Alison Comyn
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I know we are on the cusp of the summer recess but I want to talk about school for a moment. I raise a matter for a future debate or possible Commencement matter with the Minister for education about the inclusion of philosophy as a leaving certificate subject.”
“I believe this proposal sits naturally within the broader reform of the leaving certificate currently being championed by my colleague Senator Shane Curley. As we reimagine and modernise senior cycle education, we should not only be asking what students need to know, but how they should learn to think for themselves.”
“I especially compliment the staff who work in the background for me, including my assistant, Anna Brennan, who I have many times introduced as my right-hand woman. I would not be able to manage without her. I hope she has a very restful week. The work will go on here.”
“Despite all the technological change, people still value the reassurance, convenience and trust that comes with the local post office. That is why this investment is so important.”
“For those people, the post office is not just a convenience; it is an essential service. As a spokesperson for communications, I believe this debate should be about the future, rather than simply preserving the past or what we have at the moment.”
“Croke Park was a sea of red on the day. Many of us wanted to take public transport and it was under immense pressure. However, that was not just because of the semi-final. Dundalk and Drogheda railway stations are under serious pressure every day. One of the main reasons is the lack of parking.”
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“It is progressing beautifully. It is hoped we will have bottoms on seats in October 2026. Funding for the second phase is vital. I will be keeping the pressure on to make sure that happens. We will welcome as many fans as we can in the coming years.”
“Public submissions were sought during June and the Minister acknowledged he was well aware of the traffic and infrastructure issues in Ardee, and assured him the matter would be taken into consideration. Ardee is a thriving town but the town centre is being choked by lorries and traffic. There is currently no way of bypassing the town. Unfortunately, this has a knock-on effect, with businesses being closed and students being delayed, as well as adding to vacancy and dereliction. This decision should be reviewed. I invite the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers, to come to the House to debate why this vital of infrastructure for Ardee, County Louth, has not been included in the NDP. On a much lighter note, I was delighted to see the progress being made at the Louth GAA stadium yesterday with the Minister of State, Deputy Charlie McConalogue.”
“I welcome one piece of vital infrastructure in County Meath, although I am shocked another project just a couple of kilometres from County Louth will not be included in the national development plan. There is a widespread welcome for the green light given to the Slane bypass in County Meath. It is much-needed infrastructure that will save time and countless lives. I acknowledge the work done by one of my colleagues, Councillor Wayne Harding, to get it across the line. There is genuine shock in Ardee, County Louth, that an eastern bypass of this busy town on the N2 is not included in the national development plan. Another one of my colleagues, Councillor John Sheridan, met with the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers, in Ardee last week to discuss the inclusion of this local infrastructure project in a review of the national development plan.”
“Thank you, Minister, for coming in to answer those Commencement matters. I would like to welcome some of our groups here. I feel like I am in the ballroom of romance; we have the ladies on one side and the gentlemen on the other. We have guests of Senator Chris Andrews, the Ringsend and Irishtown golden girls group. You are all golden girls and fabulous blondes. We do have more fun, do we not? We also have the Terenure Men's Shed. I hope you are both enjoying your trip to the Seanad today and that perhaps you will convene and have a cup of coffee together. It might really be the ballroom of romance here this morning. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your stay.”
“We both agree on having to come to an agreement on the student contribution, so we have to show patience and wait to see what will happen, as is promised, in the new year.”
“I add my words of support to my Fianna Fáil colleagues here on the matter of the student contribution. We are in coalition and in government together. It is beholden to both of us to address this issue and come to an agreement. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, made it perfectly clear what is happening with the student contribution and did not promise an increase. We are looking at a cost-of-living measure, which, as we know, is just not feasible this year. We are both committed to our programme for Government. We have to be more patient and put this back to the Minister for Finance because he is also beholden to come to this agreement. I refute putting it back to either the Minister, Deputy Chambers, or the Minister, Deputy Lawless.”
“These changes could safeguard not only our children, but everyone who uses the bridge. It may be a matter for Meath County Council, to which I have already written, but I wish the Leader to invite the Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon, to come the House because he may be in a position to offer funding for these vital and lifesaving safety measures in order that this type of tragedy never happens again.”
