Joanne Collins
Agricultural Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I am going to speak to amendments Nos. 2, 4 and 8. Amendment No. 2 makes it absolutely clear that the strategic emergency gas reserve is exactly that: an emergency reserve. It cannot become another source of gas for day-to-day commercial supply or market management.”
“(3) The Minister must mandate that the CRU carries out an assessment on the impact of the expenses incurred on household bills under this Act and all future Acts relating to construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve.”. I will keep this very brief.”
“I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: " State-led 5 . (1) The Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve constructed, operated and maintained under this Act and all future Acts relating to its construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning will be a State-led asset.”
“Yes, I am not going to give out. Regardless of what is said to me I am going to be nice today on our last day. I echo what is being said about everybody enjoying their break and the thanks to all the staff in here. It can be very daunting when you first come in but everybody makes you feel like you can do it. It is great to work here.”
“I move amendment No. 7: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: " Gas demand 5 . (1) The Minister shall ensure that a Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve established under this Act and all future Acts relating to its construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning does not lead to an increase in gas demand.”
“I move amendment No. 10: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “Decommissioning 5. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the commencement of this Act, outline a plan for decommissioning any Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve constructed, operated, maintained or decommissioned under this Act and all future Acts relat…”
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“These advocates will not share the information with the applicant, but will be empowered to scrutinise it, challenge it where necessary and ensure the parole board receives a full and fair picture before reaching its decision. This is not about tipping the scales in favour of applicants. Rather, it is about ensuring that the scales are even in the first place. It is about putting in place clear legal safeguards where the term "discretion" is currently undefined and unchecked. The inclusion of the statutory definition of "exceptional circumstances", drawing on models from jurisdictions like the Six Counties, is another strength in the Bill. It gives clarity to applicants, legal representatives and the Parole Board. It reinforces public confidence in the fairness and integrity of parole decisions.”
“I welcome the Minister to the House. I am pleased to stand in support of this Bill. I commend Senator Lynn Ruane and her team on the thoughtful and considered proposal. The Bill addresses the clear procedural gap in the current parole framework, one that undermines natural justice and leaves applicants vulnerable to decisions made on the basis of undisclosed evidence without any avenue, response or redress. What the Bill proposes is modest, balanced and grounded in best practice. The Bill proposes the introduction of special advocates - legally trained and security-cleared professionals - who can represent the interests of the parole applicant where sensitive information is being withheld.”
“They have to go for private appointments and take children out of school. This child cannot go on school tours, so she has to be taken out of school for the school tour, which is disappointing for the child and her family. They must take her on a special tour of their own to make up for the day this girl is not getting with her peers. I thank the Minister of State for her reply but I will contact the office as well.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I am excited to hear about the AI. We all go through our lives with everything happening in an instant. It would be fantastic to see quicker ways of processing these appeals, but this will not help this family today. I will get on to the Minister directly because 37 weeks is too long for the family to wait and to feel invisible. When my office contacts the Minister, we receive a generic reply that a case is in an appeals process and it should take however many weeks, be it 20.9 weeks or 19.9 weeks, but in this case it is 37 weeks and counting. By the time AI catches up, this family will be at the end of their rope, as it were. I am sure the Minister of State knows from various cases that the cost to these families is unbelievable and impossible to measure.”
“During a recent training session, we were told by the Department of Social Protection that the disability and illness section is the fastest growing area of the Department’s budget, yet the appeals office still operates with delays dating back to the post-Covid period. This is simply not good enough. Families like this are not statistics but human beings under enormous emotional and financial pressure being forced to wait in silence while their children continue to suffer. What is being done? Are there plans to recruit or second staff to the appeals office? Are there plans to expand the staffing and resources in this fast-growing sector? Without urgent intervention, more and more families are going to fall through the cracks. We cannot allow our system to punish people for needing help, and certainly not when it is for children.”
“They appealed that decision and the appeals officer received their document on 20 August 2024, but 37 weeks later there has been nothing. There has been no update from mygov.ie and no appeals officer assigned. When they rang for information they were told the appeal was simply still in the queue. In week 37, the family remain in limbo with no timeline, clarity or support. The mother said something that stayed with me. She said “We feel our autistic child is just completely invisible”. That is what this backlog is doing; it is making children with complex needs feel invisible.”
