Joe Conway
Cultural and Educational Panel · Independent · Ireland
“I move amendment No. 73: In page 41, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “Report on the protection of whistleblowers 63. The Minister shall within 12 months of the commencement of this Act lay a report detailing how whistleblowers who expose information related to artificial intelligence technologies can receive enhanced pro…”
“I want to be associated with the congratulatory remarks for Senator Byrne. I want to put on the record of the House the decorous and sincere apology given on behalf of the State by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, and attested to by the other party leaders, to the victims of the Kenneally abuse in Waterford.”
“Yesterday, I had a meeting in Leinster House with a visually impaired artist and a namesake of mine, Emilie Conway from Mayo. She was the recipient of an Arts Council open competition bursary, which she was delighted to get. She thought it would make a big change to her life. It did, but it also had a downside.”
“Chuala mé níos túisce ar maidin an Teachta Moynihan ag labhairt ar an raidió faoi chás na e-scooters agus an méid oibre atá déanta ag An Garda Síochána chun iad a bhaint de na sráideanna agus stop a chur leis an dainséar. It was a point very well made by Deputy Moynihan.”
“When we come back after the recess, we should have a comprehensive debate in this House with the Minister where we can ventilate our concerns about various road safety matters. I do not want to labour the point, but we can see that things are not getting better in relation to road safety.”
“Senator McCarthy talked about what happened at London recently. It is happening at airports all over the world. The resilience factor and regional airports are very important. There has to be a plan B if the big airport goes down. That is self-evident. I am happy to indicate those items that are of concern to me.”
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“As the seconder of Senator Boyhan's amendment, I wish to voice my absolute support for this. As somebody who spent a lifetime working with children in education, I often wonder why we cavil about these declarations we sign up to. The Minister and Government should be proud to include this amendment because we do not have the facility or advantage of crystal balls here in front of us. There is one thing you can say about knitting in this declaration, which goes back to 1959 and is based on a 1924 declaration, it is not new stuff. However, we can give a great strength and latitude to the declaration if we include it, as Senator Stephenson said, in our national legislation going forward. It would be progressive and would strengthen the whole ethos of the Bill.”
“It is said the pressure is causing them to be more impatient than usual with the animals and electric prods are being widely used to get the cattle off the ships as quickly as possible. It is clear that sending animals to Israel at the moment is sending them into extreme danger. Nowhere is safe. Much the same is happening in Lebanon. We really need a comprehensive debate in this House on animal welfare to include the export of live animals, the conditions on puppy farms, the use of sulkies on the roads and a whole panoply of issues we need to address. A good debate in the House would clear the air and maybe underscore some of the nastier things that are happening because all of them need to be highlighted.”
“Irish cattle can easily, of course, be identified by their ear tags. Not only do these animals have to contend with a long sea journey where they suffer from respiratory illness, ringworm, corneal ulcers, leg injuries, diarrhoea and varying degrees of heat stress but also they are arriving in the middle of a war zone. Sources at Haifa Port have informed us that every day barrages of rockets fall onto the port and surrounding areas where the quarantine centres and fattening farms are. It is beyond belief that any competent authority is still authorising shipments of this nature in the knowledge the animals are being put at considerable risk. Furthermore, the workers at the port fear for their lives and want to complete the unloading quickly.”
“I draw Members' attention to the second paragraph from a letter sent by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to Waterford City and County Council. It states: The Department strongly condemns the mistreatment of any animal and takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society. Bearing that in mind, despite the ongoing conflict in the region, large volumes of Irish cattle are still being exported to Israel both directly from Ireland and from other member states of the EU. Since October 2023 almost 9,000 young bulls or weanlings have been shipped directly to Haifa from Greenore. In addition, an unknown number have been seen arriving there just recently in shipments from Croatia, Slovenia and EU states.”
“I also worry that those people are going to be shoehorned into the June presentations and celebrations and unfortunately the people who were earmarked in the queue for June will, necessarily, be put back into the autumn. It is just an unfortunate situation that has happened, but we should be taking definite steps to make sure it does not happen again.”
“I am very warmed by what the Minister of State had to say. A couple of things struck me about this. There are people in society who would have rejoiced in a victory in thwarting that ceremony last week. On balance, it was reasonable to compromise and put it back to June. What I am really asking the Minister to commit to is to have in reserve a system where we can go back and use the online declarations, if such an occasion were to arise again. The blueprint is there. It should not be too hard to organise. I am very happy to hear that the Minister is going to work with those people who are discommoded by a lack of documents. That is very uplifting as well. What the Minister of State said is that the day is very important.”
