Keira Keogh
Mayo · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I am a grown woman and I would be really embarrassed if I had to ask the Tánaiste, as my superior, for a tampon. Luckily, here in Leinster House they are freely available in some of the bathrooms, although not all.”
“It is an average of €100 per year, which is around the cost of junior GAA membership. I welcome improvements in some public places. We now have period products in libraries and hospitals. I know there are two programme for Government commitments under education and health.”
“A recent report from Barnardos shows that children are going without activities and sport due to a lack of money. A total of 44% of parents surveyed said that they are cutting back on social activities and entertainment, 19% are cutting back on local sport activity participation and 16% are cutting back on school activities and trips.”
“We must ensure our children in low-income families, IPAS facilities or emergency accommodation do not miss out on the opportunity for friendship, confidence and physical development that play and extracurricular activities bring.”
“As the chair of the children and equality committee, I must examine this through the lens of children's rights, and I see where there might be gaps.”
“If Deputy O'Donoghue thinks that he has not used AI before, he definitely has. Even if he has not used a particular AI app, if he put a search into Google this evening, he would have got an AI summary whether he wanted it or not.”
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“I hear that they are worried that it is going to be another scheme similar to the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, or TAMS and it is going to be hard to access. We need to make it easy for them. At the next available opportunity to give back, we have to look at our income tax bands and other ways to give back to the hard-working people of this country. As a Government backbencher, that is what I will be doing for the people of Mayo. I will call for this at every single opportunity. However, we must insist on responding in a targeted, sustainable and responsible way in the midst of what we are facing globally. Lots of people have come to my office and had conversations with me about solar panels and how they are working. People got grants for solar panels last summer and are now starting to see the bills reducing.”
“Speaking as the Chair of the Joint Committee on Children and Equality, I acknowledge the lack of childcare and how much that is causing people to struggle in their households. There was a recent announcement of €135 million over the lifetime of this Government to deliver State-led childcare. When we compare that €135 million with the €775 million, it is going to be swallowed up pretty quickly. It is just putting the amount of money into context. I think €775 million is similar to the whole budget for disability services, so it is a huge amount of money. In saying that, for some it is still not enough. We must be responsible in trying to respond. The farmers are happy to hear that there is €100 million in this package for them and the hauliers.”
“For many, it was the first time that they ever protested because they felt that their voices were not being heard. We hear them loud and clear. We have to ensure that at the next available opportunity, we go further than the €770 million package for working people and small business owners. Everybody knows this is not a crisis that is only affecting Ireland; it is affecting the whole word. Geographical tensions are causing crises everywhere. We can go back to the invasion of Ukraine and now we have what is going on in the Middle East. We are under pressure to support our citizens. I acknowledge that the €770 million package is a huge amount of money. For some people, they hear the budgets in terms of billions and €775 million does not sound that much.”
“This past fortnight, I met with different people, ones who have not come to clinics or the office and who have not emailed - families, farmers, hauliers and small business people. They are people I knew were struggling with the cost of living but I did not know just how much they were to the pin of their collar. People were emotional when they were talking to me about the fear at the shop checkout, the petrol pump and when the electricity bill came in. I acknowledge David Heraty and John Scanlon who, on behalf of 500 people, came to my office this week with a petition with 500 signatures. Those men said they had never been in a TD's office before. I am here today to say I am listening. I understand. I hear the frustration. I hear the fear. I also welcome the many people who took to the streets legitimately.”
“I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, for being here today. Like many of the first-time TDs, I have been elected for 16 months. In that time, I have made 1,400 representations on behalf of people all across Mayo. I have met people at weekly clinics in Westport, Achill, Belmullet and Bangor Erris, and more are planned. We have helped people to get the fuel allowance. I welcome the extension into May of the fuel allowance, which means an extra €152. For some people, that fuel allowance is not enough, so we have helped them with the additional needs payment or the supplementary welfare allowance. We have also had many people in who we are helping with the SEAI grants. I am really seeing the difference that new windows and doors or pumped insulation can make.”
