Qtr 4 December 2025 Paul Donnelly TD Newsletter

By - Paul Donnelly
04.01.26 10:10 AM

A Voice for Dublin West – 
Homes, Services & Community Wellbeing

Dear Constituent,

As we bring 2025 to a close, I want to update you on the key work and issues that dominated October, November and December in Dublin West and nationally. It has been a demanding quarter, with housing, cost of living pressures and community safety continuing to affect families across our constituency.

In this newsletter, I’ll update you on:

✅ Housing delivery failures, rising homelessness, and growing eviction risks for working families and young people.

✅ Cost of living pressures, including high energy prices, fuel costs, toll increases, and rejected measures to ease household expenses.

✅ Community safety concerns driven by Garda shortages, uneven resource allocation, and the lack of specialist policing units.

✅ Strain on public services and infrastructure, particularly in health, disability supports, transport, energy reliability, and wastewater systems.

✅ The need for political change and long-term planning, alongside recognition of strong community engagement and local solidarity.



 Housing and Homelessness


Housing remains the biggest issue facing people in Dublin West.

  • Government housing targets continue to be missed. By Q3 2025, just 30% of new-build social housing targets had been delivered.

  • This is now the Government’s third housing plan and third Housing Minister, yet homelessness is at record levels, and affordability continues to worsen.

  • I am seeing a growing number of working families and individuals facing eviction in 2026, particularly in advance of new rental regulations.

  • The situation has become so chaotic that the State has reportedly been contacting landlords asking them to delay evictions, a clear admission that policy is failing.

  • When speaking with young people in local schools, housing insecurity is consistently raised as their greatest fear for the future.

Housing is solvable, but only if the government abandons failed market-led policies and treats housing as a public good, not a commodity.



💶 Cost of Living Pressures


The cost of living crisis continues to hit workers, families and small businesses.

  • Energy prices remain excessively high, despite the Taoiseach acknowledging price gouging by energy companies.

  • The Government ignored advice from its own officials to extend energy credits into 2025/26.

  • Sinn Féin proposals to cut fuel costs, stop toll hikes, tackle insurance rip-offs and end penalties on motor tax instalments were voted down in November.

The increase in M50 tolls is pushing traffic onto residential roads in Dublin 15, increasing congestion and safety risks for local communities.


🚓 Community Safety and Garda Numbers


Community safety remains a serious concern across Dublin West.

  • Despite public announcements, Garda numbers locally have barely increased.

  • Five new Gardaí were assigned to the district, but four were lost to promotions or transfers, leaving a net increase of just one.

  • Community Garda units are operating under severe pressure, limiting proactive policing.

I have continued to press for the establishment of a specialist anti-scrambler unit, including the use of drones, to tackle dangerous and illegal scrambler bikes in our parks and estates.


🏗️ Planning, Housing Development and Accountability


Local planning issues continue to highlight problems with transparency and democratic oversight.

  • Fingal County Council has ignored cross-party votes by elected councillors to oppose plans that would demolish four perfectly good family homesat Fortlawn.

  • The affected families do not want to leave their homes, yet the council executive continues to pursue displacement rather than alternative solutions.

  • I have encouraged residents to engage in consultations while continuing to oppose plans that undermine established communities.



🧠 Health, Disability and Children’s Services


Serious gaps in public services continue to affect vulnerable families.

  • Children in Dublin West face excessive waiting times forassessments of need and therapeutic supports.

  • Families are exhausted by repeated announcements of new strategies that fail to deliver real services.

  • The introduction of charges for medication blister packs will disproportionately impact older people, those with dementia or Alzheimer’s, and people with disabilities.

  • These supports are essential, not optional, and this decision must be reversed.



🚆 Transport, Infrastructure and Utilities


Investment in infrastructure continues to lag behind population growth.

  • I renewed calls for the Metro West project to be reinstated and progressed from 2026, linking Tallaght, west Dublin, Blanchardstown and Dublin Airport.

  • The M50 is operating at full capacity, and road expansion alone cannot solve congestion.

  • Repeated power outages across Tyrrelstown, Mulhuddart, Corduff and Clonsilla have raised serious concerns about accountability and reliability.

  • The long-running sewerage odour issue in Mulhuddart remains unresolved, despite repeated complaints and assurances from Uisce Éireann.



🌍 National Issues and Political Direction


  • Sinn Féin continues to lead in national opinion polls, reflecting growing public frustration with rising homelessness, high living costs and failing public services.

  • The election of President Catherine Connolly has demonstrated that there is a real appetite for a progressive, people-centred alternative in Irish public life.

  • Polls are only a snapshot, but they underline the need for real political change.



🤝 Community, Solidarity and Local Action


Despite ongoing challenges, the strength of our local communities continues to shine through.

  • Investment in parks, playgrounds and sports facilities, including the Corduff Park upgrade, shows what can be achieved when communities are listened to.

  • Local environmental initiatives such as community composting projects continue to make a positive difference.

  • I have also stood in solidarity with communities campaigning for international justice, including ongoing support for Palestine



📢 Sinn Féin Membership Renewal 2026 

Athnuachan Bhallraíochta Shinn Féin 2026

Click here to Renew

​
​🗓️ Offices Reopen from 7th January 2026

The direction of travel is clear. Communities are under pressure, public services are stretched, and housing insecurity is shaping people’s lives. 

We need a change in direction that puts communities and the public interest at the centre of decision-making, delivers genuinely affordable homes, invests in public services and plans properly for the future.

As always, thank you for your continued support and engagement. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you need assistance or wish to raise an issue.


📬 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/

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Paul Donnelly

Paul Donnelly

Sinn Féin T.D. | Vote 1 DONNELLY, Paul
https://www.pauldonnellytd.ie/

Fighting for affordable housing, better healthcare, and community development across Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Mulhuddart, Clonsilla, Ongar, Tyrrelstown, Hollystown and all of Dublin West.

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