Eoghan Kenny
Cork North-Central · Labour Party · Ireland
“The barriers facing families today may be different but the principle has not changed. The Labour Party believes opportunity should be determined by talent, effort and ambition, not by the balance in a parent's bank account. Technology has transformed education for the better and it is now an essential part of modern schooling.”
“Parents across Ireland are sitting at kitchen tables trying to work out how they are going to pay for another school year. For far too many families, the excitement of a child returning to school has been replaced by financial anxiety. Increasingly, parents are being forced into debt simply to educate their children.”
“Having been a teacher in two schools, I recognise that these tablets and these laptops that are provided to schools break and that maintenance for them is coming out of capitation grants that cannot be fulfilled by the schools because they are using capitation grants elsewhere.”
“I raise the issue of the lack of a plan for a new public sector pay deal and the lack of engagement on this matter. SIPTU, Fórsa, Unite and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, are now to ballot their members for industrial action, up to and including strike action.”
“We need to stop pretending otherwise and introduce enforceable protections for families. As schools become more dependent on technology than ever before, the Government has cut the ICT grant by almost €15 million. That grant stands at just €35 million with no dedicated funding for repairs or maintenance.”
“It is a guidance letter once again, a guidance circular that was produced by the Minister at the time in 2017 that gave absolutely no consequences to the school for having branded school uniforms. In my opening speech I, as well as my colleagues, welcomed the free books scheme.”
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“We can introduce the €400 energy income tax credit for working people; we can provide additional weeks of fuel allowance for those who depend on it to heat their homes; we can deliver a double social welfare payment to households struggling with rising costs; and we can act to stop sudden price spikes by using maximum price orders on heating oil and examining the release of strategic oil reserves if necessary.”
“Those programmes are not abstract climate polices; they mean warmer homes, lower bills and less exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. Every home that is properly insulated, every retrofit completed and every household moved away from expensive fossil fuels is a household that is less exposed to global energy shocks. Yes, we must move forward with more retrofitting, warmers homes and lower energy demand and with renewable energy that reduces Ireland's dependence on imported fossil fuels but moving forward does not mean ignoring what we can do right now. There are actions that can ease pressure on families overnight and I will go back to them.”
“These are practical actions that could ease pressure on households in the short term and are very much Labour Party-focused actions. There is a long-term question in relation to this debate and that is our approach to carbon tax. I understand that people are frustrated - I meet them on a daily basis - about the rising costs. Those concerns are very real but the Labour Party and I fundamentally believe we must be careful not to undermine the very measures that help households reduce their energy bills permanently. I am not here to defend Government action on this but I am being realistic that the revenues from carbon tax fund the fuel allowance, support vulnerable households and invest in home retrofitting programmes that make homes warmer and cheaper to run.”
“The Government already has a €1 billion contingency fund set aside in this year's budget meaning the capacity exists to support hard-pressed households if the political will is there. We must address the issue of sudden fuel price spikes. We have seen how prices can surge almost overnight when international tensions escalate. The Labour Party is, therefore, calling for the use of maximum price orders tied directly to the real costs faced by suppliers to prevent excessive price increases during periods of market instability. We should also examine whether strategic oil reserves held by the National Oil Reserves Agency could be released, as Ireland has done previously in co-ordination with international partners, to help stabilise fuel prices.”
“First, we have proposed an energy income tax credit of up to €400, targeted at households with incomes below €80,000. That would provide real support to working households who are earning, paying tax and struggling with rising energy bills. Second, we have called for four additional weeks of fuel allowance to support households that depend on the payment to heat their homes during the colder months, such as many older people and vulnerable families. Third, we believe the Government should introduce a double social welfare payment as outlined by my colleague. Taken together, these measures would deliver targeted support where it is needed most, and, importantly, they are affordable.”
“Hundreds of thousands of households are struggling with energy bills, with many already in arrears on electricity and gas payments. At the same time, petrol, diesel and home heating oil prices are rising sharply, putting additional pressure on workers who commute, on families trying to heat their homes and on pensioners to get through the week. This debate really matters but we also need to be honest about solutions. Our conversation must be solution-focused; not rhetoric but real action. While Sinn Féin's motion focuses heavily on reducing fuel taxes, Labour believes the most effective response is targeted support for households that are struggling the most. Labour has set out practical measures that could be implemented now.”
