Galway East — week of Mon, 17 Nov — Watch Them Work

What your Galway East TDs did this week

Mon, 17 Nov – 23 Nov 2025 · 4 TDs · 5 bills voted on · 38 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Arts (Recognition of Comedy) (Amendment) Bill 2024

2025-11-19 · 2 votes · Sinn Féin PMB

A bill to amend the Arts Act 2003 to recognise the art of comedy

A sub-amendment · motion passed 69–83

Voted for 1 Louis O'Hara

Voted against 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 83–70

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Cost of Motoring

2025-11-19 · 1 vote

The motion · motion failed 70–82

Voted for 1 Louis O'Hara

Voted against 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Reduction of Voting Age to Sixteen Years) Bill 2025

2025-11-19 · 1 vote · Social Democrats PMB

A bill to amend the Constitution

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 86–65

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil

2025-11-18 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 83–67

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Nomination of Member of Government

2025-11-18 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 88–69

Voted for 3 Albert Dolan · Peter Roche · Seán Canney

Voted against 1 Louis O'Hara

Albert Dolan — Fianna Fáil 6 votes · 18 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 18 total

Transport 4 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport when he intends to progress the long-promised double tracking of the rail line through Athenry, given its strategic importance for the western rail corridor, commuter services into Galway, and regional development in the west; and the reason for the ongoing delays and lack of visible progress on this essential infrastructure project. [63687/25]
- 2025-11-19 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport if he has any plans to extend the current legislation to cover the enforcement of disabled parking spaces located in private car parks in order to ensure consistent protection and accessibility for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64315/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport the number of reported incidents of passengers fainting or experiencing medical distress due to overcrowding on the early morning Athenry to Galway train services in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64934/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the low cost safety improvement scheme application for Kilrickle submitted by Galway County Council; and if he will prioritise its approval given ongoing safety concerns in the village. [64935/25]
Public Expenditure 4 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has any formal or informal role in reviewing or advising on the Health Service Executive’s annual National Service Plan prior to its approval by the Minister for Health; if his Department considers the financial realism or deliverability of performance targets such as the 100% completion target for children’s assessments of need when agreeing annual expenditure ceilings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62790/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will consider requiring all public bodies to publish, both in their annual reports and on their websites, a statement of compliance with prompt payment timelines, including data on payments to community, voluntary, and non-profit organisations, to improve transparency and accountability in the payment process. [62833/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has assessed whether the absence of centralised reporting on contract variations represents a governance or accountability gap in public procurement; and if he will consider introducing requirements for contracting authorities to record, publish, and centrally report details of all post-award variations, including financial impact and rationale. [63050/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department will consider mandating the use of contract management systems across all public bodies to ensure contract variations are systematically recorded and monitored; and when such a policy will be implemented. [63051/25]
Health 4 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the internal oversight or review process that exists to assess the realism of performance targets before publication in the HSE National Service Plan; and whether her Department provides direction, approval, or challenge to the HSE in relation to the achievability of such targets. [62788/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the accountability measures applied when the HSE fails to meet service plan targets by such significant margins; whether these missed targets are escalated to the Department or reported to the HSE Board; and the corrective actions required or taken. [62789/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the reasons residents of County Galway currently do not have access to the ADHD in Adults National Clinical Programme for public assessment, diagnoses, and treatment; the timeline for establishing a dedicated adult ADHD service in the CHO2 area (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon); and the interim arrangements in place to ensure equitable access to assessment and treatment for adults with ADHD in this region. [62989/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if her Department is aware that some links (details supplied) on a Government website are currently returning an ‘Access denied’ error message; and if she will arrange for the issue to be reviewed and the links restored so that the reports can be accessed as intended. [62991/25]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has examined the impact of payment delays on community, voluntary, and non-profit organisations funded through State grants or reimbursements; and his views on whether such delays undermine service delivery, local employment, or the financial sustainability of these organisations. [62831/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if consideration has been given to extending the 15-day prompt payment framework to include all categories of payments and reimbursements made by Departments and public bodies to community and voluntary organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62832/25]
Education 2 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on a proposed school building project (details supplied), which was initially granted approval in February 2020 under the additional school accommodation scheme, and for which a revised Stage 2(a) submission was completed and submitted in June 2025; the current status of the project, the expected next steps, and an indicative timeline for progression to tender and construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62990/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the special education teaching allocation for a school (details supplied); if she will ensure that the school receives an allocation that accurately reflects the current needs of its pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63696/25]
Children 2 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the HSE’s published annual targets and actual performance rates for the completion of assessments of need for children, for each of the past five years; and the percentage achievement rate in each year, in tabular form. [62786/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the methodology used by the HSE when setting annual performance targets in its National Service Plan, in particular for disability and children’s services; if those targets are based on available staffing and capacity data; and if not, to explain the rationale for maintaining aspirational 100% targets despite sustained underperformance. [62787/25]