“Local people, led by sea swimmer, Tonya Mullen, want to see meaningful steps taken to ensure tragedies of this nature never happen again. The current structure of the footbridge poses serious safety risks, especially for young people. Suggestions have been made about increasing the height of the railings, installing anti-climb features to discourage access to the edge, adding prominent safety signage and visual warnings, enhancing surveillance and lighting to deter dangerous behaviour, implementing regular patrols during peak hours on sunny days and launching a youth outreach campaign to educate young people about the dangers involved. This will require significant funding. With the summer months upon us, time is of the essence. No parent should ever have to endure such a loss.”
“It is only a matter of weeks since I asked for compulsory swimming lessons in schools in the wake of three drowning tragedies. I again stand here following the tragic loss of another young life to the waves over the weekend. Kofi Owusu, a 15-year-old Louth teenager, lost his life on a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon while swimming near the Nanny river footbridge in Laytown, County Meath. It is not specifically known if the young man jumped off the bridge into the water, something which has been common practice for decades at this beauty spot. Nevertheless, he did not go home to his family that evening. The same happened to 14-year-old Bilal Tunkara in 2022. There were also two near-drowning events in 2019 and 2020.”
“Having been a freelance journalist many a time over the years, I know how precarious it can be. The working conditions can mean people cannot move forward with their lives through getting mortgages and simple things like this. It is something on which the Minister may need to intervene. I add my support in calling for this.”
“I rise today not with a new issue but to add words of support to two issues that have already been raised by Senator O'Loughlin. I stand here proudly wearing my harp which my children bought for me for mother's day. We are surrounded by harps here and it would be great shame if this symbol of Ireland and the instrument itself were to fade. I support what Senator O'Loughlin said about world music day and the reason we should support the harp. I also add my support to the Oireachtas broadcast workers. It is very seldom that we agree across both Houses. As Senator Andrews mentioned, we have 160 signatures and letters of support from throughout both Houses. The workers are seeking pay parity and better working conditions. The only reason members of the public are able to watch us here and at committees is because of these workers.”
“I am not certain what school group has just arrived, but I welcome them to the Chamber and the Gallery. I am not sure whether they have been given any homework before the end of term but there will be no more of it today, which is the tradition of the Seanad. I hope they will enjoy a nice long summer break when it happens.”
“Before we hear our next speaker, we have a packed Public Gallery today and I will welcome the groups. We have the men's and women's sheds of Enfield, who are guests of Deputy Barry Heneghan. I know how busy you all are and I am delighted to see you working in alliance. I also welcome Victor and Michael. We also have guests of Senator Paraic Brady, Barbara Heslin and Samantha Healy, directors of services in Longford County Council. Welcome to you all and I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit to the Seanad.”
“We will now begin statements on the Farrelly commission report. The statements are to conclude at 5 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to opening remarks by the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes. Time may be shared. The Minister is to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate. I call the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Deputy Foley.”
“The story shocked the nation and there is still no explanation as to how no one noticed the disappearance of a six-year-old boy for two whole years. There is an ongoing Garda investigation, but I appeal to anyone who has information about what happened to Kyran, and I am sure there are people who know, to please contact their local Garda stations. No matter how small or insignificant they might think the information, it could be important to the investigation. Protecting people does nothing for the dignity of this little boy. There are still serious questions to be answered about who knew what and, given Tusla engaged with the family in the months before he disappeared, I ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to come to the Chamber to discuss what further information she has received since her most recent statement on the matter last year.”
“Proving that Ireland's smallest county is not only big on footballing talent but also brains and beauty, we are bursting with pride as Louth's very own Caoimhe Kenny has brought home the Miss Ireland crown. A true Louth woman, full of grace, beauty and strength, she has done us all proud and shown the whole country the talent we have in the wee county. She is the daughter of former Ireland soccer manager Stephen Kenny so I dare say she is no slouch on the field herself. Maith thú, Caoimhe. She has made Louth shine. Staying in Louth, and on a much more serious note, this month marks the third anniversary of the last confirmed sighting of the young Drogheda boy Kyran Durnin, who was only reported missing in August last year and is now, sadly, presumed deceased.”