“I am, therefore, asking the Minister of State to confirm what immediate steps are being taken to support those affected, outline when citizenship documentation will be returned or alternative travel arrangements facilitated, and commit to reinstating a remove declaration-based citizenship process as an urgent temporary measure to prevent further harm and backlog. Citizenship should be a moment of welcome and pride in our country, not disappointment and stress. Of course, we all look forward to his response.”
“On Irish citizenship forums and community platforms, applicants report similar experiences - ceremonies cancelled with little notice, costs unrecoverable, employers frustrated, families distressed and no clear communication from the Department. There is widespread concern that this cancellation will simply add to an overburdened system creating further delays in a process that is already far too slow. This really is not acceptable. People who have complied with every requirement asked of them and who have lived, worked and paid tax here for years deserve better than an automated email and uncertainty at the final hurdle.”
“Because the ceremony was cancelled, those documents remain unavailable and there is no timetable for when the passport will return. This uncertainty is already affecting work performance and, indeed, their state of ease with their work position. The situation raises very basic questions. Why were no contingency plans in place? Crucially, we can we not use the remote declaration process, exactly as it was used so successfully during the Covid-19 period? During the pandemic, the State demonstrated great flexibility, pragmatism and compassion by allowing applicants to complete citizenship declarations remotely. That system worked. It cleared backlogs, reduced stress and upheld the dignity of applicants while maintaining the integrity of the process. Public reaction to this cancellation has been strong.”
“They informed their families that the day had finally come for them. They navigated disruption, including ongoing protests in the week that was because this was to be their day. It was meant to be the moment they formally became Irish citizens. Instead, it was taken from them, with 48 hours' notice and with a mere priority in June ceremonies assigned to them. There are also real economic consequences. Hotels and local businesses in Kerry lost income at the last minute at a time the hospitality sector is under pressure. The emotional impact should not be underestimated. Citizenship is not just paperwork; it is belonging, recognition and security. One of the men I mentioned requires travel for work. As part of the naturalisation process, applicants were required to submit their original passports.”
“I ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to urgently address the cancellation on only two days' notice of citizenship ceremonies scheduled to take place in Killarney this week and to explain why a remote declaration-based process, already proven and used during Covid-19, could not be immediately reinstated. This was not a routine administrative appointment for those affected. It was the culmination of years of waiting, vetting and uncertainty. I know this personally. Two close friends of my daughter, young men who are settled, working and contributing members of society, were due to attend this ceremony like many others and had organised their lives around it. They booked and paid for accommodation in Kerry. They arranged flights, trains and annual leave from work.”
“Of course, those of us who come from a local authority background would love to see the possibility of disbursing some of the moneys to local authorities and NGOs. I welcome the initiative and the proposed legislation. Other colleagues have referred to reducing the time from seven years to two years, which is significantly sensible. I would applaud that.”
“It would be beneficial for society and prisoners in general if the less pernicious prisoners in incarceration could be allowed to develop their skills, make a useful contribution to outside life in the future and make a living professionally. I have been looking at the confiscated assets legislation in Australia, which has a much more ambitious way of redistributing the proceeds of crime. It talks about building up the national DNA base, which is something we could look at here. There is also the whole question of cybercrime and the cyber induction of our younger people. Australia has a policy initiative called ThinkUKnow, which directs its attention to young people through a national campaign to make them aware of how easily they can be drawn into degradation. There is also the area of human trafficking.”
“Four or five months ago, we had a very interesting exchange in the House with the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, in relation to forestry and the possibility of using the forestry and horticulture breakout - I have just realised what a bad choice of word that is - with the Prison Service, based on the exemplar of Rikers Island, where the residents are given an opportunity to study for horticultural qualifications, engaging with the forestry service in various states in the United States. I hope we can progress that. There is initial interest from the Prison Service, which we have been in touch with. The Minister of State is intrigued by the idea. I hope the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, will look kindly on it, if we can move it along. We all know the Prison Service is having great difficulty in containing the numbers.”
“Notwithstanding that, the phrase "pushing at an open door" comes to mind in relation to this legislation. I am speaking on behalf of the Seanad Independent Group. I think there is a general, across-the-board welcome for the Bill. I am delighted to see the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, here again. He assiduously attends our meetings and all the Senators who I am aware of are deeply appreciative of the fact that he comes so frequently to the Seanad. It is good to see him again. There are a couple of things I might ask the Minister to keep an eye on as this legislation progresses.”