“This is not about balance for the sake of it but it is about making sure the Ireland we shape in this House reflects the full reality of the people we represent. I give a nod to my constituency colleagues who are women and who bring their unique experience and skillsets to their roles and include local councillors, Donna Sheridan, Alma Gallagher and Marie-Thérèse Duffy, and our MEPs, Maria Walsh and Nina Carberry. They all, along with many other professionals around the country, provide their unique experience, be it professional, personal or local, and we are lucky to have them working for their communities. We need many more like them until representation is equal.”
“We have made stronger progress in the Seanad with 45% representation but we really have a long way to go. It is not about women versus men; it never has been. It is not a competition or about one being better than the other. It is about recognising that we experience the world differently and those differences matter when decisions are being made. We see it in everyday life; in the school canteen, in the factory break room, or even in the common areas of Leinster House. People naturally gather in groups shaped by their experiences and often their gender. The conversations at those tables are often different - not better or worse, but different. If those different perspectives are missing from the decision-making table, then the decisions we are making are, by definition, incomplete.”
“I often hear that I am not smiling enough, waving enough or friendly enough, and I often wonder if those comments go to my male counterparts as much as they go to women. Deputy Cleere is very smiley over there, but I think that is not a comment that male TDs would get much of. Another of the goals is ensuring that the voices of women and girls are heard to help shape the laws and policies that shape their lives. The commitment to the national strategy for women and girls matters. It serves as a vital roadmap to safeguard rights, increase access to justice and opportunity and ensure that women and girls enjoy their lives free from discrimination, fear and violence. When we look at the Houses of the Oireachtas, over 25% of this House is made up of women, but that is only 44 out of 174 TDs.”
“These include ambition and opportunity, because too many girls rule themselves out of STEM leadership and public life, but not due to their ability. There is also safety, because domestic, sexual and gender-based violence remains a reality for too many women and girls. Economic independence is there because women still earn less on average and are more likely to be in insecure or part-time employment. Health and well-being are included because women's health, from endometriosis to menopause to mental health, is far too overlooked. There is care, because women continue to carry the greatest share of unpaid care and the mental load that entails. Then there is the goal of challenging stereotypes, because expectations about how women and girls should look or act still shape the opportunities that may be afforded to them.”
“While there are at times legitimate concerns about men's mental health or social pressures, it should not be seen as a licence to force accountability for this on women. Often, these narratives amplify misogyny, encourage hostility towards women and give rise to extreme ideologies. It is clear that these narratives attempt to shape attitudes among a younger generation, influence their behaviour online and contribute to a modern culture of harassment due to gender. It is imperative that we develop effective responses to the manosphere to promote healthy and, importantly, respectful engagement and dialogue between genders. In Ireland, the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 sets out seven clear goals.”
“We are seeing some governments withdrawing or refusing to ratify the Istanbul Convention, which is the treaty opposing violence against women and domestic violence. The UN has warned that the regression of women's rights worldwide is occurring due to discriminatory legal frameworks and social norms and gaps between laws and implementation, as well as conflicts, which we know grossly affect women and girls. Many of us in the last few days will have watched Louis Theroux's viral documentary, "Inside the Manosphere". It was shocking in very many ways and I think sad in many ways, but it also offered many insights as to why the manosphere was gaining momentum. The manosphere often promotes narratives that portray women as a threat to men's status or well-being.”
“Deputy Whitmore outlined many examples. Last week, when International Women's Day was on, we could see so many jokes around why we needed an International Women's Day and if there was an international men's day. Deputy Whitmore has just pointed out exactly why we still need this day, when so many of us are still putting on our live locations when we are getting into a taxi or walking home. International Women's Day is a celebration around the world and in Ireland. It is also a warning that we should not be complacent because the reality for women and girls around the world is that progress is never guaranteed. Right now, we are seeing a rights rollback for women. There are rollbacks on reproductive rights and a reversal of gender equality commitments by some governments.”