“She attends school but she cannot participate in most activities, school outings or sport. Birthday parties, team games and even basic social interactions are simply too overwhelming. She experiences what is known as autistic burnout and dysregulation, often daily. He mother explains how they manage this with incredible patience and care using scaffolding techniques, strict routine and structure to help her recover her sense of safety and calm. She still requires assistance with all aspects of personal care, including showering, washing her hair and dressing. She cannot tie her shoelaces or ride a bike. Despite doing everything in their power to support their daughter, her parents have been refused domiciliary care allowance.”
“I wish to bring to the Minister of State's attention something that is deeply concerning for families in County Limerick and throughout the State, namely, the persistent and unacceptable wait times for domiciliary care appeals. I am acutely aware of a case involving a family in County Limerick who are in their 37th week of waiting to hear about the progress of their appeal. This delay is not just a bureaucratic failure but a human crisis for this family. I will give the Minister of State their story. This is a family with four children, one of whom is a 12-year-old girl with autism. She faces daily challenges no child should face alone. Her parents describe her as a sweet child, but one who struggles significantly throughout her day with sensory issues, social anxiety, dietary needs, communication and emotional regulation.”
“This is exactly what youth diversion is meant to do - support not punish, guide not judge - and in Rathkeale we are seeing how impactful that approach can be when it is community led, properly resourced and built on respect. Programmes such as this should not be an exception, however; they should be the norm. Therefore, I am asking the Minister of State to secure sustained funding for Rathkeale to allow this programme to deepen the impact but also for an expansion of youth diversion programmes across all major towns, villages and urban centres, particularly those that face social disadvantage. Every young person deserves a chance to be supported and every community deserves the safety and cohesion that youth diversion can bring. Let us back these programmes, back our youth workers and back our young people.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible work being done through a youth diversion programme in Rathkeale in County Limerick, a programme that was relaunched by the Minister of State earlier this year and which is already making a real difference. Rathkeale is a town that has often been unfairly stereotyped. This programme is helping to build trust, opportunity and hope, and not only for the young people but for the entire community. Youth workers on the ground are doing vital work - building relationships, preventing antisocial behaviour and offering young people pathways from crime towards brighter futures.”
“I ask for the Minister for Social Protection to come to the House to have a debate on this. Are there plans to recruit or second additional staff to the appeals office in order that families like this one are not waiting this long for an answer? Will the staffing increase match the growing demand the Department has foreseen in the sector? Will it second to the office and bring in staff to alleviate these appeal times?”
“She has been on a waiting list with the HSE for occupational, psychological and speech and language therapies since last October. While the family does everything that they can, they are exhausted and financially strained at this point. Their application for domiciliary care allowance in July 2024 was refused. They appealed in August and, 36 weeks later, were told that their case has not even been assigned to an appeals officer. They feel invisible and they are not alone. I attended an online training session with the Department of Social Protection only a couple of weeks ago. The officials pointed out that their fastest-growing payment area is disability and illness. They have recognised that there is a backlog with appeals going back to just post Covid. When Covid hit, everything got backlogged.”
“I want to raise an issue I have raised as a Commencement matter twice, but since it is pressing I said I would raise it again today. It concerns the waiting times for domiciliary care allowance appeals. I am dealing with the case of a County Limerick family who have been waiting for 36 weeks just to hear back on the appeals process. Every time they ask, they are told it is in progress and still on a desk. The parents contacted me and described their 12-year-old daughter as a gentle child who faces daily challenges, sensory sensitivities, social anxiety, communication barriers and a need for routine and regulation. She cannot attend parties, play sport or participate in most school activities. She still needs full support with hygiene, self-care, co-ordination and everyday skills.”
“The aquaculture industry must be represented at any stakeholder engagement groups, relating to the proposed the establishment of any further proposed designated maritime area plans, DMAPs. Aquaculture provides an important social dividend by providing employment in rural, coastal and island communities through the sustainable production of high quality food with a low carbon footprint. The sector's contribution in sustaining vitality and in coastal areas must not be ignored or underestimated.”
“The NMPF recognises the important role of seafood production, fishing and aquaculture as a source of economic and employment activity, most notably, within those coastal communities that are more economically dependent on those activities than alternative sources of employment. Coexistence of aquaculture and ORE could be considered in the future as there are opportunities for aquaculture activities that should be explored. The IFA aquaculture committee agrees that the development of offshore renewable energy is important to achieving Ireland's energy and climate targets. The ORE development could help to deliver positive, local, economic, social and environmental benefits. However, stakeholder engagement and consultation would be vital for this part in making this work.”