“There is no doubt that families across this country are under real pressure. I see it every day in my constituency, with people coming into my office looking for help and non-political point scoring. That is exactly why I stand here. I am looking for real, tangible solutions to what the people of Ireland require and need. People are worried about their next electricity bill, the price of home heating oil and the cost of filling the car just to get to work. For many working families, the cost-of-living crisis has not gone away. It is still there week after week, bill after bill. When international events drive up energy prices, it is ordinary households who feel it first and hardest. We know how serious the situation already is.”
“It was clearly outlined to me just now at the Committee of Public Accounts that the Department of education does not have the number of special classes and special school places available to match the level of need and provide for the number of applicants. Therefore, right now we have children without a place for the next academic year. I was told that all Government leaders are aware of this. When was the Tánaiste made aware of this? Will he put on the record that every child that requires a special class or a special school place will get one for the next academic year, considering that the Department of education just stated that it does not have the resources to match the level of need?”
“There was a huge outcry of support for SNAs and then, all of a sudden, the policy was scrapped. It was rowed back. The political wind changed and we were offered €19 million to save the day. Last year, I stood on the streets of Cork city and outside this Dáil with parents who were trying to access special classes for their children. To be fair to the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, he worked extremely hard to get classes set up and make them available. We did that but this year again there is another issue. It relates to SNAs. It is a question of resources and classes, and it should not be the case that every single year it is the parents and children who are deeply affected by ad hoc decision-making by the Government.”
“I spoke on this last night here in the Dáil and again today with the Taoiseach. This has been an absolutely catastrophic number of weeks for so many people for whom this matter has caused so much stress. I said last night that, as a Parliament, we have to take account of the fact that so many children, particularly those with additional needs, along with parents, SNAs and school communities, were deeply affected. We cannot just turn around on a whim all of a sudden and stop talking about this, because for two weeks straight schools were deeply affected by what they were led to believe was the taking of resources from children. Ultimately, that is what happened. We had a policy in place. The Department implemented that policy through the SENOs and NCSE. Schools received letters stating they were to lose or gain SNAs.”
“Will the Taoiseach put it on the record that every single child who is entitled to and needs a special class will be given a place?”
“I do not need lectures from the Taoiseach on the role of an SNA. I know what they are about. I said at the beginning that I welcome the development of SNAs. I did not need the figures. I know the figures and I welcome them. As a State, we have to accept the reality. The level of resources did not keep up with the level of need. That is the reality. We were able to get €19 million overnight. Was it penny-pinching all along? Was it the Taoiseach's deputy leader, Deputy Chambers, keeping the money away from the Department of education? How were we able to get €19 million overnight? Will every single child who is entitled to a special class be given a place in a special class for the next academic year? My understanding is that the level of applicants means we now require 600 special classes. We have funding for 400 special classes.”
“Second, the Taoiseach said yesterday that the role of the SNA is primarily for the child and not for the school. The 2014 circular clearly states in section 10 that SNAs are not allocated to individual pupils but to schools as a schools-based resource in the same manner that teachers are allocated to schools. Can the Taoiseach clarify what he meant by that? Is it a lack of understanding or another opportunity to deflect from the reality that the Government was taking resources off children?”
“It must take a long-term approach where we are not scrambling every year to get the basics right. I want to clarify two points. First, in his response to my party leader yesterday, the Taoiseach stated the Government "did not sign off on this" initiative. What did he mean by that? His Government created this policy and got the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, through the SENOs, to implement the policy. They did as they were told. They informed schools of the decisions based on the policy the Government created. The Taoiseach said the Government did not sign off on this. Will he clarify what he meant by that? Did he agree with the policy? Did he not know the letters were being sent out? Was this the Taoiseach attempting to place the blame on SENOs and the NCSE?”
“This is a clear indication that either the Taoiseach had no faith in the policy that his Government created or he had some sort of realisation that those working within our schools might actually be right. In any case, the Taoiseach and his Government colleagues are doing their best to spin this as a win. It is in fact another case of announce, backlash, retreat and re-announce. Deep down, this question must be posed. How much damage has the Government done to special education in this country? Every year, there is fear, anxiety and worry on the part of parents across the country who wonder if their child will have an appropriate class and resources, SNA support and enough special education teachers. Parents should not have to carry that burden. As a State, we must get special education right. It cannot be ad hoc .”
