Nessa Cosgrove
Labour Panel · Labour Party · Ireland
“The Minister of State recognised that there was a grassroots movement and the documentary "Groundswell" captured it. There is also the documentary "Gasland", which was made in America and came out in 2010. We know it is going to come from America. Again, this is the Trojan horse.”
“The amendment defines "fracked gas", which does not appear anywhere in the Bill. This, with amendment No. 13, would make clear that the importation of fracked gas would not be possible under the Bill. LNG particularly when sourced in the US, is usually derived from fracking.”
“I move amendment No. 3: In page 8, after line 39, to insert the following: " "hydraulically fractured gas" means liquefied natural gas, or natural gas in any other form, that has been produced, in whole or in part, by means of hydraulic fracturing within the meaning of section 5A of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960;".…”
“I am sorry but I just do not buy the argument that it is security. A floating LNG storage facility in Qatar was blown up. It is actually more of a risk to our security to have a floating LNG terminal. This whole thing is mad.”
“All of us were probably at the IFA briefing yesterday. When they gave us the briefing document I saw that it was exactly the same as the one last year and I wondered whether it had got anything it looked for. I was told not really, apart perhaps with regard to areas of natural constraint.”
“Historians, no doubt, are going to refer to this legislation in that way, because the reserve is not going to be used solely for emergencies. We are trying to define what an emergency is. There is no definition. Seven years ago, we led the way in the international community by committing to phase out oil and gas exploration.”
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“I recognise the work of ALONE, which does tremendous work throughout the country. In my area, I have relied on them often as a county councillor. Senators have spoken about the half a million family carers, many of whom carry out completely unpaid work because they exceed the income threshold. I am delighted to see that the abolition of the means test is included in the programme for Government. I hope it is more than just an aim to phase it out and that it actually will be phased out. For the purposes of today, I would like to concentrate on professional care workers and home care assistants. Whether older people remain in their own homes or move into a nursing home, they are often able to recognise that they provide richness to the lives of their carer. The truth is that all of us like to be useful.”
“While much of the content of today's motion has merit and is welcome, I must echo my colleague, Senator Tully, in saying that Fine Gael has been in government since 2011. I would hope that the commitment from this motion will continue. I welcome the motion's acknowledgement of older people's worth and value as contributors to society, not just economically but in terms of raising family, and the recognition of their contributions as volunteers throughout our society. However, there is much which remains unstated and which is particularly pertinent to this debate. Older people, by continuing to live in their own homes, in their own communities, among their own people, act as stores of wisdom and knowledge and provide tremendous stability, especially to those younger than themselves.”
“Poverty and disadvantage will probably always exist but there is a way forward, and I would like the Minister to intervene in this regard and work across Departments. We could lift nearly 60,000 women out of poverty and disadvantage by recognising their key roles as carers and early years educators and paying them appropriately through very simple State mechanisms such as employment regulation orders and, crucially, by enforcing them.”
“They have fewer collective bargaining rights. I will give a shout out to the Irish Women Workers Unions during the 1945 laundry strike. If it was not for them saying they needed two weeks holidays back to back to look after themselves and their children, getting such holidays would never have happened. Low pay can lead to stress, mental health difficulties, depression, anxiety and addiction. This is amplified by women having the majority of the unpaid care duties and domestic work in the home. There is not a cohabiting couple here that does not argue about the unequal division of unpaid work in the house. Disadvantage is a consequence of poverty and exclusion and women living with economic disadvantage have shorter life expectancies. Traveller women have a life expectancy of 11.5 to 12 years fewer than other Irish women.”
“The current minimum wage is €13.50 per hour but the lowest rate for childcare workers through the employment regulation order for the early years sector is €13.65, which is just 15 cent more than the minimum wage. This is an absolute scandal when we think we could not go out to work if it was not for these early years workers who are looking after our children. The lower hourly rate for care assistants is €14.79 but, shockingly, there are still examples where, despite employment regulation orders, care assistant posts are being advertised for less, particularly in migrant communities, which we rely on so much. It really shows a disrespect to low-paid workers. Low pay has consequences for women’s health. Low-paid workers are likely to have poorer working conditions with regard to sick pay, maternity pay and holidays.”
