Fiona O'Loughlin
Administrative Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely. The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming both the Belgian ambassador and my friends Joeleen and James. Anyone who has visited Chat N' Chew in Newbridge will have met Joeleen. I certainly hope her lunch today will be up to the usual standard at Chat N' Chew. It was lovely to meet with our former colleague Catherine Martin last night.”
“Continuing the theme of Kildare connections, she is a grand-niece of the late Rathangan author Maura Laverty, who wrote many books and wrote the very first soap opera for RTÉ, "Tolka Row". We wish Áine well on her retirement. I wish to talk about a serious issue relating to the blueway.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. In terms of premises, I had meetings with Jigsaw over the years in Newbridge and we did look at various premises. No later than yesterday, I spoke to the chief executive of Kildare County Council in relation to this.”
“We know young people are showing signs of stress or anxiety and that it is a very stressful and anxious world. Interventions can be made at this stage. The reason I have tabled this Commencement matter is that I have been advocating for a long time for Newbridge to have a Jigsaw service.”
“I always hate talking about these figures, but in terms of the rate of youth suicide, Kildare has the highest rate in Leinster. According to CSO figures, 14 people died by suicide in Kildare in 2023, in 2022 the figure was 26 and in 2021 it was 27. Demand is rising sharply for services.”
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“You are very welcome. That is why I am delighted to have my guests from Kildare, Tony O’Halloran, Colm Somers, Alex Byrne and some more, joining us. It is a special day for me, apart from it being International Men's Day. If my dad was alive, he would have been 90 today. Many met him and knew him or knew of him. It is a very special day. I am going to have lunch with Kildare men and have a glass of wine, celebrating International Men's Day. Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about the horrific situation in Ukraine once again, with 19 people murdered overnight and 66 wounded. The war no doubt is escalating and concerns not just for Ukraine but for the countries bordering it are escalating also. The fact that Russia is now making 1,000 drones per day, which are going to be used, is absolutely shocking.”
“We certainly had a busy Order of Business. We know it is World Toilet Day and World COPD Day. Nobody mentioned it was International Men's Day. I wish all the gentlemen remaining in the Chamber a very happy International Men's Day.”
“and to conclude at 5 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 53, motion 2, Private Members' business, motion regarding migration, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.”
“The Order of Business is No.1, statements on Irish Water and water quality, to be taken at 2 p.m. and to conclude at 3.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister is to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 3.30 p.m.”
“It is the deadliest cancer in Ireland, leading to approximately 1,900 deaths per year. That number is expected to grow because it is linked with population and ongoing tobacco-related issues. This week, Ireland launched its first white ribbon for lung cancer campaign, symbolising hope and awareness. I commend Samantha Vaughan, a Kildare women now living in Borris-in-Ossory, who is a lung cancer survivor who never smoked. I wish her well in rolling out an awareness programme in schools, shops and communities.”
“Our huge congratulations go to Troy and the Irish team, and we wish them well next March when they advance to the next stage. I finished Sunday evening in the Curragh at the invitation of the Defence Forces, who had the most wonderful concert in aid of ONE, the Curragh Lourdes Fund and the family resource centre in the Curragh. It is also important to mark the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day. A new report forecasts that Ireland is on track to eliminate cervical cancer within 15 years. That is quite incredible. As we know, cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but it can help prevent the disease by detecting cell changes before they become dangerous. A new test has been designed for women at home who do not want the invasiveness of going to a doctor. I will also mention lung cancer.”
“Our prayers and sympathies go to the parents and the community. Our thoughts are also with the three who were injured in this horrific and tragic accident. Our thoughts and gratitude go to the first responders and to the gardaí who came to the scene. It must have been horrific for them. Listening to some of the local priests, teachers and principals on the airwaves over the last 48 hours, it has been really tragic, and we all feel for them. Then just after lunch we had that match, and we had Troy Parrott and the Irish team. What an incredible match. What an incredible score. If the presidential election were on in the morning and we could get Troy Parrott's name on the ballot paper, there is no doubt that he would be elected.”
“I also welcome our special guests from Iceland. I was privileged to be there for the fourth summit of the Council of Europe. I was the rapporteur, so I worked closely with my colleagues on PACE. I had a wonderful and interesting time, and had the privilege of meeting Vigdís Finnbogadóttir a few times, the first female president in the world. We all have a lot to learn from her. They are welcome. Sunday was a day of two halves. We woke to the shocking and horrific news of five young people killed on their way for a night out to celebrate and enjoy themselves. We heard more about these five young people - Chloe McGee, Alan McCluskey, Dylan Commins, Shay Duffy and Chloe Hibson. We heard about their dreams and the roles they were already playing within their families and communities.”
