Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and all our Senators. It is our one-year anniversary. It is one year since 29 June 2020, we are in the same seats in the Convention Centre and it is fantastic to be speaking here as a voice representing the west. It has been an incredible year. We have seen what has happened in terms of a pandemic and lockdown. For all of us new Senators, it is a very different world. I have had the chance to speak in both the Seanad and the Dáil Chambers, which was an amazing privilege. It is a privilege to have been nominated as a Taoiseach's nominee and a Fine Gael nominee to represent Roscommon and Galway.

As Fine Gael spokesperson on further and higher education, research, innovation and science, I have had the opportunity to fight for schools in my local area. They include the new building for Scoil an Chroí Naofa and St. Teresa's Special School, which is getting two new classrooms for students starting in September. It has also been really exciting to see the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which includes GMIT. This is making Mountbellew a brand new university campus town. We know that Technological University of the Shannon has already been granted technological university status. This means, it is hoped, that we will see brand new campuses targeted for Roscommon and east Galway.

The investment to date has been great. The campaigns in which I have been involved include the cycleway, which is very important for south Roscommon and east Galway. We have opportunities with the green route through Cornafulla and Athlone into Ballinasloe out to probably Caltra, Ahascragh and Mountbellew. There is also the blue route coming through Ballinasloe and out to Kilconnell, Woodlawn, New Inn and Athenry. It is hoped this decision will be made at the end of this year. We have seen fantastic investment in roads and job creation involving great jobs in Roscommon town, Westcare Homecare and Harmac Medical in Castlerea, and Chanelle Pharma in Ballinasloe. It is wonderful to have seen investment, even in these hard times over the past year. I am really looking forward to the year ahead. I know it will be exciting but also I am sure there will be some tough times ahead. I look forward to representing and being a voice for the west.