A Voice for Dublin West –
Cost of Living, Community Services & Infrastructure
Dear Constituent,
Over the past two months, I have continued to focus on supporting families and communities across Dublin West through ongoing casework, constituency clinics, Dáil contributions, and engagement with local organisations, schools, and community groups.
The key issues raised consistently remain housing, cost of living pressures, public services, education supports, and community safety. Alongside this, there has been strong engagement from residents at public meetings and local events across the constituency.
In this newsletter, I’ll update you on:
✅ Housing and homelessness pressures across Dublin West
✅ Cost of living and energy concerns
✅ Education and additional needs supports
✅ Community safety and policing issues
✅ Transport and local infrastructure developments
✅ Community engagement and local events
🏠 Community Events and Local Engagement
The housing crisis continues to have a devastating impact on individuals and families across Dublin West.
I continue to meet people weekly who have received notices of termination or who are struggling to secure stable housing. The scale of homelessness remains deeply concerning, with record numbers of people in emergency accommodation nationally.
Alongside housing pressures, the cost of living crisis continues to affect every household. Rising energy and fuel costs remain a particular concern, with many families struggling to meet basic household expenses.
I have consistently raised the need for:
Immediate cost of living supports for families
Action on fuel and energy pricing
Stronger protections for renters
Increased delivery of social and affordable housing
🎓 Education & Additional Needs Supports
Families across Dublin West continue to experience significant gaps in education and additional needs supports.
Key issues raised include:
Access to school places
Special education supports
SNA provision
Speech and language and occupational therapy delays
Supports for children transitioning between school levels
I continue to engage with parents, schools, and community organisations on these issues and will bring forward further work in the Dáil aimed at strengthening inclusive education provision.
👮 Community Safety & Policing
Anti-social behaviour linked to scramblers, scooters and e-bikes remains a major concern in many areas, particularly in parks and residential estates.
I have continued to call for:
Stronger Garda enforcement powers for pursuit and intervention
Dedicated anti-scrambler enforcement units
Improved legislative protections for Gardaí carrying out their duties
Stronger sentencing and accountability for illegal use of scramblers
There is a clear need for a joined-up approach involving legislation, enforcement, and community safety investment.
🚌 Transport & Infrastructure
Transport reliability and infrastructure investment continue to be major issues across Dublin West.
Residents continue to raise concerns regarding:
Unreliable or missing bus services
Capacity issues on key routes
Lack of coordination in service upgrades
I have also engaged with public consultations on active travel and transport planning, including the N3 / M50 Clonee Bus Priority and Active Travel Scheme.
While improved active travel infrastructure is welcome, I have raised concerns regarding design priorities, particularly in relation to proposals such as:
The active travel bridge at Bramblefield
The need to prioritise upgrades to existing crossings, such as the Littlepace bridge
Ensuring better integration between cycling, pedestrian and vehicle access needs
🤝 Community Engagement & Local Updates
March and April saw strong engagement across Dublin West with local communities, organisations, and volunteers.
Key highlights included:
Tidy Towns clean-ups in Tyrrelstown and Hollywoodrath
Regular constituency clinics in Tyrrelstown Community Centre
Community leaflet drops across Clonsilla, Littlepace, Ongar, and Blanchardstown
Engagement with local sports clubs, including Tyrrelstown FC, Clonee United, and GAA clubs
School visits and student tours of Leinster House
Participation in community parkruns and local fundraising events
Engagement with community development organisations such as Empower, youth organisations including Foróige, and addiction support services in Dublin 15
I also attended a number of important local events, including the launch of a micro-forest project in Blakestown Community College, which represents a fantastic example of long-term community-led environmental work.
🗣️ Public Meetings & Community Participation
A strong feature of recent months has been increased community engagement and participation.
This included:
A well-attended public meeting in Tyrrelstown Community Centre, where residents raised a wide range of local issues
Preparations for a series of upcoming town hall meetings across Dublin West
Continued engagement through constituency clinics alongside local representatives
Direct consultation with residents via online submissions ahead of public meetings
These forums are essential to ensuring that community voices are heard and reflected in decision-making.
⚖️ Workers’ Rights & Economic Fairness
In the Dáil, I raised concerns regarding workers’ rights, including:
Low pay and insecure working conditions
The need for stronger trade union protections
The right of unions to engage effectively with workers in the workplace
There is still significant work to be done to ensure fair treatment for workers across all sectors, and I will continue to support legislation that strengthens protections and improves working conditions.
⚡ Energy, Climate & Infrastructure Policy
The ongoing energy and cost of living crisis continues to highlight structural issues in how energy markets operate.
Concerns raised include:
High energy bills for households
Windfall profits in the energy sector
Lack of sufficient investment in renewable alternatives
Over-reliance on fossil fuels
There is a clear need for a long-term transition towards sustainable energy, including increased investment in wind, solar, and wave energy, alongside stronger regulation of pricing structures.
🌍 Neutrality & National Policy (Local Concern)
Issues relating to Irish neutrality and defence policy continue to be raised at the constituency level.
Residents have expressed concern about:
The Triple Lock mechanism
Ireland’s role in international military arrangements
The need for democratic input on major policy changes
I will continue to advocate for transparency and public consultation on any major changes in this area, including the potential use of referendums for constitutional matters.
🤝 Looking Ahead
Over the coming months, my priorities for Dublin West will remain focused on:
➡️ Housing and homelessness supports
➡️ Cost of living relief for families
➡️ Improved education and additional needs services
➡️ Community safety and policing reform
➡️ Transport and infrastructure improvements
➡️ Strengthening community engagement through town halls and clinics
I will continue to work with residents, community groups, and local organisations to address the issues affecting our area.
📬 GET IN TOUCH
Your voice matters. If you have any concerns, need assistance, or want to discuss any of the issues above, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
📞 Phone: 01 811 1893
📍 Constituency Office: Unit 1, Parkside, Phase 2, Mulhuddart Village, Dublin 15. D15 P97Y
✉️ Email: paul.donnelly@oir.ie
🔗 Follow me on social media: https://www.facebook.com/PaulDonnellySF/
