Peter Roche
Galway East · Fine Gael · Ireland
“As the Minister of State mentioned, there are instances where students and families have benefited from school transport tickets. There are also many instances where they are not utilised. If there was a formula or mechanism to make sure that only those who need them apply, it would help the situation.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. I get the whole cost of providing transport, but access to education begins with access to transport. For any parent who finds themselves in receipt of a refusal for a bus ticket for next year, it is the most compelling and difficult thing they have to deal with.”
“Like the Minister, I want to wish our gallant Galway hurlers everything that is good on Sunday, but that is not why I stood up to speak. I am anxious, given the spate of correspondence coming into my office, about the school transport scheme and how some families find themselves ineligible or refused transport for the next year.”
“I want to put the spotlight on the primary medical certificate and the very rigid rules there are with regard to eligibility. It is fine if a person has a very physical disability; they will qualify. Those who lose eyesight, for example, would not be eligible. The appeals process is also quite complex.”
“As the Tánaiste is aware, this is Men's Health Week. Government policy acknowledges or recognises that improving men's health has clear benefits for families, partners and children right across society. A key part of that is the experience of early parenthood. I refer to paternity leave in particular in this regard.”
“The Courts Service owns a building in the heart of Tuam that has been derelict for the past 15 years. As part of the National Development Plan 2018 to 2027, reference was made to the possibility of it being refurbished at the end of that period. We are in the middle of 2026 and there is no sign of that.”
The complete record
Every one of 178 lines we hold for Peter Roche, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 4.
“I am not so sure that exercise would be available to us if Irish Water were asked for it. Until such time as we have an inventory of what is underground, whether it be malfunctioning, defective or in need of repair, and the projected numbers with regard to housing delivery, we will not really be able to forecast how many people we have to make provision for in terms of housing for the future. I do not envy the Minister of State his job at all. There have been a lot of concerns and there has been a lot of criticism of Irish Water and the deficits and maybe the deficiencies within what it is doing and providing. I have had some lovely experiences where I got an immediate response from the guys on the ground. However, sending an email to Irish Water HQ and expecting a speedy response is a horse of a different colour entirely.”
“That was in 2007, and here we are today in 2025, when there is a greater demand and, one might say, greater pressure in terms of what has to be transported from the city. There is an acknowledgment there. An Taisce has said this; it is public knowledge. Really and truly, whether one is in east Galway or in Galway city or anywhere else on the island of Ireland, there are chronic deficits that need to be bridged. From where I am standing and as I have said before, most of the haemorrhaging in terms of providing housing is because of the lack of that basic infrastructure. Who funds Irish Water? That is the question that needs to be asked. Has it done an inventory as to what is required county by county to service the current and projected housing needs in our county?”
“We do not have investment by Irish Water to provide sewage treatment facilities in order that those communities can grow. On a bigger scale, however, and this is really concerning, is an executive summary by An Taisce with regard to the deficits in wastewater in our city. I have it with me, not that anyone wants to hear about it or see it. Of course, most people from east Galway who have a job commute into the city for that purpose. In 2007, An Taisce established that one of three pipes, the larger of the three, was ultimately taking the water from east of the city and Oranmore across to Mutton Island. For those people who would not understand the geography, Mutton Island is just off the coast of Galway. An Taisce discovered that the larger of the pipes was at risk of collapsing.”
“I will, and I genuinely thank the Minister of State for his compassion, but the reason I am saying this and bringing this true story to the House is that this is replicated in many other cases right around the county. This woman has water but may as well have none because she would be ten times better off going outside her back door or her front door, bringing in gallons of water and putting it into the attic in the first place in order that she can have a functioning shower. Going back to a lot of the commentary all day, I have spoken in this House at least twice in recent times about the deficits in Irish Water's investment in infrastructure, wastewater and water supply. There are many cases and many villages - I will not repeat what I said two weeks ago - that are ripe for developing.”
“This requires this poor woman to get a water connection in order that she can function and her house can have the benefit of a shower, whether it be pump or electric. That is a gospel-true story; it is not made up.”