“I will read the legislation and look to my colleagues to see whether I can get their support to push an amendment. Surely we could change the legislation to make reference to a certain number of children, perhaps six or eight. We could make that the cut-off point. Having good childcare is priceless. It is so valuable and important in making society function.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I still believe there are a lot of grey areas. I accept Tailte Éireann is independent in the exercise of its functions. It would appear that there needs to be an amendment to the legislation regarding the exemption, which I am prepared to work on. The Act makes reference to activities not conducted for the purpose of making a private profit. Registered childminders who care for children in their homes will of course be paid an amount of money for that. If a childminder set up a company and paid themselves for their time, there would not be a profit. Therefore, the childminder would have to go to the expense of setting up a company, employing accountants, etc. This is bureaucracy at its best. We need less bureaucracy and red tape. There is more to do on this.”
“I want to know at this point whether the Minister will say that childminders in their own homes are exempt and make that a very clear directive. That is what should happen because, while we have uncertainty, that causes problems, but equally, or more so, if there were a directive that childcare providers in their own homes were liable for rates, that would be an incredibly retrograde step.”
“Obviously, there are private businesses in childcare, etc., and they are treated as businesses. I contend that somebody who minds children in their own home is, technically, not running a business. This issue is a real concern. There is no doubt that many childminders, if they felt they were liable to pay rates, would cease operating. That would have a huge impact on those who are working and, indeed, those who are not working but, for different reasons, need to have childcare in place. Childminders have never been assessed for rates and now there is a grey area in terms of whether they are to be. We know that commercial rates are a charge based on the value of commercial properties. Honestly, I think this would be a completely wrong step.”
“If anything were to happen - and, unfortunately, there are many challenges there at the moment - just think of all those people whom we rely on and who could not go to work, those key workers who may not be able to go to teach in school or may not be able to go to the local hospital as nurses, doctors or other staff, and there are so many other areas. Looking back a few years ago, I saw there were 90 registered childcare providers, but I suspect there are quite a lot more now. Two weeks ago, a lady in Newbridge, Margaret Donohoe, was contacted by Tailte Éireann to say that the playroom she, as a childminder, had in her home was going to be assessed for commercial rates. There was always the view and understanding that childminders were exempt from paying rates and we know that community childcare facilities are exempt from paying rates.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here. I am used to having him give me responses and he always genuinely does so with such heart and in a very helpful manner. I know it is not easy when it is a Minister with another portfolio altogether who should be here answering. The issue I raise is a really important one that I came across about two weeks ago. We all know we need a consistent childcare service. Childcare, of course, takes many different forms. We can talk about crèche or preschool, but people who mind children in their own homes are also very much valued and a very important part of childcare arrangements. Childminders are now required to be registered. That is to protect them and to protect families, children, etc. In Kildare alone, we have about 9,000 children in childcare. That is very significant.”
“We most certainly will not do that by bringing in over-regulation, which will take people out of the system. A lot of people, particularly women, will not be able to stay in the workforce if there is over-regulation of the sector. Senator Mullen spoke about a very important global human rights issue, namely, that in 2025, as per the report he mentioned, 413 million Christians live in countries where they do not have religious freedom, with the right to belief declining in 62 countries around the world. That right absolutely should, of course, be protected. We support it and will look to see whether we can have a debate on it. I also support what the Senator said about Alice Cairns, who was a very fine lady. As Deputy Leader, I echo his expression of sympathy to the Cairns family.”
“The Senator mentioned citizens information, which gives incredible service to people around the country. It is independent, accessible and people-centred, and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, is absolutely very committed to it. As the service unveils its new strategy, we wish all involved well in the incredible work they do. Senator Sarah O'Reilly outlined that 80% of childminders are considering leaving the sector. They provide a really good service. We must be concerned about regulation. I spoke yesterday about the worry and concern among childminders that they may be liable for rates. This would be a very retrograde step. We have already asked the Minister to come to the House to speak about the whole area of childcare and to see how we can positively support people in the sector.”