“The Minister is very welcome. It is great to see a woman in the role and I have no doubt she will excel at it. I will speak about poverty and women’s health. Poverty affects the health of men and women but there is the feminisation of poverty, by which I mean, women experience poverty at a higher level and more severely than men. This is caused by discrimination, breaks in periods of working life and, particularly, low wages in what are seen as female professions, including the caring professions in the areas of home care, healthcare and early years. Up to 98% of people working in the early years sector are women and 79% of people working in social care are women.”
“By the end of 2023, Safe Home Ireland had directly assisted 2,280 Irish-born older people to secure accommodation back in their areas of birth through offers of housing from approved housing bodies and local authorities. While we do celebrate the diaspora and the cultural significance of our teanga and our cultúr and what we bring to the rest of the world, we can also make time to consider some of the lives of Irish people that are not complete until they can find their own way home to these shores. Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.”
“It does not manage any of the properties on its own but works alongside other approved housing bodies and local authorities to find appropriate accommodation for its clients throughout the country. Significantly, all its clients apply to live here while residing abroad. Through its early works, Safe Home Ireland successfully highlighted the plight of people to such an extent that, within one year, it had achieved an amendment to the capital assistance scheme, which meant for the first time those living abroad could be considered for inclusion on social housing application lists. Safe Home Ireland's first client made it home in 2000. He was an elderly man who had already been diagnosed with a terminal disease and Safe Home Ireland made it possible for him to die at home. He was home just six months later.”
“Jerry Crowley was a GP in Mulranny in rural County Mayo and established Safe Home Ireland as an emigrant advice centre that offers housing assistance, information and advice on matters such as banking and social welfare entitlements for older people aged over 57 years currently living in rented accommodation abroad and seeking to return to Ireland after a lifetime abroad. When Safe Home Ireland was first founded, it catered chiefly to men who had been working in the building trade and then found themselves falling on hard times, wanting to but unable to make their own way home. Throughout the years, this has continued to be the case for many people and many people avail of the service. I pay tribute to Safe Home Ireland. It is an approved housing body but it is managed in a different way to the typical approved housing body.”
“They may have been survivors of childhood abuse or mother and baby homes and may often perhaps struggle with addiction that has impacted their lives and those of their families. We know we are in the middle of a housing disaster. I pay tribute to Safe Home Ireland, which is a significant organisation based in rural County Mayo. It helps to make the dreams of returning to Ireland come true for many of our fellow Irishmen and Irishwomen who otherwise would not have been able to make it home. The organisation was established 25 years ago. The west and north-west of Ireland have been severely impacted by emigration before and after the Famine, and since, because of a lack of investment in the region and the consistent unbalanced regional development. Dr.”
“Today, though, as we are talking about the Irish diaspora, it is also the case that others have not been so lucky and have become trapped by life. They are working harder than anyone else in the world just to stand still. Some of those people often dream of returning to Ireland. We can see that this is very rich and evident in some of the poignant songs, poems and stories in our own culture, particularly songs like Christy Moore’s “Missing You” or the many similar references in the Pogues' work about emigration and people unfortunately not being able to make it back, like in “Thousands are Sailing”. I do not want to call them the forgotten Irish, but many people who could not make it back to our shores have had hard stories to tell.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus déanaim comhghairdeas leis as a phost nua. When we think of our Irish diaspora, we often have a mixed idea of what that means. As can be seen from all the contributions here, there is no such thing as a typical Irish emigrant. All our families in Ireland, especially in the west, have been impacted in some way by emigration, for better or worse. Often, people are going to make a better life for themselves and are very happy in their new lives. As islanders, I suppose, emigration is an accepted part of our culture. Some people are happy to leave and this continues to be the case. They contribute to the economic and cultural wealth of their host countries. Many of us spoke about ourselves. I have worked abroad many times and benefited greatly from it.”
“The response we received was that it was not the responsibility of the Minister for housing, even though regeneration comes under the housing brief, and we were redirected to the community centres investment fund at the Department of community development. I urge the Minister for housing to look at this. We all know that, throughout this scheme, the cost of building materials has increased, which was adjusted accordingly for the regeneration of the houses. I ask that it be adjusted to ensure that these three essential services are housed within the centre block and that this wonderful initiative does not fall at the final hurdle.”