“Irish Water, however, in its wisdom - I do not know why - has decided that this is not its responsibility because it has inherited this asset. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. I have an email the poor lady sent me on 20 February pleading that something be done about her situation. We are all very much aware of how challenging things were in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, when we had to find alternative sources of water. That was temporary; it was a couple of days. For this poor family, however, this poor woman, it is every single day of the week and every day of the year. There must be some mechanism whereby Irish Water can prioritise or look sympathetically, on a humanitarian level, at her situation.”
“It is fair to say they had a lot of sympathy for her and did their utmost to identify what the problems were and how they could be resolved, and I respect them for that. The lady herself was very pleased the officials met her and promised her something would happen. What was to happen, however, was that the water services were to engage with the representatives of Irish Water and Irish Water was to put it into its capital plan - in other words, bring a new connection from the main road to her bungalow, a distance of roughly 120 m. That is a brand spanking new connection and it would not require even a road crossing. It would require a road-opening licence and would bring a new two-inch water service past her house. That would service the family house, her son's house across the road. There is also an agriculture connection.”
“As a consequence of the way things progressed, the group water scheme transferred that asset over to Uisce Éireann, upon which she discovered a chronic lack of water pressure, so much so - and we are not getting glorious summers or anything like that - that each time there was any kind of pressure on the system, whether from extreme frost, very warm temperatures or water leakages, that poor lady had to climb into the attic to fill the tank so she could have the dignity of having a shower. I find it unbelievable to think that in 2025, that lady finds herself in a scenario like that. Let me fast forward. In my previous role as a local representative on Galway County Council, I brought her situation and plight to the attention of water services.”
“I have listened with interest to all the comments throughout the day. If there is anyone from Irish Water listening, I will not take from their woes or suggest it is better than what has been suggested. However, I preface my remarks by saying my engagement with the Irish Water representatives on the ground, when it comes to dealing with local, small issues, has been quite positive. That is against the background that I know these individuals and I respect them hugely for their speedy responses in times of need. I want to bring to the attention of the Minister of State a situation that is ongoing for quite some time. A lovely, elderly lady, a widow, had a water connection from a group water scheme for donkey's years - 20 odd years. She lives on the outskirts of Tuam and has a modest bungalow.”
“They include raw ingredients like nuts, fruit, packaging, specialist feeds and tech components. New tariffs on both US imports and EU retaliatory measures threaten the profitability of these businesses. Rising input costs cannot always be passed on to customers or consumers, especially in a competitive export market. The SMEs are not multinational corporations. They operate on tight margins. They are often in family ownership and are deeply embedded in our local economy. Their resilience is critical to rural jobs, food production and regional sustainability. We need to protect our indigenous businesses and not allow them to become collateral damage as a consequence. Tariff wars between global superpowers like the EU and the US should not become a burden borne by Irish SMEs.”
“It would be pleasant if President Trump came along next week and said that this was an April fools' joke, but I doubt that will happen. There has been lots of commentary over the past couple of days about the impact this will have on our multinational corporations. However, I want to speak a little about the SMEs that make up 99.8% of our Irish businesses and employ more than two thirds of the workforce, which is an interesting statistic. Galway East is, thankfully, home to a thriving network of SMEs, for example, in the agrifood sector, which is the backbone of our rural economy and communities. That needs to be maintained and sustained. Many of these small businesses rely on imported ingredients and materials, some of which come from the United States.”
“Galway East is a large and geographically spread constituency with growing towns and rural areas facing some of the same pressures as urban centres. I refer to social isolation, economic challenges and digital vulnerability. In communities like Athenry, Loughrea, Gort and Mountbellew, young people face tough choices and tough environments. If we are serious about prevention, we need to provide these communities with the same level of support that is being made available elsewhere. We simply cannot have an eircode lottery when it comes to giving young people a second chance or a first opportunity.”