“However, since this has not happened in the 12 years since the legislation was enacted, it would seem that the best course of action may be for the Department to take back responsibility for the project, which is ultimately its legal duty to deliver. Not only is the delivery of this building enshrined in legislation, but the Minister is no doubt very aware that the presence of the HQ would be hugely beneficial for the community. I ask that the Minister give her assurance that this matter is progressing without any further delays and to provide a timeframe for its completion.”
“I recently met the Drogheda city status group, which wrote to LMETB in December 2020 to raise concerns about the delay in building the headquarters in Drogheda, as prescribed under the Education and Training Boards Act 2013. The building work had commenced in 2017, with the contractors on site, but it was quickly halted. All other headquarters prescribed in the legislation had already been delivered at that stage, with LMETB being the exception. The group met the CEO in July 2021. He gave his assurance that the building would recommence in December 2021. To sum up, it has been 12 years since the legislation was introduced to require the LMETB headquarters to be based in Drogheda. It has been eight years since the work was originally commenced and abandoned. The Department devolved the delivery of the project to LMETB.”
“Confirmation that the new building is definitely to go ahead at the Drogheda location was given at an announcement in 2022 of a multimillion euro investment at Drogheda Institute of Further Education. This made for a double vote of confidence in Drogheda's future. However, no timeline has since been made available for the construction of the building. More than €300,000 has already been spent on feasibility studies and consultation fees in the past decade. The last update stated that the new facility was awaiting departmental approval before proceeding to the planning stage. However, my fear is that it has dropped off a priority list.”
“I invite the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, to the House to get an update on the proposed construction of the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board headquarters in Drogheda, County Louth, and the timeline for its completion. The decision to have a State body headquartered in the town was first floated more than ten years ago. It was seen as a huge vote of confidence, with the largest town in Ireland being chosen over neighbouring Navan and Dundalk. However, three years have passed since new plans were revealed in 2022 for the cutting-edge headquarters for the ETB, which will be situated in the St. Oliver's Community College campus on the Rathmullan Road in Drogheda.”
“My colleagues on the other side of the House last week endeavoured to read out some of the names of those murdered in Gaza. It would take all day or even all week. I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say no more names must be added to that shameful list which has happened during our lifetime.”
“We have to metaphorically starve, through trade bans, those who are carrying out these murders, just as they are actually starving people by withholding life-saving services. The occupied territories Bill must be enacted. Following the drafting of a revised Bill, I will stand proud as part of a nation to become the first EU member state to implement such a ban. The ceasefire and hostage release deal agreed in January brought hope to Israelis and Palestinians. I now call on all parties to return to talks aimed at immediately agreeing to a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The remaining hostages must be released. We, as a Government, have consistently called for that. We cannot do this alone. This has to be part of a united global push to stop what is taking place right under our noses.”
“I feel these two professions in particular need to be allowed into the heart of the settlements as a matter of urgency to relay the real truth of what is taking place. That is on both sides of the conflict. Sadly, I imagine it is far worse than we are hearing and that is already more than 60,000 deaths. Our Government has consistently been at the forefront of international support for Gaza and the Palestinian people, often taking pioneering steps that distinguish it within the European Union and globally, as acknowledged only recently by the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland. As far back as 1980 we were the first EU country to call for Palestinian statehood and, last year, one of the first officially to recognise the State of Palestine and pledge €20 million to aid relief. However, we have to do more.”
“I thank the Minister of State for attending today and the Tánaiste before him. Unfortunately, two minutes simply do not allow for enough words to describe the horror, the anger and, to borrow the words of the Tánaiste, the repulsion I feel watching 600 days of atrocities in Gaza. What little time I have must contain words like condemn, genocide and slaughter of innocent people. I would like to stand here as a human being - a mother - crossing party boundaries to unite in doing whatever we can to stop these crimes against unborn babies, children, mothers, fathers and medics. When this insanity started on 7 October 2023, I was still a journalist reporting on what was taking place. Now I stand here as a politician who can use more than words to make that change.”
“With that in mind, I invite the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, to the House to debate what measures we need to take to protect the more vulnerable road users, be that through improved lighting, wider paths and cycle paths, longer crossing times at pedestrian crossings or whatever it might take to stop these road deaths in their tracks.”
