treatment over longer durations.”
“Last week, the Irish Cancer Society launched its pre-budget submission, which highlighted that patients in the west and north west face the longest wait time between cancer diagnosis and commencement of appropriate treatment. Dr. Michael McCarthy, president of the Irish Society of Medical Oncology and a consultant oncologist at University Hospital Galway, said: Working in the West of Ireland, I see the human cost of the postcode lottery in Irish cancer care every day. Once chemotherapy is prescribed, the National Cancer Strategy states that it should start within fifteen working days. The reality in Galway is that patients are now typically waiting seven to eight weeks for their first session. With every week that passes, the risk increases that their cancer will grow, or worse that it will spread to other parts of their body. Dr.”
“In County Galway, for example, there are only two classes for children with mild general learning disabilities. County Galway is the second largest geographical county in the island. It is not fair that children have to travel extensive distances to attend the appropriate class. I am sure the Minister of State will be aware of the review conducted by the inspectorate of the admissions policies of primary and post-primary schools for autistic children and young people. That review expressed some concerns. In its findings, the inspectorate used the term "concerning", and the main concern was that policies in some schools, if they were implemented as written, could prevent children with the greatest level of need from accessing a place in a class for children with additional needs.”
“I concur with the Minister of State on the quality of the teaching personnel who are being produced by our teaching colleges. I just think we need more of them. We genuinely need to review that. There are gaps and vacancies that will not be filled in September. I am concerned about that and I think we need to expand the number of teacher training places. I will bring two other points to the floor for discussion with the Minister of State, one being the categories of classes for children with additional needs. The Minister of State and I had a meeting about this yesterday with parents from the Down Syndrome Ireland Galway branch who are concerned that there is not a sufficient number of the different categories of classes for children with additional needs being provided.”
“To return to the first point I made, I am concerned there will not be sufficient teachers in September to fill the additional 400 places that have been developed through the Minister's efforts for classes for children with additional needs. I say that in light of recent data from the Department showing there are already a large number of vacancies in the sector. That is reaffirmed by data provided by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, INTO. It is a great concern of mine, and schools are concerned by that as well.”
“I am always conscious when we are discussing this topic of the review that was undertaken of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act recently. The research that went into that highlighted clearly that the term "additional needs" is preferable to "special education". I am conscious of that and that my language should be more appropriate. I very much welcome the recent announcement by the Minister of State that training in teacher training colleges will now include a period where the teacher will undertake teaching practice in a classroom for children with additional needs. That will enhance the standard of the teachers being produced.”
“Deputy McAuliffe has asked a pertinent question that is relevant to his constituency but in which I think we all have an interest. It is to ask the number of sanctioned special classes for children with additional needs, as announced earlier this year. The pertinent part is Deputy McAuliffe's request for the number of such classes it is hoped will be operational in autumn 2025. I have raised with the Minister and the Taoiseach the challenge in filling teaching positions. A Department payroll review highlighted 1,200 vacancies in the primary sector during the last term of the school year. I see a great challenge in filling these positions. I ask for an update on that.”
“One wonders about the objective at the outset in undertaking them. As promised in the programme for Government, the guidelines need to be reviewed to try to make sure delivery is made easier.”
“I very much welcome the Minister's response. I have a similar question, Question No. 32, on the commitment in the programme for Government to review the infrastructural guidelines. One of the most frustrating aspects of being a public representative is the time it takes between the concept of a project to its delivery. I was a member of a local authority from 2004 to 2009, and my recollection is that public projects moved a lot quicker during that period than they do now. I welcome the Minister's response on the need to balance the necessity for prudence with the ambition to make sure we deliver projects. I understand the need for prudence and I am not promoting financial recklessness, but I agree with Deputy Crowe. I have found that as the financial appraisal takes place, the costs rise.”
“One other thing that has to be borne in mind is that along the Western Distributor Road, at the retail centre, there is a proposal from the NTA for an interchange facility where bus routes will terminate and new services will begin. For that too, we need to make sure that these bus priority measures are in place to ensure the service works in a seamless manner.”
“Perhaps we will have to look at the development of priority bus lanes along that stretch of the road. I welcome that there seems to be a commitment for it at a future point - I hope that is not long-fingered and that it will happen in the immediate future - to develop priority bus lanes between Clybaun Road and Bishop O'Donnell Road. At the moment there is heavy use of buses in that area. The 405 is one of the busiest bus routes in the city, with a frequency of every 20 minutes, and part of the reason it is not used by more people is that when it departs it immediately enters traffic, especially at peak times. If we can progress the development of bus lanes from Bishop O'Donnell Road to Clybaun Road at the earliest opportunity, we will see more patrons use the service.”