“We are living longer now and many of in this room will likely get a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's and it will most likely be our family members who will become our decision supporters. Under the old system, once a person became a ward, they lost all of their legal capacity whereas now they will retain autonomy and continue to participate in decisions about their own life. The new system is designed to support the voice of the person for as long as possible. This amendment ensures that the transition to the new framework can continue fairly, lawfully and without placing individuals in legal uncertainty. For those reasons, I support the Bill and I look forward to its progression through the House.”
“We must ensure that the needs, wishes and rights of the individuals concerned remain at the centre of the process. I understand that the Office of Wards of Court was represented, along with DSS and the Legal Aid Board. I also understand that the Minister is willing to put on more of those events if they are helpful. Many wards of courts are people with intellectual disabilities who are being supported by their families or organisations like the Western Care Association in Mayo. The move away from wardship represents an important step in recognising the autonomy and dignity of people who require decision-making support. This autonomy can include deciding where they will live or having some input or autonomy over who will take care of them.”
“I am conscious that some families and carers have expressed confusion about the process of discharge from wardship and what that will mean in practice. Valuable information has been made available to organisations such as Citizens Information, the DSS and Family Carers Ireland, which launched the CarerAid Project. In my own locality, I found some really good documents published by the Western Care Association as well. However, we must continue to ensure that clear, accessible information and practical supports are available to wards so that individuals and their families fully understand the process and options available to them. I understand that the Department had a consultation event this Monday for wards, families, committees and wider stakeholders at which issues with the discharge process were discussed.”
“The third option, and the one reflected in this Bill, maintains the statutory deadline but allows the court to manage cases through limited proportionate extensions, where required. This option provides legal certainty for individuals while allowing the transition away from wardship to continue in an orderly and structured manner. It also avoids disrupting the significant work under way in the courts. While the amendment is necessary, it is also important that we view it as a practical operational measure rather than a slowing down of the reform process. The transition away from wardship remains an important rights-based reform and we must continue to ensure that the remaining cases progress as efficiently as possible.”
“The total period of any extension or extensions cannot exceed 18 months meaning that every affected ward must have a capacity declaration no later than 25 October 2027. This approach reflects a careful policy balance in considering how best to address the issue. Three policy options were examined and these were outlined to us very clearly in our briefings. The first option was to do nothing, which would leave individuals without legal clarity after the deadline. The second option was to extend the statutory deadline. However, that option carried risks, including the potential for legal challenges, and advocacy groups are concerned that such a move could undermine the commitment to ending warship.”
“For that reason, the legislation before us is necessary and urgent. The Bill addresses these issues while preserving the core intent of the original Act. Importantly, the Bill does not extend or change the statutory deadline of 26 April 2026. Instead, it provides the wardship court with discretion to extend the time frame for making a capacity declaration in individual cases where there is good reason to do so and where it is in the interests of justice. This extension will operate on a case-by-case basis, ensuring that the court retains oversight and that each situation is considered carefully. A further extension may be granted in exceptional circumstances, but there is a clear outer limit.”
“Discharge applications are progressing, but the scale and complexity of this process means that it will not be possible to complete every capacity declaration before the statutory deadline in just 53 days. This creates a serious legal issue as the 2015 Act does not provide for the legal status of individuals who remain wards of court if a capacity declaration has not been made by that deadline. Without legislative intervention, individuals could find themselves in the position of legal limbo or uncertainty after 26 April. Such uncertainty could create serious difficulties for the individuals concerned, as well as for their families, carers and service providers. Questions could arise regarding who has legal authority in relation to their welfare, financial affairs or decision concerning their care.”
“Under the legislation, the High Court sitting as the wardship court must review the case of every adult ward and make a declaration regarding their decision-making capacity within three years of commencement. This means that the statutory deadline for completing these capacity declarations is 26 April this year. However, since commencement important progress has been made, with 399 wards having been fully discharged. Some 38 of those individuals require no decision-making support, 40 require co-decision-making agreements, and 313 were discharged with decision-making representatives. However, despite the considerable work undertaken by the Courts Service, the Judiciary, DSS and legal representatives, the reality is that current figures indicate that approximately 1,050 wardship cases are currently outstanding.”