“The Chair should be respected. Over the past two weeks, the Government has let down children with additional needs, special needs assistants, parents, school communities and now special educational needs organisers, SENOs. That is why tonight, across the country, these very people will take to the streets and protest outside the Dáil at 5 p.m. At every opportunity, the Labour Party has welcomed developments in our education system. I welcomed new special classes, new special schools, new SNAs and the proposed roll-out of therapy supports but when something is not right, I will call it out for what it is, and this was plainly wrong. The Government was pitting one child’s needs against those of another. The political wind changed and the Government felt the pressure, scrapped the policy, went to the kitty and got money.”
“It is a strongly held belief that if epilepsy were to be added to the CDMP, it would help improve these attitudes by encouraging GPs to upskill their knowledge of epilepsy and, ultimately, this would help to relieve pressure on already stretched specialist epilepsy services, leading to better health outcomes for people with epilepsy.”
“There were healthcare professionals, advocacy groups and people living with epilepsy there. The resounding answer to that overall question was "Yes". Epilepsy is an incredibly common condition. While some people need access to special care, others do not. However, it is still important that we have continued access to health services. A study conducted by University College Cork and Epilepsy Ireland investigating the relationship between people with epilepsy and their GPs found that GPs and people with epilepsy described a limited role for GPs in epilepsy care. There were varying levels of engagement from people with epilepsy with their GPs and vice versa . Limited knowledge of epilepsy was cited as a challenge for GPs working in family practices.”
“I thank the Social Democrats and Deputy Rice for bringing this motion forward. I will primarily focus on one aspect of the motion. The motion calls on the Government to "expand the ... [chronic disease management programme] to include severe and enduring mental health difficulties, epilepsy and other conditions as appropriate, in consultation with GPs delivering the service". I am an epileptic. That is something I have learned to live with but that would not have been possible without the support of my consultant, the epilepsy nurses in CUH and, very importantly, my own GP. Early last year, I attended and spoke at an event in UCC organised by Epilepsy Ireland. There was a section titled "Is it time for Epilepsy to be added to the Chronic Disease Management Programme?" I played a very minor part in the event.”
“She took up her position and knew it was going to be implemented. Does she no longer have faith in it? If she does not, is it because there was such an outcry and a backlash against the Government? We do not need to be lectured on the role of the NCSE. I believe it, and the SENOs have been thrown under the bus.”
“There is a significant level of need in our country right now. I accept that there will be over 25,000 SNAs in our country. It is wonderful and a brilliant achievement but it is not enough. We can do more. If we can get an allocation of €19 million overnight, what more could we do? I am here to help. Anything I can do, I will do, but when things have to be called out, the Minister has to appreciate that she has to own up to the mistake that was made. A policy decision was taken by the Department of education. The Department asked the NCSE to implement that decision, and it did so. That is the difficulty I have. Does the fact that we are now going to review the policy mean that the Minister no longer has confidence in it? We allowed it to be implemented, and she knew it was being implemented.”
“No one will take that, so naturally there will be cuts. There are so many lessons to be learned from this. All of us in this House have to learn from this. We have abruptly tried to make a decision on taking provision of services from children. That should never ever be allowed to happen. If any child in this country needs a resource, money should never be a barrier. Whatever about that, it should never ever be incorporated into any policy that a child who needs a resource should not be given it. Why should we pit one child against another based on their individual needs? No child is the same as the other, so we should not pit needs against each other. The Government must also accept that although it is a fact, which, as I said, I accept, that allocations have increased, the level of resources has not kept up with the level of need.”
“I will always welcome that all stakeholders be involved in creating different circumstances within the Department, but how did we ever think it was going to be acceptable to send a letter to a school to say it would lose SNAs, have principals bring those people into their office, tell them their job is gone, and that person having to go home not knowing where their job is going to be for the next year, or if they are going to be able to keep their job? So many SNAs have come to me and said that the job or position they have been offered is 0.25 hours or 0.5 hours. Realistically, there are naturally going to be cuts because nobody is going to take a position like that. Nobody will take up a position that is 0.25 hours. That could be 20 minutes of the week; I do not know how much it is.”