“We may never know what happened in each of those separate incidents that resulted in such heartbreaking loss for each of those five families but, as was said after the tragic death of Garda Kevin Flatley weeks ago, we need a drastic reset with regard to our safety measures and how we view those we share our busy and ever more dangerous roads with. It is not only down to safety measures and enforcement either. Drivers need to be educated about sharing the road and respecting pedestrians and cyclists. We need to enforce rules against speeding, mobile phone use and illegal parking on footpaths or cycle lanes. We may need stricter penalties for dangerous driving behaviours, particularly in pedestrian-heavy zones.”
“Colette Campbell, Theresa Morgan and Bernie Cranley are the names of three of the five women who so tragically lost their lives over the weekend on Irish roads. A driver, three pedestrians and a cyclist, these women were killed in counties Clare, Meath, Wexford, Louth and Tyrone, four within an eight-hour period, bringing the number of fatalities on our roads so far this year to 67, including 19 pedestrians and six pedal cyclists. It is clear we have serious concerns and issues we have to address on our roads, particularly when it comes to more vulnerable road users like the elderly, cyclists, pedestrians and the very young.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her time in the Seanad today. I welcome our special guests to the Visitors Gallery. They are guests of Deputy Hildegarde Naughton from Clarin College. Athenry. I welcome the students. I believe the group leader is Paul Casserly, so I probably have to address this to him. It is tradition in the Seanad that when we have a school group here, they have no homework for the rest of the week. Seeing as it is Thursday, that might extend into next week. I will leave that to his discretion. Thank you for visiting. We will hopefully see you again soon. When is it proposed to sit again?”
“Before we take our next speaker, I welcome our group here. I am afraid I have not had time to find out who they are but they are always very welcome to come and join us for Seanad business. We are discussing statements on public procurement. I hope the group enjoys the next few minutes they are here with us.”
“We need stronger, clearer legislation to address this issue head on. This includes defining catfishing as a punishable offence, increasing penalties for impersonation and fraud and giving the Garda better tools to investigate and prosecute online deception. It is not about limiting free speech or online anonymity. It is about protecting people from abuse, exploitation and manipulation. By tightening our laws through Bills like this, we send a clear message. As has been said, online deception harms others. It is not just unethical; it is indeed illegal.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the House today. I wholeheartedly support Senator O'Loughlin's Bill. Catfishing, as we know, is a growing problem in our digital age where individuals create fake online identities to deceive others, often for financial gain, emotional manipulation or even more serious criminal purposes. It is not a frivolous or harmless activity, as we sometimes may think because of the name catfishing. We need to normalise the term "online impersonation" and attach it to criminality. It is insidious and victims can suffer deep emotional trauma, financial loss and long-term psychological effects. Despite the serious consequences, the current laws are often outdated or do not go far enough to hold the offenders to account. I think that is where Senator O'Loughlin's Bill will step up.”
“I am not being glib in saying, and I agree with Senator Cosgrove, that a person could potentially have forgotten how to drive if he or she had no access to a car in that space of time. It is a far cry from the RSA desired times of just ten weeks. I have liaised constantly with the RSA to provide suggested locations in Drogheda and I hope a resolution can be reached soon and tests can once again be taken in south Louth.”
“Calls are growing for the establishment of more permanent test centres especially in underserved areas like my hometown of Drogheda, as Senator Collins mentioned, which despite being Ireland's largest town still lacks a test centre of its own. I have been in constant contact with the RSA, first as a journalist and now as a Senator, since we lost our temporary test centre two years ago. Closing it at the time was the right decision as it was not in a suitable location, but at the time of closing, 2,200 people were waiting for their tests. They were all redeployed to neighbouring test centres, but this put untold pressure on them. The current waiting time in Navan, as we heard from Senator Nelson Murray, has increased to nine months.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. As we have heard across the House today, Ireland is facing a critical challenge with driving test waiting times, which we know have reached unprecedented levels. I will not repeat some of the figures we have heard today but we know some test centres have waiting lists four times the RSA's target of ten weeks. This backlog is not just an inconvenience. It has terrible consequences. Learners are generally paying sky-high insurance premiums, often around €3,000 annually, while waiting to sit their test. Many are unable to take up job offers, apprenticeships or college places that require a full licence. In rural areas where public transport is limited, the delays are particularly damaging.”
