Independent Ireland councillor Noel Thomas has said young people in Galway need a housing plan built around practical delivery, with Galway City Council, Galway County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta given a stronger role in getting homes built.
Councillor Thomas said his proposals are based on real experience helping hundreds of people across Galway with planning matters and on seeing first-hand the barriers that prevent people and families from putting down roots in their own communities.
He said his plan to help young people in Galway find somewhere to live includes clear, practical measures. Galway needs a larger supply of affordable purchase and cost-rental homes so that young workers, couples, and families are not locked out of the market. He said local authorities should use their existing housing roles and resources more directly to support delivery in this area.
Galway County Council should prioritise serviced sites, backland access roads, and water and wastewater upgrades so that local families have a realistic route to building in their own areas. He said this is especially important across Galway County, Conamara, An Ghaeltacht and Árainn, where young people often want to stay near home but cannot find viable housing options.
He emphasised that Galway City Council should focus more on activating land for housing, supporting affordable schemes, and increasing planning and project-delivery capacity so that more homes move from proposal to construction without unnecessary delay.
Village and backland development should be actively supported as part of a planned housing strategy, allowing smaller communities to grow sustainably and helping young people remain in the places where they grew up.
He also said Údarás na Gaeltachta should be given real powers in relation to housing in Gaeltacht areas so that housing delivery, community sustainability and language protection can be advanced together, rather than treated as separate issues.
Councillor Thomas said, “I have helped hundreds of people across Galway with planning issues, and I have seen exactly where the system is slowing people down and where it needs to change.
"My focus is on practical action. Build more affordable and cost-rental homes. Open up serviced sites. Support village and backland development. Improve water and wastewater infrastructure. Cut planning delays. And give Údarás na Gaeltachta a real role in housing delivery in Gaeltacht areas.
"Young people in Galway do not need more general promises. They need a fair chance to rent, buy and settle in their own county.”
Councillor Thomas said Galway needs a housing policy shaped by local realities, not a one-size-fits-all model from Dublin. He said the needs of Galway city, the commuter belt, Conamara, An Ghaeltacht and Árainn are different, and policy needs to reflect that if more homes are to be delivered.
He added that student-specific accommodation should also be part of the overall solution to reduce pressure on family homes and standard rental stock.
Councillor Thomas said the priority now should be to move the housing debate away from broad rhetoric and towards specific delivery measures that can help young people stay and build their future in Galway.
