YOUR SEPTEMBER 2025 UPDATE 

It’s hard to believe that ten months have passed since I had the honour of being elected as a TD for Dublin Mid-West. Since then, I’ve been working hard every day to deliver for communities right across the constituency. From public transport and education to local safety and health services, I’ve been doing everything I can to ensure our area gets the attention and investment it deserves. There’s still plenty more to do but I wanted to share an update on some of the work underway and the progress we’re making across Dublin Mid-West.

 

I continue to hold regular advice clinics across the constituency, and you can find the schedule up until Christmas at the bottom of this update. If you would like to make an appointment to attend any of these, please call 01-6184128 or email shane.moynihan@oireachtas.ie.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

CONSTRUCTION IMMINENT ON THE LIFFEY VALLEY TO CITY CENTRE CORE BUS CORRIDOR

I was glad to receive confirmation from the National Transport Authority that the Liffey Valley to City Centre Core Bus Corridor Scheme has now entered the construction phase, beginning with site investigation works earlier this month at Longmeadows Park and at St. Laurence Glen Apartments. This is the first of twelve Core Bus Corridor projects under the BusConnects programme to enter the delivery phase and will directly benefit communities near Liffey Valley, Clondalkin and beyond.  When complete, it will mean faster, more reliable buses, safer cycling infrastructure, and improved accessibility for local residents.

 

CUSTOMER DEMAND REVIEW SECURED ON DUBLIN MID-WEST DUBLIN BUS SERVICES 

Since being elected, I have been lobbying for reviews of local bus services to ensure they meet the needs of our growing communities. In particular, I have highlighted gaps in weekend provision and the potential need for tailored timetables on high-demand days such as Saturdays to better reflect passenger volumes. I have also called for staggered starts on certain routes to improve reliability and accessibility. I am pleased that Dublin Bus have now committed to undertaking a customer demand review of its services across Dublin Mid-West and I look forward to its findings including around these points. I will also be putting questions to the management teams for the NTA and bus operators at the Oireachtas Committee on Transport this week.

DELIVERING CAPACITY THROUGH DART+ SOUTH WEST

I was delighted to see the procurement process for the DART+ South West project launched earlier this summer which will deliver a modern, electrified rail service with increased capacity between the city centre and Hazelhatch. Most importantly, these works will allow for a dramatic increase in capacity along the corridor, allowing for more frequent and reliable services for the people of Clondalkin, Adamstown, Lucan, and surrounding areas. Enabling works are expected to begin in 2026 to deliver the four-tracking of the rail corridor between Park West and Heuston Station, remodelling of the track layout at Heuston, as well as the electrification of the entire network. 

FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT INTRODUCED FOR 5-8 YEAR OLDS 

Around 263,000 children aged 5 to 8 can now travel for free on all Transport for Ireland (TFI) services including Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann, and LUAS with the new TFI Child 5-8 Leap Card. This is a positive measure that will ease cost pressures on households while encouraging children to build sustainable travel habits from a young age. As part of this, I have been highlighting the importance of ongoing review and improvement of services in making public transport an easy and reliable choice for households nationwide.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public safety is one of my top priorities. At a recent meeting with the Assistant Garda Commissioner for the Dublin region, Paul Cleary, I highlighted the need for additional Garda resources, greater visbility, and more proactive patrolling as key measures to strengthen policing in our communities. I also took the opportunity to discuss the need to align all of Palmerstown within a single Garda District to reflect administrative boundaries, and the importance of delivering a 24-hour service at Rathcoole Garda Station.

Separately, I was glad to see 45 new Gardaí for Dublin attested in Templemore last month, and to offer special congratulations to four of whom will be assigned to stations in Dublin Mid-West.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO AND SUPPORTING THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

It was great to welcome Minister for Special Education Michael Moynihan TD out to visit a number of schools in the constituency ahead of the summer holidays. Principals, teachers, SNAs, parents and students in Scoil Mhuire (Clondalkin), St Lorcan’s BNS, Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig and Stewart’s Special School spoke to us about the special classes that have been opened in their schools and the opportunities and challenges in each case. It’s clear that, while significant progress has been made in recent years with the expansion of special classes and schools, much more still needs to be done. This is something I continue to actively angage with the Minister on, including in the lead-up to Budget 2026. 

Any parents seeking a special class or special school place for the 2026/2027 school year are asked to contact the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) as soon as possible, and before the notification closing date of 1st October 2025. Further details are available here.