“This includes investing in swimming infrastructure, subsidising lessons to make them accessible to all, and training educators to deliver effective water safety instruction. I request a debate in this House with the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, on making swimming lessons an integral part of the school system in order that we can equip our children with the skills they need to enjoy Ireland's waterways safely and prevent future tragedies.”
“The teaching of practical swimming lessons remains haphazard, however, often held up by limited access to facilities and funding. This disparity leaves many children, particularly of underserved communities, very vulnerable. Research shows the life-saving potential of swimming lessons, which can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% in children aged between one and four. Other European countries have integrated swimming lessons into their school curricula, recognising the critical role of early water skills education in safeguarding children. Ireland can draw inspiration from these models to ensure comprehensive water safety education for all students. To address this pressing issue, a co-ordinated national effort is essential.”
“As Ireland marks water safety awareness week this week, the recent tragic loss of three young lives to drowning serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritise water safety education in our schools. My condolences to the families of Emmanuel Familola and his friend Matt Sibanda, who lost their lives in Donegal, and of seven-year-old Alan Singh who, sadly, drowned in Sligo. It is hard to believe that, in Ireland, an average of ten people drown every month. Given our island nation's extensive coastline, lakes and rivers and, of course, the popularity of sea swimming, it is vital every child acquires essential swimming and water safety skills. Currently, Water Safety Ireland offers the primary aquatics water safety, PAWS, programme in primary schools, aiming to teach the most basic water safety knowledge.”
“We need developments and investments. We would also like to see, if possible, the town centre first heritage revival, THRIVE, funding, which is badly needed for Westgate House and the former Drogheda youth development buildings. A planning application for the project is currently going in. We have seen what our neighbours in Dundalk have done with this incredible funding of €7.5 million. The capacity is for funding of €7 million in Drogheda. Those two projects together would bring the exact amount of dignity, pride, positivity and investment that we so badly need.”
“I also congratulate every mother, father, granny, grandad or whoever else who has stood by the edges of the pitches. We all know what the GAA brings to the community. This is bringing a tremendous lift to Louth, one for which we have waited 68 years. As the last time we lifted the Delaney Cup was in 1957, we welcome the win at the weekend. As I am talking about the crest of a wave of pride and positivity, that is what we need to bring to Louth, and to Drogheda in particular. I would welcome a debate with the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, regarding our funding from the urban regeneration and development fund. We have received great news that planning approval has been granted for the Westgate Vision project, which will clean up quite a poor part of the town centre. This will be exactly what we need for our heritage.”
“I wish to be associated with Senator Nelson Murray’s comments welcoming Pope Leo XIV. He is a great Augustinian. We have a tremendous association in Drogheda with the Augustinians there. We hope to welcome him to Ireland soon. I will continue on the comments of my Meath colleague. As the sole Louth representative in the Seanad, it would be remiss of me, standing here in my county colours, not to congratulate the Louth senior men’s team on its tremendous win in the 2025 Leinster Senior Football Championship in Croke Park. Some 65,000 people were in attendance, which was the second-highest attendance at any football match in Europe this week, behind the Manchester United and West Ham match. It was a tremendous final. I congratulate the Louth manager, Ger Brennan, and the captain, Sam Mulroy.”
“Before I bring Senator Ryan back in, I welcome to the Gallery the Probus retirement group, special guests of the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Verona Murphy. I presume they are from the Wexford area. They are not. My father was once a very active member of Probus. I know what incredible work the organisation does. I send best wishes from everybody here in the House and wish you continued good success.”
“It is crucial they secure the necessary funding to continue these essential programmes, which have been funded by the International Fund for Ireland, with the plan being for them to be mainstreamed by a Department. Eight years later, however, they still remain dependent on unsustainable funding streams and urgently require a Department or multidepartmental approach to mainstream projects such as Footpaths. In many cases, the programmes are already in place and we should do our best to allow them to continue the good work they already do in keeping our young people away from crime.”