Louis O'Hara — Sinn Féin 6 votes · 12 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 12 total

Transport 5 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the development of his Department’s sectoral investment plan following the national development plan review; if there is a date for the publication of this sectoral investment plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63319/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the actions his Department is undertaking to deliver contactless payments on all public transport; the estimated timeline for the introduction of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63320/25]
- 2025-11-19 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport if he or his Department have engaged with Bus Éireann on its review of Expressway routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64227/25]
- 2025-11-19 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport whether he has met with Bus Éireann management regarding the future operation of Expressway bus services, which were the recent subject of media coverage (details supplied); whether he will intervene to ensure that these Expressway routes will remain in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64242/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport his plans to support motorists who will be affected by recently announced road toll charge increases; whether there are plans to support employer reimbursement schemes for employees who regularly use tolls to commute to and from work (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64728/25]
Education 4 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an additional SNA will be provided to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62963/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a review of special education hours for a school will be considered (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63234/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a proposal for a new school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64683/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to review a schools (details supplied) SNA allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64738/25]
Health 3 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists based at each primary care centre in County Galway; if they are permanent or temporary positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63326/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health if a permanent psychologist position at Athenry primary care centre will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63328/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to including a 24-hour rapid response vehicle at Tuam ambulance base in the HSE Capital Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63327/25]

Peter Roche — Fine Gael 6 votes · 7 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 7 total

Transport 2 questions
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport if consideration is being given to specific measures to support commuters travelling to city and town centres, particularly students travelling from east Galway into university in Galway city, whose bus and/or train services are at capacity before reaching their locality at peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63420/25]
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport the number of passenger journeys per year on Bus Éireann route 425A in Galway; the basis on which the decision was made to reroute this service, which is considered unsustainable for the community it serves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63419/25]
Culture 2 questions
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps being taken to support the recovery and growth of the live arts and events sector, which continues to face challenges related to rising operational costs and venue closures; if his Department will consider the expansion of grant or tax-relief supports for regional theatres and music venues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64647/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide an update on investment in local sports facilities and community clubs across rural Ireland; whether the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme will be expanded or restructured to prioritise underfunded areas such as east Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64648/25]
Health 2 questions
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her Department's perspective on the CORU revised standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists (details supplied); and the reason the revised standards also reduce the requirements for clinical supervision of therapists, which is an essential component of safe practice and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64639/25]
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Health her Department's plans to expand access to mental health services for young people, including school-based supports and early intervention programmes; whether consideration has been given to strengthening community mental health teams in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64640/25]
Rural 1 question
- 2025-11-20 Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures being considered to ensure that rural and regional projects receive equitable access to capital funding under national investment and enterprise schemes; if his Department has conducted any review into geographic disparities in funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64649/25]

Seán Canney — Independent 6 votes · 1 question · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 1 total

Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2025-11-18 Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if she will consider amending legislation governing SUSI to allow students who have previously completed Springboard courses to have these courses discounted in terms of progression when applying for SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63137/25]