“It is Tusla funded and its work is targeted to the most marginalised young people. Another group, called the Cranmore Abbeyquarter Community Centre, is run by a community employment scheme. Another one is Cranmore Community Co-operative which was set up as part of the regeneration programme. They all work together in tandem. They all have particular skill sets. There are professional community development workers, early years workers and family support workers but the budget for the centre block is falling short. Sligo Springboard Family Support Service wrote a letter to the Minister for housing on 26 January to see if the budget for the centre block could be increased to ensure these three organisations are housed in it. It is really important that this happens.”
“I wish to raise the regeneration scheme in Sligo. Cranmore is the biggest public housing estate in Sligo. A really successful regeneration project has been happening since the money was granted in 2016. It is the biggest retrofitting and regeneration of any area in the north west. To date, over 350 houses have been retrofitted. This has completely changed the whole landscape of the estate. Morale has improved and the whole area feels safer. Part of the original plan was for a community centre to form part of the centre block, as it is called locally. The community centre would be made up of the different organisations working in the community in Cranmore. At present there are three different community groups working there. Sligo Springboard Family Support Service works with small children and young people.”
“It is fantastic that the application is going ahead. It will be welcome in the area. It would be great to get a definite answer as to whether the temporary accommodation will be provided. The school is aware it will be a few years before it will be built but in the meantime it really needs toilets and additional space. It would be fantastic if we could get clarification as soon as possible on whether approval has been granted.”
“There is no individual space for students because the school is growing. A lot of new subjects have been introduced and the facilities just are not there. Has an application for emergency accommodation been granted? If not, will the Minister of State confirm when the application will be granted? Will funding be provided to ensure the school can meet the conditions required to address the parking issues which led to the withdrawal of the previous planning application?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht ar ais arís inniu. Grange Post-Primary School in north Sligo is a growing and thriving school. The whole area is developing and the population has increased a lot. The community has been asking for a 14-room extension since at least 2021. The money was approved and allocated for planning of a 14-room extension but the planning application was withdrawn in 2022 because there were not enough available parking spaces. Since 2022, seven additional pupils have joined the school but there is no temporary classroom or toilet provision. The issue was raised in January 2025 when Sligo County Council passed a motion to write to the Minister to advance the construction of an extension at Grange Post-Primary School and to grant an application for immediate emergency accommodation.”
“We definitely need a second rail track, and an early morning train service that would allow people to work and attend lectures in Sligo in the morning because we have a serious problem with no student accommodation.”
“The cancer care services were taken away from Sligo and relocated to Galway and Dublin. There are a lot of elderly people who have to go on the cancer bus that goes from Sligo to Galway, which is not fit for purpose, or on the train. I will again raise the state of the catering cart on all trains. It is back on the Cork to Dublin and Dublin to Belfast trains, but there are elderly people travelling on trains where there is no water or cup of tea available. These are basic things that should be provided on a train. I tabled an amendment for that to be included in this motion. There is ambition in the programme for Government and I am delighted to see the transport police included because there has been some antisocial behaviour. Another area that could be looked at is having a commuter bus from Longford to Sligo. There is only one train.”
“Lecturers and other teachers will say that, but people have to go all across the country to get from one to the other. We are encouraging people to get out of their cars, but it is simply not a possibility in the north west. It is in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review that the western rail corridor will be extended from Athenry to Claremorris, but we need to be ambitious about it. All my colleagues in the west of Ireland would say that it is only a tiny bit further to push it on as far as Sligo. I would love to be ambitious again and push it up to Donegal. We call it the spine of Connacht because it will open up the west. The west needs to be woken up. We can alleviate some of the housing crisis in Dublin and some of the infrastructure difficulties in the bigger cities, but we need the infrastructure to match.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus go n-éirí an t-ádh leis leis an bpost nua. Cá thosóidh mé leis an public transport in the north west and west? Any of the Seanadóirí who speak here about public transport and general transport infrastructure could draw a line from Galway downwards and see the lack of available public transport systems, but the road infrastructure from the west and north west up is also an issue. We have spoken a lot about opening the western rail corridor and there is a lot of support coming from many different groups for that. The Atlantic Technological University, ATU, has nine campuses between Sligo, Mayo and Donegal. They should be connected and people should be able to go from one campus to the next.”
“Saying sorry and trying to do better next time are essential components of trying to repair damaged relationships, and some Ministers could well learn from remembering that.”