“There is also a co-decision making agreement where the person chooses somebody they know and trust to be their co-decision maker and they make specific decisions jointly. In the case of a decision-making representation order, the Circuit Court appoints a decision-making representative to make decisions on the person's behalf. These reforms were an important step in bringing Ireland closer to compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which recognises that persons with disabilities have the right to legal capacity on an equal basis with others. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 commenced in April 2023, beginning the process of transitioning individuals currently in the wardship into the new decision support framework.”
“For many years, the wardship system operated largely through a medical model of disability, where individuals deemed to lack decision-making capacity could have decisions made on their behalf by the court. The 2015 Act moved Ireland towards a social and rights-based model, recognising that many people may require support to make decisions rather than having their legal capacity removed entirely. The legislation places emphasis on the will and preferences of the person, ensuring that individuals are supported to exercise their autonomy wherever possible. Under the Act, the Decision Support Service, DSS, was created and tiered decision support arrangements were established. The decision-making assistance agreement supports people to make their own decisions by helping them get information, understand it and then make decisions.”
“Pre-legislative scrutiny is a very important part of the legislative process. However, in this case it was made clear to us that the amendment is time-sensitive and necessary to avoid legal uncertainty for vulnerable individuals and therefore, the committee was satisfied that a waiver was appropriate. The starting point for this legislation is the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which represented one of the most important reforms of disability law in the State in many decades. The Act abolished the historic wardship system for adults. This was a system rooted in the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871, and replaced it with a modern, rights-based framework for supported decision making. That reform represented a significant cultural and legal shift.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I want to acknowledge the work undertaken by the Department and the Courts Service to brief members of the disability matters committee on this legislation. We were provided with two detailed briefings to help us understand both the operational process involved in discharging wards of court and the urgency of the legislative amendment before us, with the 26 April deadline looming. Those briefings were helpful in outlining the scale of work under way and the practical challenges involved in transitioning a significant number of cases through the court system. It was on the basis of the briefings and the clear urgency involved that the committee recognised the need to grant a waiver on pre-legislative scrutiny for this Bill.”
“I welcome the recent announcement of €15 million per annum for the remainder of this Government term to support the stability and sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices. However, we need to engage closely on the ground with all stakeholders to ensure this funding is deployed effectively and sustainably.”
“Only three months later, Ballyhaunis delivery service unit faces a similar fate. An Post confirmed plans to amalgamate the Ballyhaunis delivery service unit to Castlereagh. That service unit employs 13 local staff who are living in the community locally. Relocating this service would cause significant disruption to those employees and have a huge impact on the local economy. They have already lost two banks and a courthouse. The loss of this unit will have a very negative impact. I commend Councillor Alma Gallagher and the Ballyhaunis Chamber president, Anne Cunnane, on their extensive efforts to stop this. They are supported in their efforts by over 3,500 local people who voiced their concerns in a petition. The staff feel hoodwinked by An Post and their union and are dismayed with the engagement so far.”
“In October 2025, I was made aware of plans to close the Erris postal sorting centre in Barnatra. That sorting centre employs 13 postmen covering the Erris region, which is the size of County Louth. The facility in Barnatra was purpose-built in 2019 at a private cost, following assurances that no other sorting lease would be signed and it could operate the service long term. In October, however, the staff were made aware there had been a decision to close the centre, requiring each of the 13 postmen to travel to the amalgamated sorting centre in Ballina, which would be a two-hour round trip daily. Through extensive engagement by the postal workers, the postmaster, me and Councillor Gerry Coyle, An Post confirmed Barnatra sorting office would remain open. I am pleased it listened to those concerns.”