“I had a concern prior to the Minister of State's answer and, in fairness, the answer has gone some way to explaining the decision. There seemed to be a lack of co-ordination in the NTA between the public transport section, which might be responsible for public transport infrastructural development, and the active travel section. That needs to be looked at in future projects. I recognise fully that the existing demand for bus priority measures would be east of the Clybaun Road but it is worth bearing in mind that the NTA is pursuing the development of a park-and-ride facility on the Cappagh Road. I expect people to choose that option in the future as their preferred mode of transport for entering the city and that that will mean an increase in bus frequency between Cappagh and Clybaun Road.”
“I was on the council at the time and that was much welcomed. Part of my contribution at that time on the council was to urge the local authority officials to combine the development of the cycle lanes with enhanced bus infrastructure on the Western Distributor Road as this would give people a lead to the 2016 ambition for the road to develop into a public transport spine. Unfortunately, when the Part 8 for the cycle lanes was published, there was no reference to enhanced bus infrastructure on the road. This is a serious missed opportunity. I believe that we will now develop the cycle infrastructure, and as I said it is very welcome, but we will end up shortly going back and taking out that infrastructure again and hopefully putting in the bus lanes, whereas we should combine the projects now.”
“Currently, the progression of the park and ride and the new bus network will bring buses to an area where there is no bus priority, where those buses will simply join the traffic. I can see the option not being as amenable as it should be were there bus priority measures in place. The Galway transport strategy in 2016 foresaw that the Western Distributor Road would evolve into a dedicated public transport spine including bus priority lanes and a core cycling corridor. In 2020, the NTA provided some funding to Galway City Council to advance a project for the development of bus lanes along as the Western Distributor Road. However, that did not amount to much. Last year, the NTA and Galway City Council proposed the development of segregated cycle lanes along the Western Distributor Road.”
“Part of the city with the poorest public transport provision is the Knocknacarragh area. It is a heavily populated area. Many parts of it have no direct public transport option for the people living there. The Western Distributor Road runs right through the Knocknacarragh area into Rahoon. It is a spinal route with about 15,000 people living in spurs off the Western Distributor Road. Of that new proposed bus network that I mentioned earlier, seven of the ten proposed new routes are expected to traverse the Western Distributor Road at some point. We are also led to believe by the National Transport Authority, NTA, that it is examining the development of a park-and-ride facility in Cappagh, which is right at the end of the Western Distributor Road.”
“The N6 project, the Galway city ring road, is going through the planning process, as is the Dublin road bus corridor. Some have been granted planning but unfortunately have not progressed due to judicial reviews, most notably the cross-city link. In general, Galway citizens will say the strategy has had minimal impact. That is borne out by study after study on the impact of traffic on Galway. The most recent, a Department of Transport study, reckoned the cost of congestion to Galway city will reach €107 million in 2030, far more than other regional cities. Other aspects of the strategy included a park-and-ride strategy, which unfortunately has not progressed, and an enhanced new bus network, the implementation of which has regrettably been deferred to 2027.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith linn ar maidin chun an cheist seo a fhreagairt. The Galway transport strategy was launched with great expectation in 2016. It was heralded to develop an integrated transport system where infrastructural development and improved services would be integrated, giving commuters a greater option rather than simply relying on the car all the time. Regrettably, very few of the projects mentioned in this strategy have been completed. There have been some, such as a new pedestrian bridge across the River Corrib at Salmon Weir, while a small number of cycle routes and stage 1 and stage 2 of the Galway cycle network have been progressed and Ceannt station is under development. Some of the projects are going through the planning process at the moment.”
“I have a great concern that schools will find it difficult to fill the roles associated with those new classes, which will provide schools with great challenges. Some measures have been taken to address the teacher shortage and the lack of teachers available, but the defining measure for me would be an increase in places in the colleges for teacher training. I know the University of Galway has indicated its desire to allow for a postgraduate programme for training primary teachers. I ask the Taoiseach to look at that.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, informed the House last week that all teacher training courses will now include a period where the trainee teacher will work in a classroom for children with additional needs. That is welcome. However, I am concerned by the Department of education payroll review, which highlighted there were 1,800 vacant teaching positions within the system. Some 1,200 of the vacancies are in the primary sector. This correlates with the figures that the INTO has published, which show a significant number of vacant positions and schools having difficulty filling the roles. We have announced 400 additional classes for children with additional needs for this September.”
“One other operational matter I will mention is that I understand that Galway County Council is soon to progress the enhancement of the carpark at the Oranmore railway station which will make it more amenable for people who want to use the station there to park and ride between Oranmore and Galway city. I ask Irish Rail to look specifically at the car park in Athenry and to do something similar there. It should be opened up for the public to use. We should reduce the cost of using it and increase the flow of people using rail services from Athenry in Galway.”