“It was firing up drones that were used for target practice. There was, as they say, a lot of uisce faoi thalamh about the disaster. I believe 61 people went down with the aircraft. Brian was a very committed educationalist, as was Eileen, his wife. John is also involved in education. I believe other members of the family are as well. John had the misfortune of being one of my former pupils in Hibernia College, but notwithstanding that, he qualified summa cum laude . I pass on the condolences of the House to his lovely family in Tramore.”
“I thank the Chair for his nice tribute to Brian O'Shea. Something that was probably not alluded to in his few words and is not known about Brian is that he was a very low-level advocate for the people who were in the St. Phelim Aer Lingus disaster of March 1968, when over 60 people died when their flight from Cork to Heathrow went down just off Tuskar Rock, Wexford. This happened long before most of the Members of this House were born. Brian, because of the proximity of the accident, took a particular interest in it and collected a huge amount of material through personal research. I am just hoping that his family will take care to pass on his notes and research. Brian had serious misgivings about security work that was being done off the Irish coast by the Royal Navy at the time.”
“The problem with combination punches is that they often put the opponent down. We have had a succession of these impacts now. It is very important we make the right response in order that our economy can remain buoyant and robust through it all. With that, I thank the Minister of State for bringing forward the Bill. I hope we can, on the day that is in it, get through it fairly fast.”
“I am sure very few people in our State would agree with the use of extending the relief to people flying executive jets, but I know it is a drop in the ocean as to what we are considering. Mainly, I want to say two things. Obviously, the Seanad Independent Group, SIG, would be delighted to see some respite and relief given to the consumers and SMEs in particular, but to dampen down the demand side, the Minister of State might consider, in conjunction with his colleagues, the idea of a very robust education and promotion campaign. Those of us who have occasionally watched boxing matches will say that probably the deadliest thing a boxing opponent has to stand up against is a series of combination punches. In recent years, we have had combination punches from Covid, the Ukraine crisis and now this one, which is probably the worst of all.”
“On the luxury side and the industries outside of that, we could encourage, coming up to the tourist season, a downplaying of air travel where other types of travel are possible. We could also consider what might be even more patriotic, namely the staycation. Then we have concerns about petrochemicals. This is a very big worry for us because it is not just oil deliveries being stopped at the Strait of Hormuz; there is also a huge backlog of fertiliser and fertiliser products, which will cause great difficulties for farmers coming into the serious growing season. There must be some targeted response to that as well, which I am sure the Government is considering. I saw in the Irish Daily Mail today an article which mentioned the levy or the release of relief for private jet transport.”
“I will instance some of those: working from home where possible; reducing speeds on national highways by at least 10 km/h; a broad campaign to encourage the use of public transport; perhaps the consideration of private car assets to be used on alternate days in big cities to promote the increase of car sharing and the adoption of efficient driving practices; road commercial vehicles and delivery of goods to foster within what is called the logistics industry driving practices that may involve more regular checking of the efficiency of trucks and lorries to reduce idling, breaking and accelerating - all those things that are good driving practice; and, for the small percentage, admittedly, in this country who use LPG for fuel for road transport, to consider the diversion of that when the conversion operator is in use in cars.”
“I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with this document that came out a few days ago from the International Energy Agency, Sheltering From Oil Shocks, which lists ten devices that can be used by governments and the open economy in all countries.”
“The loss of supply is having significant impacts on global markets, as well as ours, pushing up the price of crude oil to above $100 a barrel, leading to much higher prices for some refined products, notably diesel, jet fuel and liquified petroleum gas, LPG. Concerns are naturally growing about the impacts of higher prices on households, businesses and the broader economy. I welcome what the Minister of State said about the NORA levy, which will give some respite to our hard-pressed consumers, those involved in transport, SMEs and businesses of all types in the country. However, there is an urgent need for Government to launch an information and education package for the population in general. There are a number of things that we can very quickly do on the demand side.”
“Go ginearálta, cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo. Tá sé tráthúil agus riachtanach i ndáiríre. None of us will be unaware of conflict that has begun in the Middle East which has created huge supply disruption, probably the biggest in the history of the oil market internationally, mainly due to the halting of the shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as Senator Clifford-Lee mentioned. Some 15 million barrels of crude oil and 5 million barrels of oil products traverse that strait each day, equivalent to about 20% of the global oil consumption. These flows have now slowed to a trickle.”