“I accept that, but how did the Minister and Minister of State ever think that sending these letters outlining cuts to SNAs in schools was okay, which would leave a cohort of workers in a situation where they had no idea where they were going to be working next year? The Taoiseach assured us that no jobs were going to be lost. That is okay, but a person who has been a special needs assistant in a school for a certain number of years cannot be left in limbo. They cannot be left in a position where they do not know where they are going to be working. It could be 45 km away from their current place of work. I agree with the fact, which the Minister has said on a number of occasions, that the SNAs had a great say in this redeployment. That is to be welcomed.”
“Can you imagine that? That should not be the case. In all these deliberations over the past two weeks, we should think of the number of people we as a State have failed. We have failed children with additional needs, SENOs and members of the NCSE who implemented a policy created by the Government. We have failed principals who had to have the difficult conversations with their SNAs to say they were last in and would be first out. I will also contribute on that. In relation to the redeployment scheme, how did we ever believe it was acceptable to send letters to schools stating they were losing SNAs without ever having a redeployment scheme established? I understand the fact it will be done in a number of weeks. I welcome redeployment and understand it is necessary. I welcome it because, naturally, needs change in schools.”
“On the plinth this morning, I spoke about the fact I would hate to be one of the 120 or so SENOs in this country. Why? If I were a SENO asked to do a job, I might not have agreed with the policy. More than likely, because they are all human like us, the SENOs probably did not agree with the policy because they did not want to take resources from schools, but they had to go and have the tough conversations with principals of schools to say they were losing SNAs. Yet, this morning, they heard there was row back on it, and that the Government did not agree with the policy and was going to change it. All schools would keep their SNAs and the decisions the SENOs made, based on the policy the Government told them to implement, were no longer going to go ahead. I got a text from a SENO tonight who told me they were at home crying all day.”
“Today, in response to my party leader, the Taoiseach said, "The Government never signed off on this [initiative]". This policy was created by this Government. The Department of education asked the NCSE to implement this policy. The NCSE did that. The SENOs went to schools, did the reviews and gave the letters back to the schools outlining X amount of SNAs they would lose or gain. They implemented that policy, so the Government did sign off on that initiative. I think the Taoiseach misinterpreted the facts. We did not ask him whether he signed every letter individually to each school but he has to stand over the fact, as do the Minister and Minister of State, that this was a Department of education policy implemented by the National Council for Special Education.”
“I always will but, fundamentally, we must ensure that resources are never taken for granted and never taken from children. That was what was going to happen. Although the fact is we were going to increase our allocation of SNAs, the rigid criteria created by the Department of education was ultimately going to take SNA provision and support from children. There is no refuting that because schools that had SNA provision got a review from SENOs and the NCSE and were told they were losing SNAs. That support was going to be taken from the child. That is exactly what was going to happen. The Taoiseach can state that no cuts were going to take place and jobs were going to be secured all he wants. Ultimately, provision of SNA allocation and resources were going to be taken from children.”
“I thank Sinn Féin for bringing the motion forward. I welcome the fact there will be statements on this in the Dáil tomorrow. I welcome any parents, SNAs or students who are in the Gallery. The Minister and Minister of State will appreciate this has been a significantly difficult two weeks for SNAs, school communities, parents and children with additional needs. I have met and spoken with a number of school principals, SNAs and parents in particular across the country over the past two weeks as a result of the fact that supports were going to be taken from children. It has been said on a number of occasions in the House over the past number of weeks that cuts were going to take place. The Taoiseach refuted that on each occasion. At budget time, I welcomed the increase in allocation of SNAs. I welcome developments in our education system.”
“I concur with all of my colleagues who have spoken. I presume the engagements involve the Minister of State, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for education. If there is somebody else involved, I would appreciate if we were informed of that. In that meeting tonight, can I inform parents, SNAs, teachers and students that for now, this pause will be lifted in the coming weeks? Can I also confirm that the schools that received sanction of new SNAs will get those SNAs?”
“Those who have received letters saying that they are going to get increases do not know whether they will go ahead and those who received letters saying they were going to lose SNAs do not know if they will actually lose them. The Minister of State is the line Minister, but there is also a senior Minister who has a budget for this. Is the senior Minister pulling her weight in respect of this issue?”
