Since being elected to Dail Eireann he has worked tirelessly for his Mayo constituents on i ssues of crucial importance to them including:

MEDICAL
As a GP he understands the need and was driven to secure a better deal for Mayo people.

MAYO ORTHOPAEDIC UNIT
Having initiated this campaign—he now has ensured it’s successful conclusion with a ‘state-of-the art’ Mayo orthopaedic unit now open.

MAYO DIALYSIS UNIT
Having been involved in this campaign from the start—he has ensured a third treatment shift -meaning no one has to travel to Galway anymore for kidney dialysis & transport is free for all dialysis patients.

UROLOGY WAITING LISTS
He has ensured those 100 Mayo patients waiting longest have had urgent free treatment at the Galway Clinic under the National Treatment Fund.

BREAST SCREENING
He started the campaign for the extension of BreastCheck to the West—which will commence in Mayo this year.

OTHER HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENTS
He has been leading the campaign for a Mayo Urology, Rheumatology, ENT and Eye Consultant Units at Mayo General Hospital. Forty more medical beds are urgently needed at Mayo General Hospital

CANCER SERVICES
He has campaigned vigorously for a Mayo cancer unit and improved cancer treatment services at Mayo General Hospital, as well as the Galway Radiotherapy Unit.

MULRANNY AMBULANCE BASE
He has secured a 24 hour HSE ambulance base to serve the Achill, Mulranny and Ballycroy areas. He is pushing for a 24 hour Belmullet base also.

HELICOPTER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Because of his campaign the Air Corps have secured additional long range helicoptersfor air ambulance duties.

OIL & GAS EXPLORATION RIGHTS
He brought forward a Dail Private Member’s motion with the full support of the Independent TD’s of the Technical Group asking Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey, TD., to re-examine the favourable terms given to the Oil & Gas Exploration companies off our coast. The entire opposition supported Dr. Cowley’s motion. As a result Minister Dempsey commissioned Indecon Consultants to do a report for him as to whether the oil & gas exploration rights should be changed. This report was to have been completed by the end of last year but so far it has not been published. Minister Dempsey says he will be bringing it to Cabinet shortly. Media commentators have described the government agreement to review the terms as a result of Dr. Cowley’s motion as a coup for the Independent TD’s of the Technical Group.

PLANNING ISSUES
He has sought greater accountability from local authorities as regards planning decisions and the adherence to the planning guidelines on one off housing in the countryside. He has demanded a local planning monitoring committee composed of officials as well as representatives of rural / community stakeholders to ensure transparency and community consent in planning decisions.

HOUSING
He successfully campaigned for a special revenue funding scheme for older people in community sheltered housing.

IRELAND WEST AIRPORT KNOCK
He vigorously pursued through the Dail the necessary capital funding of 25 million euro.

CRIME
He campaigned with residents associations on anti-social behaviour. He campaigned successfully for a Mayo Drugs Unit.

EDUCATION
He forced major concessions from Education Minister Hanafin on the DEIS programme. He campaigned successfully with parents & teachers throughout Mayo, from Westport Gaelscoil, to Knockanillaun, Castlebar , Mulranny and beyond., for school and facilities improvements He has campaigned with the Mayo Autism Support Group for a special autism specific school in Mayo.

RAIL
He campaigned successfully on freight restoration to Ballina, on the Mayo rail link, and on the Western Rail Corridor campaign

ROADS & BMW NDP UNDERSPEND
He highlighted the 3.75 billion deficit weekly, and the urgent need for R312 /N59 Belmullet/ Castlebar road, N26 Ballina /Bohola road, and N5 Wesport/Castlebar road upgrades, as well as Castlebar/Ballina Industrial parks.