TACKLING DRIVING TEST WAIT TIMES

I have consistently highlighted in the Dáil the lengthy driving test waiting times being experienced at the Tallaght test centre which serves Dublin Mid-West, and which are among the highest in the country. Earlier this year, the RSA confirmed plans for a new test centre in South Dublin, and I was happy to receive confirmation last month that a suitable premises has now been secured. The new centre is expected to be operational in the coming weeks, which will hopefully ease pressure on Tallaght and help bring down waiting times for learner drivers across the constituency. 

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN CHILDCARE 

I appreciate the challenges in childcare that have been raised with me in recent months by both providers and parents. Capacity pressures, the operation of NCS rules, the need to incentivise longer opening hours and the administrative burden have all been brought to my attention. I have also been looking at the Programme for Government commitment to acquire State-owned public childcare facilities, and emphasising that the focus should be on high-growth and high-demand areas like many communities in Dublin Mid-West. 

I was glad to have the opportunity to raise these matters with Minister for Children Norma Foley when she visited to mark 40 years of First Steps Early Education Centre in Rowlagh. Congratulations to Karen and all the team on reaching this milestone. I know the high quality care they provide is deeply valued by families and the wider community. 

ADVOCATING FOR SMEs

I will continue to be a strong voice for local businesses, ensuring that the challenges facing SMEs are heard at national level. From rising costs to regulatory pressures, I am committed to raising these issues and working towards practical solutions that support enterprise and jobs in our community. Recently I raised the importance of identifying new Enterprise and Employment zoned land in parallel with the rezoning of industrial lands for housing, to ensure suitable relocation options are available. 

I’m glad to regularly attend Lucan Business 2 Business Thursday morning meetings, and it was also great to mark the 30th anniversary of ACE Enterprise Park in July and to celebrate the significant economic, entrepreneurial and community impact it has delivered across both its sites in Bawnogue and Neilstown.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE CLONDALKIN LOCAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK

The Draft Clondalkin Local Planning Framework is open for public consultation. Submissions and observations can be made to South Dublin County Council until 4:00pm today Monday 29th September 2025 for postal submissions and up to 11:59pm today Monday 29th September 2025 for online submissions.

 

The full plan and details on how to make a submission can be found here.

PARKS & PAVILIONS

UPDATE ON SDCC SPORTS PAVILIONS PROGRAMME 

South Dublin County Council’s pavilions programme will deliver sports changing rooms at 10 locations across the county to facilitate groups using adjacent pitches. It is expected that the first two units will be delivered in early 2026 at Corkagh Park (outer ring road side) and Griffeen Valley Park. The remaining locations will follow thereafter – Collinstown Park, Kilnamanagh Open Space, Dodder Valley Mt Carmel, Griffeen Valley/Arthur Griffith Park, Tymon Park South, Sean Walsh Park Artificial Pitch, Kiltipper Park and Willsbrook Park. This is a scheme I advocated for during my time on South Dublin County Council so I’m pleased to see it’s now nearing delivery. 

I continue to press for progress on pitches and facilities in other parks, such as Rathcoole Park, and to ensure that adequate facilities are in place to support a range of sports right across the constituency. 

 

NEW DOG RUN FOR QUARRYVALE

I was glad to welcome the news of a dog run for Quarryvale Park, with installation works having begun this week. This is something I raised at the design stage and since so it’s great to see that it’s now being delivered.

 

The space will be located to the south of the Children’s Playground in an area of open space, marked in red on the map below.

PRIORITISING THE RECRUITMENT OF NEW PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES

I continue to highlight the need for additional Public Health Nurses in Dublin Mid-West. In a recent Dáil exchange, the Tánaiste acknowledged that the pressures in our area are particularly acute. Budget 2025 allocated six whole-time equivalent Public Health Nursing posts for the Dublin Midlands region, and I have been pressing for these to be urgently filled, with priority given to the communities most in need, such as those in our constituency.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

I was delighted to join Fianna Fáil presidential candidate Jim Gavin as he returned to his native Clondalkin and his home club Round Towers GAA for their family fun day. I have seen Jim’s leadership skills, expertise and love for his country first hand, and I believe he is a fantastic candidate to be the next Uachtarán na hÉireann.

OUT AND ABOUT

Delighted to have enjoyed so many fantastic community events taking place in the last couple of weeks including Lucan Harriers AC 5 mile, Mary’s Céilí at the Crossroads in Palmerstown village, the Lucan Festival, Fettercairn Youth and Community Centre Family Fun Day and the Balgaddy Family Fun Day.

LOCAL QUERIES AND CLINICS 

My team continue to assist with a wide range of local queries. If there’s any issue you’d like to discuss, I’m available at the clinics listed below. Please call 01 618 4128 or email shane.moynihan@oireachtas.ie to arrange.