Address at an event hosted by Sligo County Council
County Hall, Sligo, 15 January 2026
A chairde,
May I thank Cathaoirleach Donal Gilroy for those warm remarks. I am pleased to be here with you all this evening at this civic reception organised by Sligo County Council for which I am most grateful.
As some of you may know, I have close personal ties to County Sligo. Two of my sisters are married and live here, and indeed, at one stage my brother also worked here in the hospital as a doctor. I have always regarded Sligo as a second home (Gibraltar and other areas).
Of course, on a political level, I had also the pleasure of Declan Bree’s company for 10 years on the Regional Health Forum West. That experience, along with 17 years as a City Councillor in Galway, including a year as mayor of Galway City, has deepened my respect for the work of elected members and indeed the staff of Local Authorities. It has also confirmed my long-held opinion that decisions affecting people’s lives should be made as close as possible to those whose lives they affect. Indeed, effective and representative local government is an essential bedrock of a stable and robust democracy at the national level.
As the 10th President of Ireland, I am acutely aware of the privilege bestowed on me, and I can assure you that I will use my voice to represent you in the most inclusive way possible.
As I enter the first full year of my Presidency, I am very conscious of the challenges facing our country. As you know, it is approaching 7 years since Ireland declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in May 2019. The transformative action needed consequent on that declaration is even more urgent than ever now. Indeed, the latest analysis from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service tells us that we can expect “significant ecosystem disruption” as well as the “intensification and increased frequency of extreme events”, and we have regular reminders that we are going to miss our emissions targets and we will have to pay astronomical fines as a result.
Without a doubt our actions or inaction on this and other great global challenges will be felt for generations to come.
It is my opinion, however, that many of the solutions to the challenges we face have to be delivered locally. One of the distinct advantages of travelling the country before and after the election has been the opportunity to witness the fantastic work in progress by local authorities, community-based groups and social enterprises across a diverse range of areas. The designation of decarbonising zones, local authority climate action plans, retrofitting, biodiversity projects, public transport initiatives including the powerful momentum behind the Western Rail Corridor, to mention only some of the work underway – work which highlights what is possible and gives us all hope.
However, transformative action is much more than single initiatives, however positive they are. Meaningful action is needed on every level as climate change affects every sphere of our lives.
It follows that climate action must be a key component of every policy decision that is made, at all levels. Local authorities, given their unique position in frontline delivery of services, are best placed to lead and implement the necessary changes required. To do so, however, they must be enabled, empowered and resourced, and we still have a window of opportunity to make that happen.
May I conclude today by thanking Sligo County Council once again for this evening.
I look forward to serving as your President with dignity, determination and courage as we face our shared challenges together, and I wish all the staff and elected representatives of Sligo County Council every success in their important endeavours.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.