“The seafood sector has always recognised the need for ORE development but in a way that does not impinge on the livelihoods of the fishermen and aquaculture producers. While this continues to be recognised and discussed by the seafood-ORE working group and is referenced in the programme for Government, this document does not even make reference to co-existence with other marine users, including the seafood sector, or the importance of assessing potential impacts on fish stock and habitats from ORE development if approved in sensitive areas. On aquaculture, some of actions and objectives in the national strategic plan for sustainable aquaculture need much more ambition and overall policy, such as the NPF, to realise the potential of the seafood sector. There appears to be lack of synergy with the national marine planning framework, NMPF.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. I wish to take a moment to speak on the section on realising our island and marine potential. The current approach set out in this section is quite weak from a fisheries and seafood perspective, in particular the importance of embedding the principle of consensus and co-creation between the fisheries, the offshore renewable energy, ORE, and environmental protection sectors on the formation of marine protected areas and the identification of future sites of offshore renewable energy and development. There is little reference to seafood development. National policy objective 49 is the only objective referring to the entire seafood and fisheries sector and while it broadly covers a vague commitment to the sector, it is lacking in ambition. The focus of the chapter is on promoting the development of the ORE.”
“The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle poses a devastating risk to the forestry sector. If the Government fails to ban the importation of affected timber and forests are wiped out, will owners be fully compensated? What risk assessment has been carried out? What is the estimated cost to the sector if infestation takes hold? Crucially, why was it the Scottish Government that halted timber exports to Ireland when the larch beetle spread, and not our own Government and Department of agriculture being proactive? Given past failures, what specific steps is the Department now taking to prevent the importation of any other dangerous beetle into Ireland? Forestry owners have invested in good faith. They deserve action, fairness and real support from the Government, not empty words.”
“We must develop a plan to restore existing forestry peatlands back to natural boglands to serve as a true carbon sink. I will turn to the carbon credits, which I heard my colleagues speak about, and the ownership of carbon credits stored in Ireland's forests. For more than 30 years, Irish farmers have invested their time, land and money in planting forests, often encouraged by State policy. Who owns the carbon credits linked to those forests? Will farmers and forest owners have rights to the carbon credits of their forests or will these be captured by others? Looking forward to the EU emissions trading system in 2030, will forest owners receive carbon credits for existing forests they planted over the past decades or will the benefits only apply to new plantations? One of the serious risks is posed by bark beetles.”
“A few things just do not make sense in this. Years of investment will be lost with no proper support to replant or recover from this. This is not a unique experience; it is widespread across the country. The licensing system is too slow and bureaucratic. It is driving people away from forestry exactly when we need them. Looking ahead, I want to raise an important issue about the GAEC 2 standard under the new CAP. Some 30% of Ireland's peatlands are under forestry, mainly monoculture Sitka spruce plantations. Research shows planting on drained peatlands actually releases more carbon than it stores. The process of draining, planting, harvesting and replanting peatlands is contributing to carbon emissions, not reducing them. Afforestation on peatlands must stop.”
“One of the landowners explained how he noticed ash dieback affecting his forest in 2020. He applied for his felling licence. He had a buyer lined up to buy the ash trees to make hurleys and any timber left over would go into furniture. By the time he received his felling licence in 2023 the dieback had affected every single tree in his forest so he was out of pocket by €50,000, on average. There is no grant that will cover that loss. Now, if he is to fell the entire forest when heeventually gets a contractor - the majority of contractors are taken up with forestry at the moment - he will have to get an ecological report. I assume that report would have been done when he originally received the grant to plant the trees so he will now have to pay another €2,000 to get the same report done to take away the trees.”
“There needs to be a clear and fair scheme in place to provide support for these landowners who have suffered damage through no fault of their own. A major factor in the length of time it took to restore power after these storms was the difficulty in accessing the lines through the forestry. The corridors and setbacks around critical infrastructure such as electricity, communications and the water networks are too narrow and poorly maintained. Sinn Féin will call for the Department of agriculture and the ESB to work together to widen and maintain these corridors properly to protect essential services from storm damage. I will also highlight the huge challenges farmers face when trying to manage their forests. Over the summer recess I met a group of forest owners in west Limerick.”