“I would not come down at this point on the side of taking out the in camera rule but it is important we have the opportunity to listen to the experts and speak to the Minister on it. Senator Costello spoke of the 30th anniversary of the Threshold Training Network in Tallaght. She mentioned Adrienne Kilkenny and her team, who have been dedicated to people's mental health and to training. The Senator mentioned a number of projects they are doing and their good work in trying to find the best in people and helping them find their pathway. We all send our good wishes to the Threshold Training Network. Senator Boyhan spoke about the new housing and community plan that has been launched and asked that, rather than rushing to judgment, we all set aside time for debate. We will look for the housing Minister to come to the House and debate this.”
“It is important we ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to come in and have a debate on where we are at and where we need to be and, to be fair, to acknowledge the progress made in recent times. Senator Keogan spoke about how parental alienation is being used in the legal process. It must be incredibly difficult and traumatic to have custody battles. Sadly, we know not every separation can be amicable and there are situations where parents are at one another and using children. It is very sad and needs to be debated. I appreciate the in camera rule is to give confidentiality but the Senator is right in saying accountability is important. Sensitive as the topic is, it is worth exploring and debating.”
“The Senator is right to say we need to learn from other countries and that is something we can ask the library and research office to do. We will ask the Minister to come in and discuss where he is at with that legislation. Senator Cathal Byrne spoke about the orange weather warning and the urgency of the Enniscorthy flood scheme. He described Christmas 2021, when people were not able to cook their Christmas lunch. It is all about lived experience and painting that picture. While we have invested as a State and progressed these areas, it is important we do more. Senator Martin Conway spoke about similar situations in Clare in 2009 and 2010. Because of climate change, these situations are becoming much more prevalent. Driving home from here last night with all the water on the road was so dangerous. It slowed everything down.”
“We need to think outside the box a little more. Senator Collins spoke about victims of domestic abuse in terms of housing. I did not get to read all the detail but I was pleased to see that was dealt with. People will keep their place on the housing list when they relocate to another county. Up to now they had to start again, but now victims of domestic violence will be able to count the years that they have spent in a different county. Sometimes for safety and protection, they need to move to another county. That is really important. Safety should not mean having to start over again. That is addressed. Senator Crowe spoke of the planning process and projects being bogged down, as we hear about all the time, with red tape, bureaucracy and judicial reviews. It is good that the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is looking at that.”
“He mentioned before the Order of Business started that he had visited a number of housing sites with the Minister, Deputy Browne, last Friday and spoke of the number of building sites in Waterford. He said he had yet to see a woman on a building site. I had a quick look and, at the moment, women make up about 9% of the construction workforce. Obviously, that is not all on sites. A lot of it is background work. The CIF is looking to increase that to 25% by 2030. The number of women entering apprenticeships has gone up substantially but we need to do more. We have beneficiaries of temporary protection, BOTPs, who are Ukrainian and people in IPAS centres who we should be reaching out to. Somebody in Newbridge who reached out to me recently had two Ukrainians living in Naas and said they are excellent workers.”
“She worked in Naas General Hospital at the time and was shocked at the number of people, including young people, presenting with conditions that led to diabetes but stemmed from malnutrition, not eating correctly and not being aware of what can lead to diabetes. We need to invest more money, we need a co-ordinated approach and we need a lot of education around that. The Senator mentioned a cross-party group. I suggest he reach out because, in my experience, cross-party groups, regardless of the issue, are really important. It is an opportunity to shine a light and to approach the Minister. I look forward to hearing of the Senator's work on that. Senator Joe Conway spoke about the delivery of homes.”
“Senator Fitzpatrick also spoke of the different types of housing, social, affordable and private, with particular mention of those with disabilities. Senator Scahill spoke about tomorrow being World Diabetes Day. These world days are hugely important in shining a light on conditions, diseases and issues on which we need to step back, look at and see how we can improve and do better. The Senator said 10% to 12% of the health budget goes on conditions associated with diabetes. If it is not managed properly, it can lead to a traumatic, life-changing diagnosis. I remember speaking to a dietician a number of years ago.”
“We started the Order of Business with Senator Fitzpatrick, who spoke about the publication of the updated housing plan. She is correct in saying it is a very important plan. She mentioned the key issue of State investment in homes. That is not to forget that under Housing for All 137,000 new builds were put in place and 500 new mortgages for first-time buyers were drawn down every week. I have not read all the detail - as Senator Boyhan said, there is a lot of detail in it. It takes time to absorb it. Every time I had the opportunity to speak to this Minister or the former Minister, I said we had to build sustainable communities as well as houses. I am glad that is in the title. It is not just about houses but also building sustainable communities.”
