Albert Dolan

I speak regularly to sole traders, farmers, tradespeople and small business owners who are under immense pressure from rising costs, irregular income patterns and administrative burden. Many also remain concerned about the level of protection available to them if illness strikes or if business slows. Will the Taoiseach look seriously at strengthening supports for the self-employed, including areas…

There is growing concern in the town of Athenry in east Galway that a service that was introduced - the 6.50 a.m. train service from Athenry to Galway city - will be lost. In October 2025, this service was added as a temporary service in light of the works that were ongoing at Ceannt Station and Oranmore Station. As the Minister of State can imagine, there are many people who now rely on and benef…

I appreciate the Minister of State’s comments and sentiment. This new service was welcomed when it started last October. The critical piece of the Minister of State’s reply is that these carriages were stabled at Athenry, which allowed for the early commuter service. I completely welcome the works and the incredible transformation and investment that have taken place at Ceannt Station. Regardless …

I raise with the Taoiseach the case of Carrabane National School in east Galway. This school is on the priority list for development, and we welcome that, but the prefabs at the school are falling apart. The tenders were received for this building in January 2024. We are now in April 2026 and the Department of education has not yet made a decision on whether it will proceed. Will the Taoiseach ple…

I welcome this discussion on the future of rural policy and on Our Rural Future. I welcome the opening and consideration of the consultation for same. It is so important people right across this country, whether they are in an urban or rural area, contribute to what they believe the future of rural Ireland should look like and that we reflect on the first phase of this plan in terms of what went r…

130. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the assessment his Department has made of the impact of recent fuel price increases on small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in transport, construction and agri-related sectors; and if he will outline any targeted supports under consideration. [30164/26]

Has the Department prepared any assessment of the recent rise in fuel prices and the impact it is having on small and medium businesses in agri-related sectors and the construction and transport sectors?

I want to make something abundantly clear and it is very important that I get this point across. Let us take someone in the agri-sector who is contracting day in, day out. If their machine is costing them an extra €200 a day to keep on the road, that amounts to a grand a week, which is over €50,000 a year. No business can survive that. That is why this intervention is absolutely critical. School b…

I welcome the intervention and the sizeable package that has been put in place, but it is like any scheme or package that was rolled out over the past few years. It is about how quickly a business can get this into its bank account to provide cashflow and liquidity so it can continue in business and get through a difficult and turbulent time. It is critical that the supports that are put in place …

When we talk about these statements post the European Council meeting, it is so important that we have a conversation about the positive role that Europe and being part of Europe can play in all our lives. We are yet to see many of the benefits that were envisaged in a European Union and from a trade perspective. We do not have an opportunity to deal with banks across Europe. We do not have an opp…

It is something that I have raised with the Minister. Roisin and Peggy from Down Syndrome Galway had a fantastic meeting with the Minister. I wish to reiterate the issue that exists in that circular regarding the special speech and language disorder classes and having accessibility for everyone to them. I will use my two minutes - not that the Minister is not aware - as a reminder of how important…

14. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department’s statement of strategy for 2025 to 2028. [16742/26]

The Taoiseach's reply highlighted a number of priorities. One area of key focus is disability. The Cabinet committee on disability is going to try to push forward with the national rights strategy for disabled people 2025-30. One key area the Government needs to focus on is accessibility in our towns, particularly towns like Athenry, Tuam, Gort and Loughrea. These are towns in Galway East where, i…

Tomorrow we will all collectively celebrate Daffodil Day and we will support the Irish Cancer Society. I see many Members across the House donning the daffodil today. In Galway last year, 1,332 people were diagnosed with cancer and in 2024, sadly, 531 people died at the hands of this disease. One thing we in this House can do is try to alleviate some of the pressures people face when they are batt…

It is great to be able to speak here today on International Women's Day and to discuss so many issues facing women right across this country, particularly in our role as representatives to ensure we represent all voices. I say that as a man standing here speaking while thinking about my mother, my three lovely sisters and all the women I meet every week in my constituency clinics and the issues th…

We need to be abundantly clear here. Families across this country are under serious pressure and the fuel costs are a major part of that pressure. In Galway East and across rural Ireland, people do not have a choice. They rely on their cars every day to get to work, bring their children to school and keep their livelihoods going, and right now, they are being squeezed. When people are paying more…

It is important for me to outline the changing landscape we are seeing for young people on social media and the impact recommender algorithms are having on them. In my generation, when we went into secondary school we still had phones where you could call and text people and that was the extent of it. By the time we were in junior certificate, everyone had a smartphone. Everyone had Instagram and …

In 2022, the Government announced a fantastic scheme to provide sewerage services to unsewered villages. Two of those villages, Craughwell and Clarinbridge, are in County Galway, and a sum of €21.9 million was allocated. Subsequently at the end of last year, the Minister, Deputy Browne, increased that to €29.9 million, which was fantastic and it reduced the matched funding contribution from the co…

It has been three years and nothing has happened.

Is mór an onóir dom seasamh anseo sa Dáil inniu chun labhairt faoi ábhar atá an-ghar do mo chroí agus do chroí an náisiúin, is é sin, ár dteanga náisiúnta, an Ghaeilge. Agus muid i lár Sheachtain na Gaeilge, cuirfidh mé tús le mo chuid cainte trí comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le Conradh na Gaeilge agus le gach duine atá bainteach le heagrú na féile iontaí seo. Bliain i ndiaidh bliana, tugann sí spreaga…

167. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when he intends to announce the next round of funding under the community sports facilities fund; if any amendments to the eligibility or assessment criteria are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16722/26]

When the Minister of State visited Tuam with his officials and held a meeting to give all the clubs in County Galway an understanding of what changes they might be able to anticipate in the upcoming sports capital programme and answer the questions they had, it was very warmly received. That was a really productive exercise. I welcome his statement to the effect that applications will open in May …

I appreciate everything the Minister of State said. One thing that needs to be made crystal clear to clubs this year is the promotion of female participation. I do not think we give it enough attention. We have to make sure that any club that is offering sport to males and females has to offer equal opportunities, equal access and equal participation. In many different sports clubs right across Ga…

99. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport the status of the review of the public consultation on the proposed 425A bus route; the status of the assessment of submissions received; the expected timeline for completing the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14894/26]

I want to raise the issue of the 425A bus route from Mountbellew to Galway city. Back in January the NTA launched a public consultation on its proposals. I would like an update as to where that public consultation is at. Has it been reviewed and assessed and where is it at? From speaking to representatives of the NTA in the Committee of Public Accounts they seemed to indicate that by the end of qu…