“For years the local post office has been far more than a place at which to post a letter or collect a pension. In towns and villages up and down the country, the post office is essential to communities. It is a trusted service, a provider of employment and for many who are isolated, an important point of human contact. However, we are continuing to watch local post offices come under pressure, reduce services and shorten opening hours, and there is a constant fear of further closures in communities. This fear is not without reason. In January, Tulrohaun post office in Mayo closed after 150 years of service. Good luck to Catherine Delaney, the postmaster, who retired after 71 years of service. This brings to 19 the number of post offices that have closed in Mayo in the past decade.”
“If a school is currently at stage 2a - which many schools in Mayo are - I want, as their public representative, to get them to stage 2b before the next tranche of funding is announced so we are in with a chance of many of them getting funded and getting that moment of turning the sod. The bottom line is that every child in the State, including those in County Mayo, deserves the same opportunities, facilities and investment, and the access should not be different from one school to the next. I acknowledge that there has been a lot of funding into Mayo over recent years. It is unfortunate that in this case we were not included in the tranche, but I am hopeful that we will have a lot of schools at stage 2b at the next one.”
“It is not unreasonable for a school to have a check-in once every six weeks or two months - even three months would be acceptable to some schools. I do not understand why a school that is at stage 1 thought it might be included in a funding tranche when, in fact, you need to be at stage 2b. If principals who have been there for a very long period of time are not aware of the process then there definitely is a communication breakdown somewhere. I would like to see explanations for what exactly happens in stage 1, stage 2a and stage 2b, and what the timelines to be expected are.”
“The Minister of State should absolutely send my list to the Department, but he can be guaranteed that it already has my list. I thank him for the details he outlined. In his reply, he said that details of all live and completed projects are available on the website, but my big issue is that a school might be at stage 2a for 18 months. One school said it had no contact since April last year, another has had no contact in ten months, another said it was nine months and another said six months. St. Brid's Special School is in the ADAPT 3 fast track programme and some of the phrases that the principal has used to describe the process so far include "deep concern", "growing frustration" and "prolonged uncertainty". My big ask is that we get clear communication between the Department and schools.”
“The school's stage 1 report was submitted on 30 November 2022, and following agreement on the preferred design in September 2022, the school moved to stage 2a. The school has now had no movement in 20 months. There is a huge amount of frustration. We cannot really expect schools to plan for the future if they do not know if they will have enough classrooms, enough spaces for neurodivergent students or the facilities they desperately need. We cannot expect teachers and schools to deliver educational excellence in buildings that overcrowded and not fit for purpose. We should not be asking school communities to accept this uncertainty.”
“It sent an addendum report on 6 June 2025 and despite regular follow-ups by the principal and the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board, ETB, the school is still waiting on a response on how this project might be progressed. Unfortunately, pyrite was confirmed in the new extension in December and the roof that was built in the 1980s is leaking as well. The school really feels unprepared if another Storm Éowyn was to come, as the school is on the edge of the Wild Atlantic Way. I think of St. Brendan's College in Belmullet. For its additional school accommodation, ASA, project, there is the replacement of prefab accommodation, special educational needs, SEN, provision and specialist rooms.”
“The delays and uncertainty this is causing is having knock-on effects for all three schools, influencing enrolment numbers and, indeed, teacher numbers when enrolment drops. I think of Sancta Maria College in Louisburgh, which is waiting on its preliminary design to be reviewed by the Department even though the certificate of stage 1 completion was sent on 8 April last year. This school really has concerns about the viability of its two special education rooms because they are upstairs. This means that if there is an evacuation order, some students with mobility issues would have to be carried down the stairs. The principal has received no response to queries, despite sending numerous emails. The rising cost of building materials is a real concern. I think of Coláiste Pobail Acla, which is currently at stage 2a.”
“Everybody knows the stages but the timelines of the stages are not clear. It is my understanding that, to be considered for capital funding under the national development plan announcement, schools need to be at stage 2b, but getting to this stage can be a real struggle. This year, no Mayo schools were announced in the 2026-27 tranche and that caused huge frustration, because I had principals who genuinely thought that sods might be turned on their new buildings this side of the summer. Where is the confusion if none of those schools was at stage 2b? I think of the Sacred Heart School in Westport that is currently at stage 2a. Three schools are depending on this particular build, namely, Holy Trinity National School, Westport Educate Together National School and the Sacred Heart School itself.”