“We have a small Chamber this morning. The Order of Business is No. 1, Electricity Supply (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 12.15 p.m., with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed four minutes, time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.”
“It is, therefore, a very significant number of students, but it should not be that difficult to give them the extra time they need so that they can shine and to give them confidence in their ability to do their exams and perform well. I thank the Minister for being here. I ask her to take on board some of the other areas I have mentioned which should be included in the RACE programme.”
“Another young man called Shane, a student who is sitting the leaving certificate this year, suffers from hypotonia, which affects a person's ability to write or type for prolonged lengths of time and the ability to write at speed. It is currently not covered under the RACE additional time allowance, so I will mention that also. Another parent talked about her eldest son in sixth year who has had a diagnosis of speech and language impairment or developmental language disorder, which has a huge impact, but does not get any accommodations. At this point in time, it is hard to know the exact numbers, but we do know that every year roughly 6,000 students sit the junior certificate who have dyslexia, 6,000 students sit the leaving certificate who have dyslexia, and about half that number sit both exams with dyscalculia.”
“We all talk about exam time being a very stressful time. This is an interesting point to make. I had an e-mail from a mum who spoke about her daughter who has processing issues, which can be worked around while learning. Sadly, her ability to write was taken from her as a child due to a brain tumour. She talked about children who have gone through cancer and cancer treatment up and down the country who are back in school. They have had severe life-changing surgeries and treatments and very sadly, many drop out of education because they do not get the correct support. While this is outside the terms of this motion about dyslexia and dyscalculia, it is important to mention it. It is important that we look at other areas.”
“This reader will not be given again until the next State exam, which is in three years’ time. It is, therefore, difficult for the school and family to be able to assess how she is doing. That is an important point to make. We need to be able to assess between State exams. Every child deserves an equal right to education. Readers and extra time are not a luxury. They are just making the playing field equal and fair. I have an email from a secondary school teacher who spoke about the students she taught in maths over the years who should have qualified for extra time but did not get it. That led to a lack of morale and a lack of positivity and students feeling disappointed in themselves. This teacher said that, absolutely, the review is important to make the exam process less stressful for students.”
“I have received a number of emails that I believe are really important in relation to this topic. I have selected a number of them to be able to speak about this matter here today. I am going to tell the Minister of State a little about a bit about Chloe. Chloe is in fifth year. She came home yesterday from the school exams very disappointed to the point of giving up. It was an art exam with a lot of difficult words and phrases, and today was going to be no better because it was engineering. Her mum fought very hard for her before her junior certificate, and just before the exams, she was granted a reader and rest breaks but no extra time. Chloe came home from the exams every day delighted because she now understood the questions and stayed in every exam until the last minute because, finally, they made sense to her.”
“It did result in fundamental reforms, and it is important to say that, but, at the same time, we have a greater understanding and a better understanding, and it is really important that access to this scheme now is needs based rather than based on a specific diagnosis. That is in line with best practice internationally. The SEC has confirmed that it is working on a scheme, but this is urgent. It needs to happen for the 2026 exams. It is really important that the scheme will be available to all candidates, not just a pilot scheme. At this point in time, the RACE review is seeking the views of users through extensive consultation and engagement. It is really important that we encourage parents, students and schools to get involved with this campaign. As the Minister of State knows, I always talk about the lived experience.”
“As well as the academic skills, it is the skills and resilience my colleague, Senator Curley, has already spoken about in terms of positive mental health, resilience and confidence in being able to sit exams to the best of a student's ability. The range of accommodations that have already been provided under the RACE scheme has been designed to ensure fairness when facilitating candidates in demonstrating their level of achievement. We know there already is a range of accommodations that are available, but the last comprehensive review of this scheme was undertaken ten years ago.”
“Education, of course, is the bedrock of our country's continued social and economic progress and we as a party have led every single significant expansion of Irish education. However, we believe also that our education system must support and nurture every student to reach his or her full potential. That is really important. It is absolutely essential that the State Examinations Commission develops a scheme of additional time for the 2026 State examinations. It is really important that our Government and the Department of education continually improve our education system to equip all students with the skills and supports they require to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”
“I second the motion. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is very welcome to the Chamber. I acknowledge his work as Minister of State with responsibility for special education and the very reforming work he is undertaking, while acknowledging that this particular motion is under the brief of the Minister, Deputy McEntee. It is a very important motion. I commend my colleague, Senator Curley, our education spokesperson, on all the background work he has been doing in this area. Senator Crowe has been very vocal also. It is an important debate because as the Minister of State knows, within Fianna Fáil we see ourselves as the party of education. Throughout our history, we have established an unmatched record of commitment to education both as a great leveller and a great enabler.”