“That is why any serious prevention strategy must now include digital education and media literacy, teaching young people how to think critically, navigate safely and value themselves beyond likes, trends and viral challenges. Let me be clear, in that the most sustainable and effective model is a preventative one. If we act early in schools, communities and families, we will reduce the need for intervention later. It is not just about better outcomes socially; it is a smarter use of our resources. It costs far less to support a young person through education, mentorship and youth services than to deal with the consequences of crime, trauma and incarceration down the line. However, when we look at the national picture and at east Galway in particular, there are gaps in services.”
“When we invest in community-based outlets, youth engagement and local leadership and support, we give young people real alternatives. We give them self-esteem, structure and connection. We need to stop treating youth justice as a crisis response system and start treating it as a chance to build up rather than clean up. Alongside local supports, we need to recognise the growing influence of social media on our young people's lives. Today's teenagers are growing up in a world where much of their identity, self-worth and connection is shaped online. Social media can be a force for creativity and belonging but it can also fuel anxiety, impulsive behaviour, peer pressure and isolation. Platforms designed for instant gratification and public validation can distort a young person, which can lead to risky and harmful behaviour.”
“As an east Galway representative, I will speak not just about diverting young people from criminal activity, but about something deeper, that is, how we give young people a life to choose so that they do not fall into crime in the first instance. When we talk about prevention, we must talk about access to services, safe spaces and support systems. Young people need somewhere to go, something to do and someone to listen. Most young people need to be understood. A simple sports club, a youth café, a creative project and a space where they can simply speak and be heard are not luxuries, but essentials. In far too many areas, including parts of my own constituency, these options are very limited or non-existent. The evidence is clear, however.”
“We also need to find a mechanism to invest in Irish Water in order for it to invest in the villages and rural towns I am talking about. In the absence of that investment, clearly, the deficits to which I have referred will continue. I have the greatest respect and, in equal measure, sympathy for the Minister because of the task at hand, but at the end of the day, if we are serious about the job at hand and the investment that needs to be made, wastewater treatment systems are a must to unlock the delivery and development of sustainable housing across the country.”
“The worrying thing is that the Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly highlighted the wastewater treatment in many towns and villages because of its failure to meet EU environmental standards. That is affecting the growth in our housing stock. It is also affecting public health, which is something that we should all be very concerned about. What is more worrying than anything is that Irish Water has consistently said that it will take two decades before it can bring the standards with regard to wastewater treatment systems up to where it is practical or usable. That does not sit well with me because I will be long gone by the time that we will have reached that point. It behoves us, as a Government, and the Department to look at the massive cry for the need for additional housing across the country.”
“That is why I am passionate that we must change the guidelines or the rules pertaining to planning and Irish Water's capacity or ability to be able to deliver wastewater treatment systems. I know there is a lot of criticism with regard to the sewage or package treatment plants that now seem to be a thing of the past, but they are functioning in many rural villages. If we cannot develop rural wastewater sewage treatment systems in 2025, what are we at? We did that rather efficiently over the last decade or two and they are still functioning in our villages. That also begs the question as to whether we can invest further in those that are malfunctioning as some of them are.”
“It is fair to say that the rural communities are mostly where the rural occupant or rural dweller wants to put his or her first home, particularly the sons and daughters of rural dwellers. There is a win-win there for everyone, because if young couples have an opportunity to build their first home in the local village, they will utilise the local shop, the local post office and local GP. They will be supplying a network of talent to the local GAA and soccer teams, and all of the positive things that go with investing in rural villages. That is something I feel really passionate about. I did not refer to rural schools. There are many rural schools, one of which I visited last weekend, that are crying out for one or two students to save a teacher for next year.”
“In my own county, there are villages such as Craughwell, Ardrahan, Abbeyknockmoy, Corofin, Barnaderg, Monivea and many more that are stagnant, for want of a better word. They are stuck in time because they cannot develop any further due to the lack of wastewater infrastructure. It is a crying shame when communities that are ripe and are regarded as settlement centres do not have the capacity to invite new people to come in and develop their first home within that settlement area because of the lack of wastewater provision. That does not feel right. One of the things we have all advocated for, and continue to advocate for, is for rural communities and investment in rural villages, particularly when it comes to wastewater. Heretofore, most of the emphasis has been on the greater urban settings with regard to that kind of investment.”