“I want to discuss the additional accommodation scheme, especially as it relates to schools in County Mayo. So far, 16 schools at various stages of this scheme have reached out to me. They all stress the need for timely and adequate additional accommodation. Mayo has a wide network of schools that has a vast mix. Some are rural, some are urban. We have some island schools, some Gaeltacht schools and some DEIS schools. No doubt they are all doing excellent work but in many cases they are tasked with carrying out this work in buildings that are outdated, overcrowded or inadequate. My main issue this evening though is around communication. I have principals, boards of management and parents who are really frustrated that they do not know what is happening with their particular buildings. Clear timelines are not available.”
“They are the bridge between a child and their education and we have to use this increased funding at this time when the whole country has a sharp focus on this, to get the next circular right and ensure that an SNA's job description reflects the amazing work they are doing on the ground.”
“An SNA is no longer assigned to a specific student; they are now assigned to a full school. There has been a huge increase in support to now being 22,000 SNAs and in September, that will be 25,000. However, this past fortnight has been so confusing. It has caused uncertainty and trauma. The reviews should have waited for the SNA workforce development plan, the redeployment plan and the review but let us be positive. Let us use this as an opportunity to get this right, so that an SNA can look at their job description and feel that it reflects the work they are doing.”
“Circular 0030/2014 states that an SNA facilitates attendance, minimises disruption to class and attends to primary care needs like feeding, toileting, medicine and mobility. On page 8, it says the role of an SNA is not to provide additional tuition. Show me an SNA in any special, autism or mainstream class around the country who is not providing additional tuition, especially if you go into a special class. You will see them providing one-to-one tuition. This circular is outdated and that is the crux of this problem. It was outdated 12 years ago when it was implemented and in the 20 years I have been supporting SNAs in the classroom, it has been outdated. For all of those years, they have been providing learning, behaviour, communication, social and emotional support. We have to acknowledge there has been improvement in those two decades.”
“He is graciously giving up his time to talk to people about his experiences and what he wished he knew then. Hayley Coleman is a talented make-up artist who was involved in an accident where her friend passed away and she was left with life-changing injuries. Whether it is at the AXA roadshow or wherever, if anybody gets to hear at first hand a life-changing experience, it will impact their driver behaviour; we know that. If that can be rolled out when people are doing their learner driver courses, it would be really beneficial. We definitely need more streamlined funding for lollipop people. In my home town of Westport, a school has been without a lollipop person for a long time. We know that is because it is a short-term role for a couple of hours a day but it is a vital role.”
“A driver who hits somebody at 60 km/h will wish for every second afterwards that they had only been driving at 30 km/h. People might be frustrated today getting to work doing 60 km/h on a 50 km/h road, but I guarantee that if a child happens to run out in front of them and they are within the speed limit, they will not regret this for the rest of their life. I also want to thank Hayley Coleman and Myles O'Brien, who came to speak at a road safety event I held in Mayo last year. It demonstrated to everybody there the benefit of hearing real-life stories. If this can be incorporated into the learner driver courses and people hear real life-changing stories, it will have real impact. Myles O'Brien is a talented chef. He has talked about the fact that he was a novice motorcyclist and had an accident that left him paralysed.”
“We should look at expanding virtual reality scenarios of driving on ice, driving when tired and falling asleep, having an accident while holding a phone, driving under the influence and perhaps make that as a mandatory one-hour finisher to the 11 hours already required by a learner driver. It is one thing to do it in schools, but it would be great to do it right before people take their test. Many Deputies have spoken today about the frustration with driving slowly and speed limits coming down to 30 km/h in some areas. We have to remind ourselves of the statistics. If hit by a vehicle at 60 km/h, 40% of people will survive. If hit at 50 km/h, 70% of people will survive. If hit at 30 km/h, more than 90% of people will survive.”