“The N7 is a vital road serving the commuter belt and ensuring that people can get into work, medical appointments and lots of other things. However, we have seen our road infrastructure struggle lately. A 45-minute journey can turn into a three-hour one. Public transport is good and it is important to see it moving on, but at the same time many people have to drive. I think a lot of it is down to the frequency of accidents, but we need to see multiple full-time emergency response units established to be able to manage traffic flow and to clear accidents quickly. I would like to see this raised with the Minister.”
“In this instance, the childminder was told that her home may now be liable for commercial rates. Tailte Éireann contacted her to assess the house. Childminders up until now believed they were exempt from such assessments. There is genuine fear in the sector about what this could mean. Even a modest rates bill could become an ongoing financial burden. Childminders who are due to register next year are now reconsidering. We need to ask the Minister what engagement is taking place with Tailte Éireann. We also need to appeal to all our local authorities to ensure that home-based childminders are treated fairly and we do not inadvertently drive people out of a sector that families are urgently relying on. The last issue I want to raise is about traffic coming in to Dublin.”
“As Georgina Dunlevy, who emailed all of us last night, said, it was really good to see it getting across the line so that those who have been impacted, the survivors, can begin the healing process. I acknowledge that and it is important to do so. An issue I also wish to raise relates to childminders. I read an article this morning about a lady who lives in Newbridge - I do not want to use her name as I do not have permission at this point to use it - who spoke about being a childminder in the town. We all need childminders and know that childcare is one of the biggest issues that we, in government, have to support. It is quite complex for those who are working to ensure they have arrangements in place. There are quite a number of childcare facilities and a lot of people also use people who are in their own homes.”
“I add my voice to the welcome for Councillor Gary Prior. It is wonderful to see Gary and his guest Seán. This is the people's Parliament, and it is very important that we have our public representatives and, of course, citizens of the country coming to Leinster House to see how we do our business. There are a number of issues I wish to raise. First, it is really good to see a satisfactory outcome for those who have been on hunger strike outside the gates of this building. We are all quick to criticise when things are not happening and I know every single person here voiced their opinion on it. We all wanted to see a resolution and it is good to see that has happened.”
“The children and young people who were involved brought those skills back to their homes. Their families then learned how to grow vegetables and to cook. There was a nutrition programme and a healthy cooking programme, and they were able to sell their crops. It was an absolute lifeline for those who were involved. The entities that Irish Aid is able to partner with are really important, especially those who are on the ground providing grassroots support. I thank all of those who have been involved in the partnerships. I have no doubt we will get to see many of those programmes going forward.”
“There are two such partners with which I was involved in Tanzania and Uganda that helped set up and support Special Olympics for people with intellectual disabilities, particularly children. I will provide an example of one programme that was funded. I refer to a situation where the equivalent €60,000 was spent on health education in a particular area in Tanzania. That money went towards visiting families where it was known that they had a child with an intellectual disability. In many cases, these children literally never saw the light of day. They were tethered by ropes to the homes because of the shame and stigma that obtained. Through that funding, the community and Special Olympics were able to organise a gardening programme for those with intellectual disabilities. A lot of crops were grown, which were then sold.”
“A former Minster of State, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, headed up a subgroup on FGM within the women's caucus that produced a very strong report containing a really good set of recommendations. We met the Taoiseach of the day - he is now Taoiseach again - to discuss the report. I would very much appreciate it if we could take the opportunity to forward the report to the Minister of State who is present because FGM is something we need to try stamp out globally. Obviously, it has an impact on girls and women living here. I had the opportunity to mention to the following matter to the Minister of State previously. The work that our partners in international aid do is extremely important to the day-to-day lives of people who need extra support.”