“Sinn Féin is calling for a specific grant scheme to assist farm owners and landowners in safely removing trees before further storms cause even more damage and disruption. This is only one part of the wider crisis. Storms Éowyn and Darragh caused devastating damage across the forestry sector with an estimated 26,000 ha affected, most of which now needs to be urgently felled. The Minister's task force is apparently drafting an action plan but forest owners need immediate practical support and not more reports. We cannot allow valuable timber to lie and rot on the ground while the forest owners have to shoulder the loss. Another problem arising from the storms is the destruction of private property adjoining forestry, such as boundary fences, sheds and gardens.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. Forestry should be a key part of Ireland's response to climate change, supporting rural communities and protecting biodiversity. However, the reality for many forest owners is one of delay, financial loss and frustration. One major ongoing issue is ash dieback. Although the Department has the reconstitution scheme for plantation owners, there is no financial support for farmers and landowners with ash dieback on their hedgerows. Dead and dying trees along public roads are serious health and safety hazards, as we saw during Storm Éowyn when the roads were blocked for days and power lines were brought down, leaving homes without electricity for weeks.”
“I want to bring up an issue regarding section 39 workers. After a long and difficult process, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission to improve these workers' pay. They are vital front-line workers involved with disability and home care. The question remains as to when the Government will enact and recognise the agreement. In November 2023, there was a WRC agreement put in place which was never enacted. Furthermore, the section 39 workers face structural inequalities, particularly in relation to pay parity, compared to their counterparts who are directly employed by the State. When will the Government take the necessary steps to finally deliver full pay parity and when can the workers expect it to be enacted in practice, not just in principle?”
“Many arrive alone with no family, little understanding of their rights and under immense pressure to find housing quickly. In this crisis, some of the most vulnerable renters, especially women and international students, are being targeted by predatory lenders. This is not alternative housing; it is exploitation. It is beyond frustrating that the Government has failed to act so far. We strongly welcome Senator Harmon and her colleagues' Bill. It is long past time to act on this. We need to send a clear message to every renter that, whether you are living in Drumcolliher or Dublin, Croom or Cork, you are protected, this is not acceptable and this State stands with you and not with the abuser.”
“I welcome the Minister. It has never been harder to be a renter in this country. In Limerick, like across the State, rents are soaring, supply is vanishing and behind each number is a person - a student, a lone parent or a young worker barely scraping by. There were over 16,000 eviction notices last year. In my county, rents are at record highs. Student accommodation is oversubscribed and people are commuting from towns like Newcastle West and Rathkeale because they cannot afford to live near their colleges or workplaces. Housing supply, whether for renters or buyers, is at crisis point. In that environment, vulnerable renters are being put in deeply dangerous situations. Limerick has two major universities, UL and TUS, with thousands of international students arriving every year.”
“They deserve infrastructure that protects them. They deserve a Government that acts before and not after the damage is done. This is not just about flood defences. It is about climate adaption, public safety and justice. It is about recognising that what was once exceptional is now the norm and responding accordingly.”
“Communities are expected to live with rising risk while being stuck behind red tape. The upcoming review of public procurement rules and policy is an opportunity to change this but, let us be honest, it is long overdue. If it does not address the length and rigidity of the current process for delivering crucial and critical infrastructure such as flood defences, then it will have failed. We cannot allow vital projects to be delayed because of bureaucracy. We need streamlined processes, faster decision-making and stronger accountability for delivery. We need to move from caution to action because lives and livelihoods are quite literally on the line. Communities have shown incredible resilience but resilience should never be a substitute for investment. People deserve more than sandbags and sympathy. They deserve leadership.”
“The Government’s catchment flood risk assessment and management plans identified more than 100 areas at significant flood risk. Identifying risk is one thing but delivering action is another. For example, the Limerick city and environs flood relief scheme, launched in 2021, is vital and welcome, but the pace is glacial. It involves planning, environmental assessments, design consultation and then - eventually - procurement. Too often, by the time a scheme moves to construction, another flood has already come and gone. This is where the State is falling down: the procurement process. We all know flood relief schemes are complex and need proper oversight, but the sheer length of time it takes to go from planning to procurement to completion is unacceptable. Years can pass between identifying a solution and breaking ground.”
“From Clonmel to Midleton, homes were destroyed, businesses wrecked and families displaced. Clean-up bills run into the millions but the human cost is immeasurable and, for many, it is the second or third time in just a few years. This is not unprecedented. It is not new and is not an act of God. It is the consequence of decades of underinvestment, slow-moving bureaucracy and a State response that has failed to match the urgency of the crisis. Let us be honest: much of Ireland’s development has occurred on floodplains. Places such as Shannon and many other towns throughout the country are built where water naturally wants to go. With rising sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events and ageing infrastructure, the risk is only growing.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Flooding is no longer an occasional crisis. It is an ever-present threat affecting lives, homes and livelihoods throughout the country. From County Limerick to County Cork and from County Galway to the midlands, communities are living in fear of the next storm, the next flood warning or the next disaster. We saw this again just a few months ago when Storm Bert battered the country. In west Limerick, the River Feale burst its banks, submerging roads, homes, and entire sports facilities. Abbeyfeale United Football Club and the field of the local GAA club, Fr. Casey's, were wiped out in a matter of hours. In Newcastle West and right across rural Limerick, people again watched floodwaters rise, with dread, in their homes. Storm Bert did not just hit Limerick.”