“The antidote to that is to have our voting public, our citizens, more informed and innovated about the system we have. If this motion does anything in relation to what we are talking about here tonight, it is very good that it focuses in the media, politics and the population at large more attention on critical questions like this, which we really need to be answering for the financial rectitude of the State going forward and all our democratic processes. I commend the driver of the motion from our Independent Group, Senator McDowell, who did us all a blessed favour in proposing this. I think it has been a very useful and enlivening discussion.”
“I am sorry, I had a blank on his surname there. He referenced the foundation of An Coimisiún Toghcháin in 2023. One of the strictures on An Coimisiún Toghcháin is that it would advise, research and report on electoral processes. Senator Boyhan talked about lighting a spark of conversation in the public. I think we should ask the Government parties, if they are going to proceed with our motion here tonight, that they request An Coimisiún Toghcháin to set up an information initiative to let people know what they are buying into if we are going to change the provisions of Article 16.2.2°, so that we do not have a 30% referendum response on this. We need to get people more engaged in the democratic process. We can see that the graph is inexorably sliding downwards in regard to participation.”
“One of them was written by a historian of southern Irish Protestants, and that is a man called Ian d'Alton, who wrote a book incidentally titled Southern Irish Protestants . Another one, which I read in relation to the unification debate, was Sam McBride and Fintan O'Toole's book on Irish unification. My honest and strong belief is that if there is to be talk of reunification, we should not undertake a precipitous referendum to be going off half-cocked or half-baked. Reading thoughtfully into the argument, we seriously need to consider a move towards unification and the referendum that is necessary for that. We need to be talking about it in a very well informed way as populations on both sides of the Border. In that regard, what I am trying to say relates to what our Green Party Senator said. What is his surname again? Senator Noonan.”
“When we are looking at these sorts of things, it is always useful to do a bit of comparative study. In preparation for this Private Members' business, I looked at several democracies around the world, and possibly the most relevant or most pointing of the democracies that suggests itself to be studied in relation to this is that of Germany. Why do I say that? It has already undergone a significant eisimirce or migration crisis or incursion in the past while. It has also undergone a unification of amazing proportions. We have both of those, one of them actual, possibly, and the other incipient in the talk we hear this evening of unification. Senator Boyhan talked about our excellent Library service. I borrowed from the Library service two books recently.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Seomra seo arís. Iarrann an rún seo, ár rún Comhaltaí Príobháideacha, ar an Rialtas céimeanna a thógáil le haghaidh reifreann bunreachtúil chun ionadaíocht a léiriú ar dhaonra atá ag méadú. Faoi láthair, leagann an Bunreacht síos gur cheart go mbeadh Teachta Dála amháin do gach 30,000 den daonra. Ós rud é go bhfuiltear ag tuar go n-ardóidh an daonra seo go dtí 7 milliún nó mar sin, b'fhéidir sna 20 bliain atá romhainn, ní mór don Bhunreacht gníomhú air seo. Is dócha go ndéanfaidh sé éilimh shuntasacha ar bhonneagar agus ar airgeadas an Stáit. Dá bhrí sin, tugann ár rún aghaidh air seo ionas go mbeidh muid ullamh don mhéadú daonra atá ar an mbealach os ár gcomhair agus bealach ordúil agus daonlathach a leanúint.”
“On this subject, I wonder whether, with the current turn of events when the predominance of the media is concentrating on the Iranian crisis in the Middle East, we tend to push the business of Ukraine to the background. I would be delighted to have, after Easter, a comprehensive and informative debate on the situation in Ukraine with the Minister for foreign affairs.”
“Remeslo turned his attention to Ukraine and started blogging his support for the war, that is, until last week when his 90,000 followers on Telegram received a post entitled "Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin". It was quite a moment for such a vocal supporter, and risky too, of course. He accused Putin of waging a failing war in Ukraine and breaking Russia's economy, concluding that he was not a legitimate president. He said Putin must resign and be brought to trial as a war criminal and a thief. The concluding idea is that when people begin to view that the ship is sinking, they will look for the lifeboats.”
“The Kremlin does everything it can to claim Russian society is squarely behind Mr. Putin and his war but when one of the Kremlin's leading legal proponents turns on the President, we begin to see fault lines open up under the pressures of war and economic decline. Ilya Remeslo is not a household name in Ireland but the 42-year-old lawyer led a ferocious campaign against opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the behest of the President. Having initially supported Navalny, a man who came to embody the fight against Putin, Remeslo suddenly began accusing him of fraud. He testified for the prosecution in the 2022 show trial that saw Navalny sent to prison. As the world knows, this anti-Putin hero died suddenly two years later in a Siberian penal colony. Russia blamed "sudden death syndrome" but most people conclude he was poisoned.”