“From humanitarian disaster zones to places where people struggle to access food, education or healthcare, Ireland's support makes a transformative difference to people's lives. One of the areas I want to briefly mention is the area of female genital mutilation, FGM. While I appreciate that we have legislation here that forbids FGM and makes it a criminal offence, at the same time, there was a report during the week that said there was a 330% increase in demand for FGM-related medical treatments. That is quite shocking. The earlier statistic I found was that in 2017, 5,790 women underwent FGM in Ireland, which is a very high number. This is as a result of cultural practices from outside Ireland.”
“I acknowledge Ireland's humanitarian support that offers a lifeline in places like Sudan and Gaza, while our long-term development support continues to transform lives in places affected by poverty and climate change. The Minister of State mentioned Sudan. We had the opportunity to raise it in the Seanad this morning. We raised it on Tuesday morning, and as the Minister of State knows, we discussed it yesterday as well. What has been happening over the past two years is just shocking, as is the fact that 24 million people are deeply impacted and 12 million children are suffering from malnutrition. Everything we can do needs to be done to both support those who are in Sudan but also the surrounding countries, who are going through difficult situations themselves. They have to support the many millions of refugees coming from Sudan.”
“I thank Senator Ahearn for allowing me to go before him due to another appointment. It is really appreciated. The Minister of State is very welcome. This discussion is timely. It is also important that we had the opportunity to discuss it yesterday at the European affairs committee but our voices need to be heard in every Chamber and committee. I acknowledge the Minister of State's commitment and the Government's commitment to firmly pledge, with our international partners, that we need to tackle issues that affect so many lives right across the globe. I thank Irish Aid and all those who work there for the work they do, touching the lives of people living in the most challenging places on Earth.”
“I commend the local charities that are doing the work but we certainly will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health to address that.”
“It is very welcome on so many different levels, but when there is a huge increase in population at any given time, as this will be, there obviously has to be an expectation that more people will need medical support and health. We will ask the Minister for sport to come in to give us an update on that as well. Senator Cathal Byrne spoke about the need for a mental health facility in Wexford. I am surprised to hear that there is not one. I had not realised that and that people have to go to Waterford. I was actually in Wexford hospital recently visiting a relative. It is wonderful to see the new building that is there. I know it is going to be an excellent hospital and it has the capacity, but it is sad to think that there was no forethought in terms of having a particular section for mental health.”
“It is important to get regular updates, but they need to be more than updates. They need to show roadmaps too. The Senator made the point that the board has called on the Government to declare a capacity emergency. We should endorse that from the Seanad and write to the Minister for Health to say that and to look for a specific winter plan for UHL. It always amazes me that the winter plan always comes out far too late for every single hospital that we have. We will write to the Minister for Health and ask her to address the House in relation to the winter plan in general but also UHL specifically. The Senator made a very good point about the Ryder Cup bringing so many people.”
“We all know people who have passed away very suddenly. The vast majority of people will pass within 12 months of diagnosis. Sadly, they suffer quite a bit too. Well done to Niall Rochford who has cofounded the charity in memory of his wife, Stella. We wish him well on his walk and in raising awareness. I thank the Senator for organising the event in the audiovisual room on 20 November. We will certainly support him there. Senator Duffy also mentioned David Newcombe, who set up Awaken Ireland. It sounds very interesting. Its aim is to get young people involved in politics. We look forward to hearing more from David. Senator Dee Ryan once again spoke about University Hospital Limerick and acknowledged the briefing that was given last Monday to all Oireachtas Members.”
“There are huge problems in terms of capacity within hospitals, etc., and with gender-based violence, which we always see when there are warring factions. The Senator is right; we did raise it at the foreign affairs committee yesterday. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is coming to the House in the afternoon, so it is to be hoped we will have the chance to raise it again. The Senator is right in saying that there needs to be a European-wide voice. Ireland, in my view, has always led the way in terms of human rights in Europe and globally, and we need to do it in relation to Sudan. We will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs to come in and talk about that issue. Senator Duffy spoke about World Pancreatic Cancer Day. It is a devastating disease.”
“It is a good thing that parents are being asked. It is the biggest nationwide survey that is ever going to be carried out. The Department of education and the Government need to listen to how parents feel they want to have their children educated. It is important for society and for families. She raised the concern that some people can fill it in multiple times. I am sure that is not the purpose of it. That is a concern. The Senator also raised Saint Aidan's and other schools in her area that are at stage 2B. I suggest that she tables a Commencement matter on those. Senator Andrews spoke about the humanitarian situation in Sudan. I thank him for raising it. A total of 24 million people are being impacted and 12 million children are in danger of dying because of malnutrition.”