“If we do not develop training schemes for apprentices for this trade, as it is a dying trade, we could end up with these thatched homes just being used for tourism and not being liveable anymore. I ask for a debate in the House on this at some stage.”
“Instead of working with homeowners, they are just pulling out of this section of the industry all together. One can mitigate against these issues by using alternative fuels and fire mediation. I welcome the work by the Department of housing, the Heritage Council and the thatched buildings steering group. Carrying out assessment is not going to be enough to get insurance for these homeowners. The thatched property insurance action group is also trying to create a group insurance scheme, which is commendable, but we need the Government to help with this and support this, whether through subsidies, tax incentives or a shared risk model. Another aspect of this, which is also a pressure for these homeowners, is the shortage of skilled workers to thatch these houses.”
“I raise the issue of thatched homes. Thatched home owners are facing a growing crisis. They are part of our built heritage. They are not just homes. Every year the owners face the struggle of finding house insurance. Many insurers have just left that sector altogether. The ones that have stayed in the game are charging anything up to €2,500 for house insurance once the owners can find somebody to insure them. They also face the issue where if they cannot get house insurance, they cannot get a mortgage or sell their house. In the event of a disaster, they are taking their lives in their hands because their house will be destroyed if damaged by fire or water. Many of the insurance companies are citing those exact reasons, for example, structural concerns and fire damage, for not wanting to give insurance.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. The crisis did not happen by accident. It was due to Government failure to address the lack of good import controls. I am concerned about where the costs will land. Plantation owners who applied for the grant will get it back but it will come in staged payments, so they will be out of pocket until they have the trees planted. What about the landowners who have ash trees in hedgerows or elsewhere on their land, who did not apply under the scheme? I hear it said all the time that lessons will be learned but if the cost falls to the landowners, the only lesson they will learn is not to take up a scheme, not to plant ash trees again and not to plant the next thing the Government wants them to plant because they will end up in the same situation.”
“Ash dieback is one such crisis, and it demands a response that is both practical and fair. I urge the Minister of State to take this back to the Minister for agriculture to act now to revise the grant system and support all affected landowners to ensure no farmer is left out of pocket due to circumstances beyond their control.”
“They planted them as part of responsible land management, maintaining biodiversity and contributing to our rural environment. Yet, when these trees succumb to ash dieback, they are left entirely on their own – no grants, no compensation and no recognition of the loss they have suffered. This is not acceptable. The response to ash dieback must be fair and inclusive. If we are serious about tackling this crisis, we must reform the grant system so that financial supports are provided upfront, not in staged payments that place undue financial strain on farmers, and so that landowners with ash trees in hedgerows on their land, regardless of whether they were planted under a formal forestry scheme, are included in any support measures. The Government has a responsibility to stand by rural communities in times of crisis.”
“As the grants are paid in stage payments rather then upfront, farmers are expected to shoulder the financial burden of felling and replanting ash trees before they can claim any assistance. This is entirely unrealistic for many landowners, particularly small farmers who do not have the financial reserves to absorb these costs. The landowners are being asked to take on substantial debt just to access the support they are supposedly entitled to. This is not a workable solution. Furthermore, there is a glaring gap in the current system. Landowners who have ash trees in their hedgerows but did not plant them under the formal forestry scheme are completely excluded from any support. These farmers did not plant their ash trees under a Government contract.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. I want to raise the issue of ash dieback, which is of deep concern to farmers, landowners and rural communities across Ireland. Ash dieback is not just a crisis for forestry; it is an environmental, economic and cultural disaster. For generations, ash trees have been a defining feature of our landscape, vital to biodiversity and central to our rural heritage. Since its introduction, the disease has devastated our woodlands and up to 90% of our ash trees are expected to succumb to it over the next couple of years. The Government has put grant support in place for landowners who have ash plantations but these supports are deeply flawed.”
“The NCS should support flexibility and not penalise it. Funding should be based on the actual needs of childcare providers and families rather than forcing a rigid, one-size-fits-all model that does not reflect the reality of how families use childcare. If we are to be serious about making childcare more affordable and accessible, we need to ensure the system is fair for both the parents and the providers.”