“Tara Shine has been warning us since 2011 to get prepared. This is climate catastrophe in action. We have been warned since 2011. Storm Ophelia in 2017, Storm Ellen in 2020 and Storm Darragh at the end of last year were all warnings that we needed to get our house in order so we can build resilience against the likelihood of more storms as climate change continues and accelerates. An essential part of that resilience is that people need to have faith that we will learn from our mistakes and put plans in place to make things better the next time. We need to be able to rely on the authorities and members of the Government, and figures in authority need to know when there are failings and how to put them right.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, only responded last week on our local radio station, Ocean FM, not by acknowledging there were some shortcomings but by attacking and making a direct response to the local representative saying he would not accept any criticisms whatsoever from that certain county councillor or from anyone else. It is clear to anyone who had eyes and ears on the ground that the Government response was not as good as it should have been. The west and the north west were again treated with contempt and were given crumbs from the table. Every person who has spoken has said that water supplies should never have been lost. Community generators could have been stockpiled for distribution to areas affected for prolonged periods. This is not being wise after the event. Dr.”
“However, while the Dáil remained in recess, citizens in counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal wanted to see their leaders on the ground and wanted to know their needs had been acknowledged and their concerns had been addressed. Instead, an attitude of having done all they can persists. The new Minister for forestry was criticised by a local county councillor on local radio for being conspicuous by his absence instead of coming to see first-hand the damage done as some members of the community were 21 days without power.”
“The Coach House Hotel in Ballymote, County Sligo, for example, was one of the first to throw open its doors for free use as a warm, dry place for people to come to work, charge their devices, shower or just relax and have a cup of tea. A similar example of community services was shown by GAA groups and sports clubs throughout the region and country. Community organisations and individuals cannot fill the void left by a lack of governmental response. They do not have the resources or the responsibility and citizens know that. People keep asking where the leadership was when they needed it. I know Ministers felt they were better working in the Departments, and they may technically have been correct.”
“The Sligo Champion reported on the case of an elderly couple, Seamus and May, who resorted to living in the kitchen huddled together around their old solid fuel range and who were lighting this space with their tractor, which was left running outside and shining through the kitchen window. That is not okay. I am thinking about people who were given humanitarian relief forms by local county councillors, who admitted as they handed them out, that nobody knew what could and could not be claimed for. I know from speaking to other Seanadóirí that there was no consistency to this and there were different rules for different counties. The response was a shambles in my opinion. Community organisations and community-minded individuals stepped up, and without them where would we have been?”
“This is the loss of faith many people in the west and north west have experienced due to feeling neglected and virtually ignored by the State and the anger they feel as this is being repeated across many spheres. We all accept this storm was unprecedented, but while many people in urban centres had power and communications rapidly restored, for rural communities across the country, the suffering seemed to go on and on. I am thinking about communities such as Geevagh and Highwood in rural County Sligo, many of which were without power for two weeks having only just recovered from Storm Darragh last December.”
“There is no doubt that Storm Éowyn caused devastation to power and communication networks throughout the country as well as the financial loss caused through damage, including the loss of 4.1 million tonnes of timber or 11,740 ha of forestry. Other Senators have spoken, as I will, about looking for redress for forest owners and I have submitted this as a Commencement matter for next week. In my area of County Leitrim this can be a direct result of the overforestation of a monoculture of Sitka spruce. I focus today on a different type of loss and damage, which may take as long or be as difficult to restore as any amount of forestry. This is the damage that cannot be seen. I am talking about the damage done to the relationship between the citizen and the State.”
“This will not cost the Northern Ireland Assembly a penny, but it is being blocked purely by tribal politics. Is náireach an chás é sin agus tá súil agam that we will reach some kind of agreement.”
“Earlier in February, a group of community organisations affected by the €822,000 in cuts undertook the Solution Now, Fair Investment campaign, which calls for both Governments to immediately adopt the new funding agreement, along with a commitment from Foras that, should any increase in the grant be received, the first priority will be a reversal to all these cuts, and that Foras na Gaeilge be provided with at least an additional €20 million, as outlined in the growth plan. It is nothing less than a scandal that these groups feel they have no option other than to go on strike. Some of them may be outside the gates of Leinster House today. We need to stand together in solidarity to ensure the Irish Government puts pressure on its counterpart in the North to resolve this issue immediately.”
