Delivering for Cavan and Monaghan

Fine Gael Senator Joe O'Reilly.

Having been re-elected to the Seanad in 2025, I have been lobbying, quietly and effectively, and working for individuals and communities. The latter is, for me, the most rewarding. My Cavan office is very busy and Mary Keogan does a great job there.

My party and the Government have been delivering for Cavan–Monaghan and the region throughout the year. Major developments continue apace at Cavan General Hospital.

Water and sewerage upgrades, vital for new housing, are well in progress. Cavan County Council is building new social houses, including in Bailieborough. Although I look forward to the development of an Assembly Hall at my alma mater, St Aidan’s, Cootehill, good progress has been made this year on classroom provision there and throughout our region.

I sincerely hope we will have notice of a major investment in the outstanding Cavan Institute for Higher Education in 2026. I attended a good meeting with Higher Education Minister James Lawless TD on his recent visit to Cavan, and we left with an optimistic sense.

Our win on the Nitrates Directive in the last few weeks is crucial, particularly for our dairy farmers. I hope, and will do my best, to have this followed up with a win on beef in the Mercosur deal. We held the taxation incentives to ensure succession planning on family farms in the budget. I personally would love to see the Farm Retirement Pension back.

Pension auto-enrolment is coming in during 2026. Piloted through by my former colleague Heather Humphreys, it will be revolutionary, ensuring that no one is left behind in poverty in their old age.

I am very proud that Bailieborough Garda Station, which I secured approval for in 2015, will be opened in 2026. I would personally like to see more investment in community policing.

I was excited by the widening of means bands for the Carer’s Allowance in 2025. I would be delighted if 2026 is the year we eliminate means testing for the Carer’s Allowance altogether. It is the right thing to do for the well-being of our dependent people and the economy.

We need further and increased investment in our roads. Inflation has been huge here. We remain too far behind with the Local Improvement Scheme, and I hope that 2026 will see significant investment here.

2025 and earlier years have seen a huge improvement in public transport. It is a measure of this success that there are capacity issues on the 109X, which of course need resolution. Let’s hope that 2026 will see further growth in the use of public transport.

The Broadband Scheme is the most revolutionary since electrification. It allows home working, decentralisation, increased educational opportunities, and assists with the housing issue. I hope that 2026 will be the year when we can say everyone eventually has broadband. Wouldn’t it be great to see peace in Ukraine in 2026? Bluetongue and bird flu were contained? Those are my big hopes for the New Year.

May you all have healthy and successful 2026.