Members of the Galway County Council have welcomed the selection of former councillor Aisling Dolan as a Taoiseach’s nominee for Seanad Éireann.
Cllr Dolan who represented the municipal district of Ballinasloe, was one of the 11 Senator nominations by new Taoiseach Michéal Martin on Saturday night.
County Cathaoirleach James Charity said Senator Dolan would be a fantastic representative for the county council and west.
Fine Gael councillor Joe Byrne told the chamber at GMIT that Senator Dolan’s presence in the Oireachtas would help the council’s standing.
He said; “In her short tenure here [at County Hall], she left her mark. Her enthusiasm and drive will work well for her as an Oireachtas member. Going forward, we will need a joined up thinking approach [between ourselves and the Oireachtas] to make sure Galway County Council is not left behind.”
Priorities
Senator Dolan who also ran in the General Election in the Roscommon-Galway constituency earlier this year, said she would fight for healthcare, the environment, and investment in East Galway.
She said; “This is a win for the people of Roscommon and Galway. It’s an honour and a privilege to be a member of the incoming Oireachtas and fight for our fair share of investment. As the only Fine Gael representative in this constituency, I will be a strong and determined voice to represent our area at a national level. As a councillor, I’ve worked with colleagues across the political spectrum to get projects over the line and this experience will be crucial in the upper house of the Oireachtas.
“I’ve contested three elections in less than a year - local elections in May 2019, the General Election in February and the Seanad election in March. As a result, I’ve met hundreds of people on the doorstep and engaged with representative groups in farming, hospitals, nursing, family carers, business, and community development associations.
Investment for East Galway and Roscommon
“I will now have the opportunity to dedicate myself full-time as a Senator to fight for investment into East Galway and Roscommon, continuing the excellent work carried out by my party colleague Maura Hopkins.
“My priorities have always been steadfast - healthcare, environment, and investment into our region; fighting for towns under 10,000 who struggle to compete for investment; to ensure access to essential health services; to revitalise our business community and to protect farmers income in the face of Covid-19 and negotiations on CAP and Brexit; to look at how remote and flexible working can support people in our towns and villages to work from home – something that is extremely relevant as we move forward; and to stimulate community groups in our region to secure funding in local Government and national programmes.
“I am driven by where I come from – to make this a place to live, a place to work and a place to visit.”