“Neither Administration can increase or decrease their contribution without upsetting the percentage balance. Agreement was reached between the two finance ministers, however, to allow either party to increase their budget without affecting the contribution of the other, but this has been blocked by the DUP. This has resulted in a situation whereby the Government in the Republic has funding ready to go but one political party, which got just 21% of the popular vote in the Six Counties, is vetoing a 32-county funding increase which would not cost it even a penny. This will impact on services. I have been contacted by a number of community services on the ground regarding the direct impact on paying for their heat and rent and the groups they run in schools. It is having an enormous effect on communities and small businesses.”
“Is rud an-tábhachtach é seo. Foras na Gaeilge was established in 1999 under the auspices of the Good Friday Agreement and is responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the whole island of Ireland. Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community and has a much longer history than Foras, having been established under Douglas Hyde. I am raising this issue because a half-day strike has been called today to challenge both Governments, North and South, to reverse funding cuts of €820,000 announced recently by Foras which have been caused by the DUP directly blocking a revised funding structure. Under the terms of the agreement, the Government in the Republic provides 75% of the funding and the northern Government provides 25%.”
“There has been investment in playgrounds, recreational space and lighting. The budget has fallen short, however, and the community centre is going to suffer. The approach should be flipped upside down because the community centre should be the first place invested in and everything should be built around it. I hope the Minister of State will listen to what people on the ground are saying, those who are working directly with young people and community groups. If there are going to be new local community safety partnerships, I hope that public participation networks, PPNs, community groups and people working directly with young people in addiction services, Garda diversion programmes and youth work services will form a part of the conversation.”
“There needs to be further investment for the supplementary pension allowance. Retention of staff is the biggest issue. If we want to reduce crime and make people safer in their communities, we must keep the people working in the communities. The way things are going with wages, people are not being encouraged into, and are not staying in, the sector. The issue of the regeneration of areas has been raised. Senator Duffy made reference to it. Many regeneration programmes have been successful through working with different Departments, including the Department of housing. In Sligo, for example, there was considerable investment in the regeneration of Cranmore. It has changed things. Morale has changed and there is a better sense of pride in the community. People seem safer.”
“Unless there is investment in front-line community people who work in services and do community work at the front line, the crime rate will go up. Prevention works, as does youth work. We need to have a conversation about freeing up Garda time. It was welcome to see cautions brought in for adults who are caught in possession of a small amount of cannabis for personal use. We need a broader conversation about legalising cannabis. We need to consider how many of our resources are taken up, including police time that could be diverted to dealing with violent crime or gender-based violence. We have all spoken about Garda recruitment this year, and the recruitment and retention of Garda members. There needs to be an increase in the supplementary payment to gardaí. There needs to be investment in Templemore.”
“That is the elephant in the room when we talk about crime. There was an important citizens' assembly on the use of drugs and taking a health and social education model to drug use. We need to start looking seriously at the decriminalisation of drugs and the users of drugs. There is another area within crime prevention that we would support. Joint policing worked well. The Labour Party is in favour of the new local community safety partnerships, the membership of which will include 51% community members. The reduction of crime cannot be done on its own and we need to fully resource youth and community services. Youth workers are leaving the sector at an alarming rate because they are on low wages. Youth workers cannot be recruited. I urge the Minister of State to engage with section 39 workers. I am like a broken record on that point.”
“People have the right to feel safe in their communities but they also have the right to thrive in their communities. I worked as a youth worker for more than 20 years. No young person wakes up in the morning and decides they will commit a crime. No young person decides throughout their life that they will become an addict. Crime cannot be treated in isolation. Years of underinvestment in front-line youth services and community-based services have led to this. I think the community policing model worked. Senator Duffy said this as well. I would love to see a move back to the community policing model. When I started in youth work more than 20 years ago, there was always a community garda presence, and that seems to have been eradicated over recent years. We need to look at the whole area of drug use.”
“Eileen has raised issues here that had never been raised previously, including the high suicide rate among the Traveller community. It is very important that we have representation of everyone in the House. It is a highly revered House and it is extremely important that it is a true reflection of society. Politics should reflect society and it is very important that senior roles in the Seanad also reflect society.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to second the nomination of Seanadóir Eileen Flynn. I have known Eileen for a number of years through her work in promoting equality. She has always spoken up for the underdog. Eileen has proven herself in fighting against the odds. She has proven herself to be a brave and courageous woman. She has come from a disadvantaged background and has experienced racism and discrimination all her life. She is standing in the Seanad, where she has made significant contributions. As someone who was recently elected and who was an outsider looking in, Eileen reflects balance in the House. It is important that there be balance with the Opposition with regard to the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach roles.”