“That is why I am uttering my cúpla focal to express my support for the extension of the initiative until 2027. I could really not do otherwise. It just seems to be extremely logical and compassionate to do so. There may be glitches around the edges, but we have to look at the thing in the round. All told, we could do well to extend for another year the compassion and generosity that we have shown as a nation, because it is a very uncertain and mean world out there that these people have had to encounter. As a public representative, it certainly would not be something that I could countenance to whip the rug of support out from under them at this juncture.”
“The Ukrainian people who came here and integrated themselves as a result of the hospitality shown to them gained an awful lot. They probably thought in the beginning that it would be a fairly temporary arrangement, but it has extended into its fifth year at this stage. Those involved are contributing in a very generous and efficient way to our economy. The figures were mentioned by Senator Gallagher. There are 30,000 in employment and a great many in education at the three levels. The old people who I know personally in Waterford and who are here with their sons and daughters have been fulsome in their praise of the generosity and care they are getting in this country. The prospect of the scheme coming to a precipitate end is something that cannot be countenanced.”
“I want to respond to the Minister of State's contribution. Many of us are familiar with a prayer that is sometimes said - I do not want to sound sanctimonious here - to the effect that it is in giving that we receive. That should be the theme of the response to Ukrainians by the people of Ireland that we saw from 2022. There was an extraordinary generosity shown by the people. It was not just an vacuous generosity or expression of goodwill. Those who hitherto had not considered accommodating people - is strainséirí iad go léir - complete strangers who come from a different culture and part of the world, harboured them in such a hospitable way. It was an extraordinary venture of national generosity that has to be credited and marked here.”
“The one commonality is that we adhere to and love the whole idea of freedom, and the European values of respect for law, human rights and the dignity of the person. I have no doubt that the Government here in its work over the six months of the Presidency will network furiously and diligently to build up those things. As the Minister of State said, there is some democratic backsliding, which is very worrying. In the meantime, there is an election coming up in Hungary and many people here will be wishing for an optimistic result. However, democracy will prevail, whatever the result, and those are the things the Presidency has to deal with. Go n-éirí go geal leis an Aire Stáit agus lena chomhghleacaithe sa Rialtas. I wish him every success.”
“Last night I read in one of the American newspapers that in the four years of war there, the Russian special military operation has succeeded in a net gain of approximately 7,200 sq. km, which might be the size of Laois or something like that, with all due respect to Laois. It is now four years after the invasion and we have seen the resolute defence by the Ukrainians. We have to be conscious of the €90 billion that Europe has spent. That is critical because we can no longer be sure of the American generosity and stalwart support that Europe used to get from the Americans. Lastly, I go on to the values and what makes us Europeans. Most of us in this Chamber would consider ourselves good Europeans. I like to think that I am. I do not know about all the people in parties and Independents. We all have nuanced views of Europe.”
“I want to talk briefly about maritime security, which will be a big issue during the Presidency. We have a strategic zone around our country which is, by area, similar to the strategic zone that stretches from the state of Maine on the Atlantic coast of the United States down to Florida. That gives an indication of the size of that strategic zone around the country and what is held within it or beneath it. We have considerable difficulties in policing it and guarding it against what we call bad actors. It will be a great opportunity to network and work with our European neighbours to solidify our defences in that regard because there are threats. We have seen the odious illegal invasion of Ukraine a few years ago.”
“By the same token the Americans do not have an FDR in the White House. While those things persist, we are facing some serious challenges. Is cúis áthais dom a chloisteáil go mbeidh an Ghaeilge in úsáid go forleathan san Uachtaránacht seo. Táim an-bhródúil as sin. Go n-éirí go geal leis an Rialtas san obair sin atá os a chomhair. It is great to see Irish having the status of an official language and I hope that the Government loses no opportunity to promote it for the people here at home, and also to make our European neighbours conscious of the fact that minority languages are not necessarily languages that will die, although the history of Celtic languages tends to suggest that most Celtic languages are ag fáil bháis or dead, for example Manx and Cornish. Hopefully, ours will survive and strengthen as a result of its status in Europe.”
“We need only look at what is going on the Middle East at the moment, something that we did not really foresee happening two weeks ago. We have scuaine mhór long línte amach, a big line of shipping tankers stretched out at the Strait of Hormuz, not able to go anywhere. Behind them is an even longer line of shipping filled with fertiliser trying to get to these islands to enhance the work of farmers at this critical time of year. Both of those products, oil and fertiliser, have implications for the whole question of food security during this summer and later into the winter. None of us can get an accurate picture of prognostication and what might happen in those times. However, we cannot but be fearful because we heard the other day a famous personage say that the British did not have a Winston Churchill in No. 10 Downing Street.”