“This is the second time today that I have spoken about SNA reviews. I raised the matter earlier with the Tánaiste on Leaders' Questions. The Minister of State knows that this is the most pressing issue right now. It is going to affect so many students across the country. I have lost count of the number of schools that have contacted me. Later, I will be meeting online with parents, students, principals, SNAs and members of trade unions in relation to what this SNA cut involves and what the pause actually means. We do not know what the pause means. Leaving people in some sort of limbo is not acceptable because it allows a dark cloud to remain over schools.”
“The Minister, Deputy Naughton's office sent an email back to a school in Dublin 15 this morning saying that this issue was the responsibility of the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan. Is this his issue or is it the Minister's?”
“With all due respect, while I agree with the stuff the Tánaiste has said, he has not answered any of my questions. He raised the issue of care needs. Does he accept that the care needs system has become too rigid? I am putting on the record of the Dáil that those who are on the autism spectrum and those who have inclusion needs, social anxiety or academic needs, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia, do not fit into the criteria you need to meet to get the support of a SNA. They will not have that support. That is the fundamental issue. I need an answer to the first question I asked the Tánaiste because I am meeting SNAs, teachers, principals, students and parents tonight. When will this pause be lifted? That is the fundamental question.”
“The Taoiseach and the Minister can come in here all they want and say that we have increased the number of SNAs, but if we abruptly pull SNAs from mainstream classrooms, it destabilises them immediately. If we must take these decisions, we must see genuine increases where all children are able to avail of the necessary supports if they need them. There should not be a sudden announcement of "You have it this year, but not next year." Will the Tánaiste confirm what this pause means? When will the pause be lifted? Will schools lose SNAs for the next academic year? Will he confirm for schools that have been told by the NCSE that they have an increase in allocation for next year that this will stay the same?”
“I know from working within school environments that there are children who rely solely on the support of a special needs assistant. We are now, as a State, going to take those supports away from particular children because they do not fit into the rigid criteria that have been created by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the Department of education. It is unacceptable to imagine or think that we would have children in this country who currently rely on a SNA not getting that support in the next academic year because of decision making by Departments and politicians. As a society, we must accept that the level of resources has not kept up with the level of need.”
“A person does not have to be an expert to know that taking SNAs out of mainstream environments genuinely affects children, and this is affecting the most vulnerable children in our society. Last year, I stood on the streets of Cork city and outside Dáil Éireann protesting with parents who could not get access to special classes. At that time, I welcomed the fact that there was an allocation of special classes. While they may not have been fully appropriate, I welcomed the development. At budget time, I welcomed that there was a new allocation for SNA provision. I welcome improvements to our education system. What I do not welcome, and something I will never accept, is that provision of services would be taken from a child.”
“On behalf of my colleague, Deputy Robert O'Donoghue, I welcome the Tidy Towns group from Rush. Over the last number of days, there has been an absolute outcry of support for special needs assistants, SNAs, school communities, children with special educational needs and SNA provision for the coming academic year. This outcry and this stress have been caused by the Government and policy decisions that the Government has made. These actions and communications have been cruel; there is no other word for it. Is it any wonder that there has been such an outcry when the Department of education has made a decision to abruptly take SNAs out of mainstream environments?”
“In conclusion, I suggest to the Minister of State that if he is going to stand up and say he is Minister of State for employment, he should not be so anti-worker.”
“Flexible work opens up the job market for these people. It removes the barrier of inaccessible workplaces. It allows someone who may not be within commuting distance of their workplace to seek accommodation suitable to their needs. Creating greater opportunities for people with disabilities needs to be a policy priority for the Government. People with disabilities who worked from home during the pandemic cited the biggest benefit as being greater autonomy in managing their disabilities. I want to touch on Cork city very quickly. The transport plan included just one mention of the proposed Cork Luas. We have been told that a railway order application is expected to be lodged, yet we do not have an assured route, public consultation or timelines. These are just meaningful words, while Cork continues to battle commuter chaos.”
“Many of us from rural Ireland leave our home towns for cities to study and work. We know there is evidence that indicates people are relocating more to rural and regional areas from the cities of Cork and Dublin. The benefits of remote work to parents in employment is massive. Many parents living in rural Ireland face larger gaps in the provision of childcare and have to undertake longer commutes to accommodate work and childcare. The reduction in hours spent commuting benefits rural workers who can often live at a greater distance from their place of work. The State has estimated that remote working, largely due to the reduction in the amount of time spent in cars, can save 164,407 tonnes of CO2 per year. In conversations on this matter, we often fail to recognise people with illnesses, disabilities and accessibility issues.”