“Parents should not be financially penalised and punished for picking their children up early from childcare due to work schedules, family needs or unforeseen circumstances. Many parents work in jobs with variable hours and long commutes. Flexible childcare should be supported and not penalised. Childcare providers are struggling to stay afloat under the weight of this scheme. We already know that many small and community-based providers are at risk of closing due to rising costs and staffing pressures. Instead of providing stability, the NCS is creating even more financial uncertainty for them. If a provider cannot rely on stable funding because of unpredictable attendance, how is it expected to maintain staff levels, keep its doors open and continue delivering quality childcare? The Government needs to urgently address this issue.”
“I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to raise a significant flaw in the NCS which is creating financial hardship for childcare providers and placing an unfair burden on parents. Under the current rules, if a parent collects their child early from childcare, the provider is financially penalised. It must either refund the portion of the subsidy it received from the NCS or absorb the financial loss itself. The reality is that most providers who are already under immense financial pressure cannot afford to take the hit and, therefore, are left with no choice but to pass the cost onto parents, charging them for hours they do not use. This is a completely unfair system.”
“It is certainly not going to bring solace to parents such as Sarah and Darren behind me in the Gallery. I ask every parent, grandparent and anyone with a sense of right and wrong to reject the amendment.”
“The children of this island need and deserve what is contained in our motion. The use of language such as "in a timely manner" is not acceptable in 2025 after years of inaction from this Government. The amendment refers to ensuring that every child known to the NCSE has an appropriate school place. What about all the children who are not known to the NCSE because they cannot access the assessments? I find it funny, if that is the right word, how many Senators from across the floor who are commending us for bringing forward this motion when the Government side has completely rewritten it and watered it down to give their own parties a clause that allows them to get out of doing anything. Standing up and spouting figures and facts and patting themselves and their colleagues on their backs is not going to help the situation.”
“These are not isolated cases but are happening in towns and villages across County Limerick and, indeed, across the State. The figures are backed up. Year after year, we see an increase in the number of children requiring special educational supports, yet planning and provision are not keeping pace. The NCSE acknowledges the shortfalls but solutions remain slow and inadequate. Parents are exhausted, schools are frustrated and children are being let down. This is simply not good enough. Every child has a right to an education that meets their needs. Every family should have confidence that the support their child requires is available. Every school should have the resources they need to deliver that support. What do we need? The amendment needs to be rejected because it completely waters down our motion.”
“The closest school place available to her child is in Ennis, County Clare, which is over an hour's drive from her house. She has to carry her child, who does not cope well in restricted spaces, such as in a car with a seatbelt, for over an hour travelling to and from school. It gets worse. Because the child is now attending school in County Clare, every single assessment and occupational therapy appointment is carried out in County Clare. We have all heard the heartbreaking stories of children who are forced to travel long distances outside their communities for school places, families who are left in limbo with no clear pathways for their children's education and children being placed in unsuitable settings because there is no alternative.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. For too many families in my area, securing an appropriate school place for a child with additional needs is a battle. It is a battle against waiting lists, inadequate resources and a system that often places too much bureaucracy ahead of children's rights. In County Limerick, the reality is stark. Parents of children with autism and other additional needs are struggling to find suitable school places. Mainstream schools are under pressure and struggling to provide proper support due to a lack of special education teachers, SNAs and appropriate facilities. Meanwhile, special classes and special schools simply do not have enough capacity to meet the demand. I met the mother of a young boy with autism who lives in Hospital, County Limerick.”
“It tends to stop at a certain height. I have spoken to many HGV drivers whose issue is they still have to stay out from the margin of the road. They drive in the middle of the road because the hedge cutting is not done high enough to protect their mirrors. To protect the mirrors of the lorries, they drive in the middle of the road. I ask the Minister of State to have a look at getting the hedge cutting done to particular height to cover this.”
“We also need a greater Garda presence on rural roads to deter reckless driving, traffic calming measures in high-risk areas, particularly near schools and residential zones, and more investment in public transport so that people, especially young people, in rural areas have safer alternatives to driving at night. I also call on the Minister of State to ensure our road safety strategy priorities include rural communities. It is unacceptable that people living in rural Ireland feel less safe on the road simply because of where they live. We owe it to the families who have lost loved ones to act with urgency. Road safety should not be reactive; we should be proactive and it should be a year-round priority for the Government, the councils and communities. I want to make a point on the hedge cutting that takes place on rural roads.”