“They have also celebrated achievements, such as the leadership for life graduation, and have made huge strides in breaking the cycle of young women from low socioeconomic areas not attending college and diverting young people from antisocial behaviour, the reason we are here today. Their efforts have also been recognised with a Louth Garda youth award and the Deargh Armstrong award for outstanding community contribution, highlighting the positive impact on the youth they serve. Sadly, in recent months, two projects have ended due to lack of funding and they are currently at capacity, with a waiting list of young people seeking support.”
“We also need to look after the successful schemes we have but which are in dire need of funding. The Footsteps project is a personal youth development programme based in Moneymore in Drogheda which serves young men and women aged 16 to 24. Its current funding will run out in December 2026 and this impending gap could have a devastating effect on the vital services it provides to vulnerable young people in this largely disadvantaged community. Since Footsteps began in 2017, 46 participants have benefited, leading to long-lasting outcomes as they become adults. Three have gone on to sit on the board of the Connect Family Resource Centre in Drogheda, showcasing their growth and commitment to community involvement and leadership.”
“Again, as referenced by the Minister of State, back in 2024, the then Minister of State with responsibility for law reform and youth justice, Deputy James Browne, provided €200,000 in funding to eight community-based projects to work with young people involved in the antisocial use of scramblers and quad bikes and related crime. The projects consulted An Garda Síochána and local authorities to provide tracks and related facilities, and they encouraged young people to engage positively to learn motorcycle skills, including maintenance, combined with relevant educational and personal development activities. Given the rise of scrambler misuse, I ask that perhaps we audit the success rate of those projects to see if funding could be sourced to reintroduce a similar scheme throughout the country, particularly in Louth and east Meath.”
“I am currently working with the families of two young boys aged nine and ten in east Meath who were badly injured after being hit by scramblers in separate incidents in their own estate, one in his own front garden. There is nothing wrong with the vehicles themselves. It is the dangerous and illegal way they are being ridden that is the problem. I welcome the recent tightening of laws that allows for the seizure of vehicles and greater powers for gardaí, but this is not a good enough deterrent. There need to be greater sanctions, possibly even on the parents who are purchasing these expensive and very dangerous toys. In conjunction with that, we need to look at offering safer alternatives to keep youths engaged and interested.”
“I thank the Minister of State for attending the House today. I welcome the opportunity to talk about how we can best serve the young people of all our communities and try to steer them away from criminal activities to find a more positive and productive path. Far too many young men and women are tempted into following nefarious paths and keeping them in education and out of trouble is becoming much more of a struggle. That does not mean we give up. In fact, we need to double down on efforts to offer a viable alternative to a life of crime or long-term unemployment. I will raise an issue plaguing communities across the country, which the Minister of State also raised, namely, the misuse of scramblers. This was most recently brought to a national light with the tragic death of 18-year-old Jason Monks in Citywest two weeks ago.”
“Quite often, it is psychological abuse and it is relentless. Something happened during Covid-19 where people have lost the run of themselves and they do not know how to speak to people anymore. In another life many years ago, I taught customer service and customer relations. I looked to see what workers are now dealing with in bars and shops and, every day, it is like people have forgotten how to treat people. They see it as fair game to speak to retail workers as they wish. As we have heard, this includes physical attacks. This is a Bill we should all support. It is very different and outside what we are used to. As I said before, we have to protect those workers we have. I am sure everyone here has either worked in a shop or a bar. We know how difficult and highly pressurised it can be and how little people are being paid.”
“I second the motion. I add my support for and admiration of Senator Fitzpatrick for this Bill. It is long overdue and something I am glad to support. We must protect our retail workers. They are on the front line. While they are, unfortunately, dwindling now because so much has gone online, we really have to look after the staff we have. From looking at some of the statistics yesterday, retail workers are some of the workers who come in under the minimum wage. In fact, a lot of them earn minimum wage. The onus is definitely on us to protect and look after them. We are not just talking about physical abuse in this regard. We were questioned this morning whether there are existing laws to look after workers, staff and everyone and anyone through assault laws. These are very different, however. It is not just physical abuse.”
“She is at a loss to what she needs to do now. I invite a debate with the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, on what we are going to do about the serious pressing issue of secondary school places and units not being available for children with autism in Louth and Meath.”