“I am not going to take from the Minister's woes. There has been a lot of debate with regard to housing and the need for it within our country. Obviously, as some contributors have already indicated, housing supply and wastewater infrastructure go hand in hand. It has to be said that the lack of investment in wastewater treatment infrastructure is one of the greatest roadblocks in many ways in the supply of housing, particularly across the rural parts of the country. I will be parochial because I represent Galway East and County Galway when it comes to the provision of housing. Without proper wastewater facilities, new developments are delayed or unviable. Planning permission is also another major issue. Many rural areas cannot approve new housing projects because of wastewater infrastructure, in that it is inadequate or at full capacity.”
“We must not lose the experience we have in the force. Retention is an issue and we need to focus on retaining the experience of dedicated members and to look sympathetically on cases such as that young garda. She loves her job and the testimonials from her colleagues in Dublin about her experience and value to the force are very positive. I wish the system would look more favourably on her situation and afford her an opportunity to build her future in the Garda, commuting daily while still being able to care for her personal and professional business at home in east Galway.”
“In his absence, I wish the Minister for Justice well in his role. The issue I wished to raise with the Minister concerns gardaí seeking transfers, particularly the case of a young garda based in Dublin city from my neck of the woods, Abbeyknockmoy, just outside Tuam, She is a married woman with a mortgage on a new property she and her husband built in the last few years. They are blessed with a young child of a couple of months and the plan is for her to return to work. She has been pleading since 2021 for a transfer from Dublin back home to the west or as near it as possible. Within an hour's commute of her home with be great. The round trip from her home currently is 370 km per day. That is a big challenge. Having to find accommodation in Dublin while paying a mortgage in east Galway is not the most desirable situation.”
“Exceptional cases need exceptional solutions. As we look to the future of healthcare in Ireland, our goal must be clear. When a treatment exists that can transform a life, we must find a mechanism to make it accessible, balancing budgetary realities with compassion and common sense. Professor Carey's story is not just about one patient. It is about the need for clear pathways that allow clinical experts to advocate for their patients. It is about ensuring our healthcare system is agile enough to respond to unique situations with empathy and urgency.”
“However, when the original treatment plan began to lose its effectiveness, her medical team developed a new dual therapy approach to restore her quality of life. One of these critical medications was subsequently revoked by the HSE because it could not approve the combination, leaving her without the treatment she so desperately needed. Over the course of a few months, her condition deteriorated so drastically that she is now profoundly disabled, unable to manage basic daily tasks or care for her 18-month-old child. Of course, this is not a criticism of the healthcare professionals or the HSE, which has historically been incredibly supportive in providing access to advanced care and expensive treatments. I am genuinely appreciative of that. It is vital that our policies remain flexible and patient-focused.”
“I echo the sentiments of my colleagues in wishing the Minister and Minister of State well in their new jobs. The story I want to relate was told on Galway Bay FM last Friday by Professor John Carey, a consultant in rheumatology in Galway county. He shared a very poignant and difficult story about a young mum in her 30s with a young child of 18 months. She had a severe arthritic condition called enteropathic arthritis. That debilitating condition has completely wrecked her life. Before the illness she was a vibrant and functioning member of society, a mother and an active contributor to her community. With the right combination of medications, she was able to regain her health, return to work and take back her life.”
“I am anxious to understand whether the Government has any plan to offer some supports or grant assistance to bring those back into meaningful use again, by way of restoration, preservation or refurbishment.”
“This is my first opportunity to speak in the House. I want to comment on a tragic event that happened in my community over the past few days where we lost our icon, the great Galway hurler Michael Coleman. I convey my sympathies to his wife, Mary, his son, Dara, and his daughter, Sinéad, and the wider Coleman family. They have given so much to Galway and to hurling. If you drive around east Galway, you will see that many farm buildings have been devastated. Some of these are quite historic and are included in the listed building category. As we all know, many of them are used to house cattle, sheep and other animals at this time of year. Some are beyond repair.”