Speech at an event hosted by Donegal County Council
10 March, 2026
A Chairde Uaisle, go raibh míle maith agaibh as an bhfáilte chroíúil go dtí bhur gcontae álainn. Chuaigh bhur gcontae agus bhur gcairdeas go mór i bhfeidhm orm nuair a bhí mé anseo le linn mo fheachtas Uachtaránachta.
Bhí mé thar a bheith sásta glacadh leis an gcuireadh ó Chomhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall a bheith i bhur gcomhluadar inniu.
Having spent 17 years as a City Councillor in Galway, including a year as Mayor of Galway City, I am never in any doubt as to the importance of local government. It was an experience that deepened my respect for the work of elected members and indeed the staff of Local Authorities who work hard to deliver essential services for their local communities.
My time in local government copper-fastened my view that decisions affecting people’s lives should be made as close as possible to those whose lives they impact.
Effective and representative local government is the bedrock of a stable and robust democracy as well as being a key means of empowering local communities. It is clear to me as I travel the country local communities on the ground have clearly identified the challenges that they are facing, and equally importantly, the solutions.
Now more than ever, in light of these challenges and the existential threat posed by climate change, it is vital that local authorities are enabled, empowered and resourced.
Indeed, the 2023 report by the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities shines a spotlight on local government funding in Ireland, and notes that just 8% of total public expenditure comes from local authorities, compared to the EU average of 23.3%
Cuireadh ar an eolas mé, ó bheith ag caint le daoine ar fud an Chontae mhóir seo chomh scoite amach is a mhothaíonn sibh ón gcuid eile den tír; nach n-éistear libh nó nach dtuigtear, go beacht, na fadhbanna agus cruatáin ar leith atá mar dhúsláin anseo agaibh.
Labhair sibh liom faoi fhadhbanna tromhchúiseacha ó bhrící lofa Mica, easpa áiseanna, dúshláin thionscal na hiascaireachta; agus ar an drochuair, tragóid Chraoslaigh, in ar cailleadh deichniúr go tubaisteach.
Bhí bhur mbuairt agus bhur mbrón le feiceáil agam.
Ach, bhí bhur láidreacht agus bhur dteacht aniar soiléir freisin.
Láidreacht agus teacht aniar nach raibh an dara rogha agaibh ach foghlaim ó bunaíodh an stát agus fágadh sibhse, a bheag ná a mhór, scartha ón 25 contae eile agus sibh buailte le teorainn an Tuaiscirt. Is léir domsa gur saineolaithe sibh ar chonas pobail a fhí le chéile, conas seasamh agus tacú leis an té atá faoi ualach nó i gcruachás. Tá go leor leor le foghlaim uaibh.
Mar bhreis ar an méid ar leith atá bainteach leis an gcontae seo caithfidh sibhse dul i ngleic, freisin, le hathrú aeráide agus cailliúint bithéagsúlachta.
As a county, Donegal faces significant ecological risks, primarily through increased coastal erosion, flooding, infrastructure damage, and biodiversity loss. Donegal has borne witness to the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events which we know are a direct consequence of climate change. The full implementation of Donegal’s Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 will be essential.
The Donegal County Development Plan 2024-2030 recognises the need to improve climate action resilience across the county. It is approaching 7 years since Ireland declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in May 2019 and over 10 years since we agreed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals at global level. The transformative action needed is now even more urgent as we see the reneging of commitments across the globe.
Is ábhar dóchais agus cúis áthais ár dteanga álainn a fheiceáil ag dul ó neart go neart, ní díreach i dTír Chonaill, ach ar fud fad na tíre. Níl aon cheist ach go gcaithfear an Ghaeilge a chothú agus a chaomhnú mar chuid lárnach d’ár bhféiniúlacht agus d’ár gcultúr.
Mar fhocal scoir, ba mhaith liom buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil le Comhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall as ucht an fháiltithe seo. Mo mhíle buíochas, freisin, don bhfoireann agus do na Comhairleoirí uilig as ucht bhur saothar ar son mhuintir Thír Chonaill agus Dhún na nGall. Níl aon cheist ach go bhfuil pobail inbhuanaithe, ionchuimsitheacha agus athléimneacha á dtógáil agus á gcothú agaibh.
Guím gach rath oraibh ar fad.
Go raibh maith agaibh.