“One of the most regrettable things that has happened in those 50 years is the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union and all the travails and difficulties that generated for us here. Both governments, in fairness to them, particularly our own, set about minimising the disjoin that happened at the time in a magnificent way. It is a great signal of the efficacy of our foreign affairs team, the Government and the junior Ministers at the time that they were diligent and resolute in the way they stuck with it in the most trying circumstances, watching the faux nationalism that exhibited itself across the sea. That gives us great courage in going into this. The one thing that we can be certain of going into the Presidency is that there will be an awful lot of uncertainties.”
“I will not take overly long to make my few remarks, which I do on behalf of the Seanad Independent Group. I am delighted to be here to speak on this momentous occasion of the inception of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Minister of State outlined some of the cares and worries that we might have as we go into this. That should not be hostage to the fact that we should be taking on the job with great pride in our status as a long-established European nation for 53 years since 1973. At the time that we joined we were also joined by our nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom, part of which is a land neighbour with a border.”
“The words of the Minister of State come as a measure of great reassurance. I am sure it will assuage the worries and fears down in Waterford and Wexford ETB. There is a disjoint between the evidence that I am getting from the local people and the statement from the Minister of State this morning. However, I am not in a position to immediately take up issue with it and will just sit down and have a look at it over the weekend.”
“I am seeking to ascertain whether funding reallocations at a national level, through SOLAS and the Department of further and higher education, have impacted the level of ESOL provision available locally.”
“This Commencement Matter seeks to establish whether ESOL provision has been reduced due to national funding pressures within the FET system; seeks to clarify whether apprenticeship expenditure overruns have resulted in reallocations, impacting adult literacy and ESOL programmes; seeks confirmation from SOLAS and the Department of further and higher education as to how ESOL capacity is being protected for learners under international protection; and advocates for the reinstatement of provision or equivalent alternative arrangements for those who enrolled in good faith for a full academic year. I am also very concerned about the wider funding decisions within the FET sector. I understand that apprenticeship provision has experienced significant cost pressures nationally.”
“Any reduction in their access to provision should be subject to transparency and public scrutiny. Waterford and Wexford ETB already had significant waiting lists for adults awaiting English-language education with 300-plus students reporting waiting for two years or more for a place, only for that place to be taken away in a cursory fashion.”
“The consequences have been immediate and serious. Students have been left confused, distressed and feeling discarded. Many had structured childcare, transport and weekly routines built around these classes. Teachers had their hours dramatically reduced. Trust in publicly funded education provision has been damaged. The emotional impact on learners has been particularly concerning. Many have already experienced sudden upheaval and displacement, for example, people in Ukraine. If budgetary pressures in one part of the further education and training, FET, system are resulting in the reduction of language supports for individuals under international protection, it raises serious concerns about equity and prioritisation. ESOL learners are among the most vulnerable participants in our educational system.”
“Under the International Protection Act 2015 and broader national integration policy, the State recognises the importance of facilitating access to education and integration supports for those granted protection. Language acquisition is central to integration. Without English, individuals face hindrance in accessing employment, participating meaningfully in community life, supporting their children in school or consolidating their independence. If the State permits individuals to enter and remain in Ireland under international protection, it surely carries a responsibility to ensure that the structures necessary for integration are accessible and stable. Abruptly withdrawing language provision mid-year undermines that responsibility and destabilises some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“I raise an urgent and deeply troubling matter concerning the abrupt discontinuation of English for speakers of other languages, ESOL, classes at Waterford and Wexford education and training board, ETB, just before the recent mid-term break. Students were informed the day before the break that they would not be returning to classes despite having enrolled with the understanding that tuition would run for a full academic year. Many of those affected are individuals under international protection or with refugee status in Ireland. Some students lost their classes after just ten weeks while others were discontinued after approximately 20 weeks of study. In all cases, learners were left without provision, clarity or an alterative pathway.”
“The format of this debate is not great to pick out what happened in the whole debacle or whatever. We will get a chance to go through it tomorrow. I do not want to say anything much except thank the Minister for her sharp, instantaneous response to the crisis that emerged over the last number of weeks. I will not be around, but maybe when the Minister comes to publish her diaries, she will tell us the full story of what went on behind it all. I would love to be around to read it.”