“The Bill proposed by my colleague, Deputy Lawlor, would represent great progress. It would stand firm against the push we have seen by employers in some sectors to walk back the progress that has been made. We can see the benefits from other European countries, including a reduction in commuter chaos in cities, better work-life balance, practical benefits for parents and increased activity in local economies. We can see that hybrid and remote work benefits workers and their local economies. Many workers have based their school runs, where they live and how they get to work around flexible work practices. Flexible working practices are key to the future development of rural Ireland. The Minister of State mentioned the CSO on a number of occasions. The CSO has found that 38% of people would consider moving if they could work remotely.”
“We have heard a load of waffle from the Minister of State with responsibility for employment. It is the most anti-worker speech I have heard in this Chamber. He has given a speech, as Minister of State for employment, about the "right to request remote working" that is the biggest load of waffle he could ever say to any worker who believes that they should be given a right to remote working. It should not be lost on any of us that this Chamber is full of politicians who engage in a variety of flexible work practices in order to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. We work from different locations and we have different hours, depending on our day. That is an experience felt by workers across many sectors. The Covid-19 pandemic showed just how many sectors and roles can operate well with flexible, remote and hybrid work.”
“Can I have statements in the Dáil with the Minister for Education and Youth to explain why she has now paused the SNA reviews, why her Department has caused such stress to SNAs, parents and students with additional needs and if these decisions will be reversed? How dare the Taoiseach come in here and say schools are used to appeals. It is shameful and it looks like now the NCSE is asking teachers to do the job of SNAs. The letters being received state the teachers have to "engage in training". It says the teachers have to engage in training. Is the Taoiseach trying to get rid of SNAs or what?”
“While this is an interim measure, does the Minister not accept the fact that students who are taking their State exams in 2026 will be far worse off if we change this for 2027 and took on the UK model? Thankfully, I am experienced in the area and perhaps ten minutes would not make much of a difference.”
“I want to make it clear that my intention here is not to criticise progress. I welcome progress but the evidence has been collated by advocacy organisations, by the students themselves, by parents and by other NGO's in relation to what we can possibly do to alleviate the pressure faced by students with dyslexia, dyscalculia or other specific learning difficulties. I have a fundamental question and it has to be asked. How did we come to this decision? I do not understand it. When comparing it to the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland, for example, they give a 25% increase on the allocation of time for state examinations to children with specific learning difficulties.”
“We could not have taken it from other jurisdictions because, as I have outlined, they are completely different. Where did this decision on the ten minutes come from? It is almost like we just picked it out of the sky and we have no idea where it came from.”
“In the decision-making process this was a 5% to 7% extra time allocation. Dyslexia Ireland has highlighted that other jurisdictions normally offer much more with a minimum of 25% extra time for students with dyslexia in second level exams, using the United Kingdom as an example. In relation to the decision-making processes here the State Examinations Commission would have made this decision. Would the commission have brought it back to the Minister's Department to sign off on? Will the Minister clarify if psychologists, special education teachers, or disability advocacy groups were involved in this decision? Was this a decision that was taken by the State Examinations Commission and brought back to the Minister's Department for sign off? It is important to clarify where we got this ten minutes from. Where did we get that decision from?”
“I wish the Minister the best of luck and I look forward to many robust debates on educational matters. I am sure the Minister is in very good hands there with the experience of the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan. I just want to focus on the Government's decision-making processes for assistance in State examinations for children with specific learning difficulties. My question concerns the recent announcement of ten extra minutes for children with specific learning needs.”
“It is about ensuring parents in this country know that if their child has a medical emergency, there are school staff who can manage the emergency quickly and in an appropriate manner. Schools are wonderful environments. Our school staff work extremely hard, day in and day out. They are valued members of our communities. Our children are really fantastic. They have such talent across so many fields. I am proud to say I have worked with so many of them and, as the Taoiseach will agree, any person who stands inside in a classroom for a day will learn a lot more from these children than they thought they already knew. However, we must ensure that, as a House and as policymakers, all school environments are safe, secure and welcoming environments. I commend this Bill to the House.”