“The people who are working in section 39 organisations are working with the most vulnerable groups in society. I urge the Minister to make contact with SIPTU to ensure that agreement can be reached and the Government fulfils its promise. The second part-----”
“Pay parity is an issue and in fairness to the WRC, the first part of the agreement was that some of the gap would be filled with an initial pay increase but the other part of the agreement was that the overall issue would be addressed, once and for all, with a view to achieving full pay parity between section 39 workers and those employed by the HSE. Just before the election, Government Ministers could not say enough about support for section 39 workers but, unfortunately, it is not mentioned anywhere in the programme for Government. The last update I got from SIPTU was that the Minister, Deputy Foley, had said she wanted to talk and discuss how to progress this further. Members have been balloted for industrial action and unless the Minister intervenes very quickly, strike action is going to happen. People do not want to do that.”
“I want to raise the issue with two different Ministers today. Both are work-related and are about two vulnerable groups of workers. Like Senator Collins, I raise the issue of section 39 workers. These workers are very close to taking industrial action, which they do not want to do. No one wants to go on strike but their hand is being forced. I urge the Minister, Deputy Foley, to intervene. An agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, in October 2023 and I know that the former Minister of State, now Senator Rabbitte, was involved with this. There were two parts to that agreement for section 39 workers who were doing exactly the same job as people employed directly by the State in the areas of disability, elderly care and social care but had lesser contracts and much poorer working conditions.”
“It was removed during Covid. It has returned on the Dublin-Belfast train and the Cork-Dublin train. I ask the Minister for Transport why it has not come back to the north west. Maybe it is indicative of the emphasis that is placed on transport in our region.”
“I would welcome the debate to include the rail corridor in the strategic all-Ireland rail review. Also, on the point of public transport, I raise the issue of why the catering trolley has not returned on the Sligo-Dublin train.”
“I would like to follow on from all the points that have been raised here around the balance of transport. I would welcome a debate with the Minister for Transport to look at the imbalance there is when we look at the west and north west of Ireland in terms of public transport. I refer to the train line but also the N17, the N54 and the N15. We have been overlooked as a region. I know other Senators such as Senator Noonan have raised the Local Link services which have transformed rural Ireland. It has definitely transformed our part of the world. We need an emphasis on opening up the western rail corridor. We refer to it locally as the spine of Connacht and it will transform both North and South. We talk about economic development and having an all-Ireland approach.”
“As a recently appointed spokesperson for workers' rights, as a proud trade unionist and as a youth worker all my life, I will be a strong advocate for people who are fighting within organisations under section 39 and section 58 and for low-pay workers, and for the vulnerable people who they represent, in essential front-line services across areas of youth work, addiction, healthcare and disability. Tá mé ag iarraidh go mbeimis ag obair le chéile. As for how I will treat this House, I think we can bring about massive changes to it in the respect we can give to it. I want us to work with each other so that we can constructively make sure the north west, the midlands and the west stay on the map.”
“I am proud to have been recently appointed Labour Party spokesperson for rural and community development and for the Gaeltacht to represent muintir na Gaeltachta agus na hoileáin. I will represent people well in this area. For years, we have had a non-existent train service in the north west and west. There is overforestation of Sitka spruce in Leitrim and people are living in crumbling houses all across Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. We are looking for 100% redress.”
“I particularly thank my husband, Conor; my three children, Sarah, Tom and Saul; and mo thuismitheoirí, Seán agus Theresa O'Callaghan ó Chaisleán na Leacht i nDroichead na Bandan. I suppose they instilled an interest in politics in me and in members of my family from a young age. I can add this to the Cavan connection - my in-laws in Cootehill in County Cavan. Representatives of rural constituencies face similar issues to those in urban areas. We face a lack of housing, inadequate transport infrastructure, low pay and under-resourcing of local authorities. Despite this, areas of the north west, west and midlands are often overlooked because we have issues that are particular to our areas. This is why I want to be a representative.”