“We have to meet them where they are at in an holistic way by bringing them to the table and offering them organised ways to show off the cars they are so proud of in a safe manner. We also need to tackle distracted and dangerous driving in general. I would love to see more of the work that the RSA is doing with young people in transition year, at the AXA roadshow and going around to things like the ploughing championships where they are using virtual reality. We know from the Defence Forces and from nursing and medical courses that virtual reality is having a very positive effect on real-life behaviour.”
“Right now, it is still a form that people can fill in, but with so many cars having live dashcams, it is a no-brainer that we should be able to upload that footage and be able to prosecute from that. That is something that should be done very quickly. I am looking at tackling car enthusiasts in an area in my home county called Derrinumera, where the local recycling centre is. Car enthusiasts gather there most Saturday nights with up to 100 cars at a time. Families are struggling to get their young children to sleep. More than that, doughnuts are being done and there is lots of dangerous driving. An holistic approach is needed to meet young people where they are at. There are a lot of car enthusiasts in Westport, Mayo in general, Donegal and Galway.”
“I start by extending my sympathies to the family of Grace Lynch and also to the family of the deceased from today's bus accident and those recovering in hospital, as well as the 183 families from last year, nine of them in Mayo. It is important to remember those people because that is why we are here. Even though in my county there were 19 deaths in 2024, which reduced to nine last year, every single life lost is one too many. The RSA is to be commended on the good work that it is doing. Representatives from the RSA were in the audiovisual room yesterday and gave us a good presentation. We can all agree that lots more work needs to be done. One of the first things that could be done very easily is to update the traffic watch online.”
“We know there is a new system on the way. We hope to have that up and running by January 2027, but the Minister of State and I both know that could roll on until the summer of 2027. God knows what will happen in the world. It could roll on to 2028, and I have constituents who will probably pass away in that time. These are the last years of their lives. Some of them cannot go to the doctor or go down the road. Their children are caring for them. We have to act now. This has been going on almost seven years. Can we please have an interim guideline issued to the appeals board and the HSE in order that they can do something now for the people who have been waiting for years and years?”
“I know a lady in her 80s whose daughter cannot bring her to the doctor five minutes down the road because she cannot get her into the car. They have been asked to go to Dún Laoghaire. People from Mayo have to go to Dún Laoghaire for the appeals process. There is no point in their going to the appeals process because in the appeals process they are working off the current criteria, six criteria that we all know they will not meet. There is no point in travelling across the country to Dún Laoghaire to be told you will not get your appeal. The HSE is carrying out the assessments and the appeals, but this is still with the Department of Finance. My request tonight is as follows. Will the Department of Finance issue interim guidelines to the HSE and the appeals board? We have the two reports. We know the system is failing.”
“I thank the Minister of State and I respect his decision to move away from the prepared script. My concern is that in 2020, nobody saw Covid coming down the line and this led to the working group being paused. We have had different reports over the years from different Departments. We now know the Department of Transport is putting the scheme out for public consultation. I am pleased to hear that the Minister of State is going to talk with others about the fact that we do not need a consultation. I am not confident, however, that the consultation will not be pushed ahead. We do not know what will happen in the world in the next year, so the scheme could be pushed further down the line. I know a 94-year-old man with carpal tunnel syndrome who cannot feel his hands.”
“That, however, is exactly the problem. While responsibility has been moving from Department to Department, people are being left behind. My constituent has not been failed by a lack of reports or reviews; they have been failed by a lack of common sense and discretion. If someone can demonstrate that they cannot safely operate a brake pedal, then they need a vehicle adaptation. That should not require an amputation to be believed. What immediate direction can be given to the HSE and the appeals board by the Department of Finance to apply a more functional and humane interpretation of the existing criteria? My constituent cannot wait until 2027 for independence.”
“In May and June last year, the Department of Transport announced that it would now be the Department to develop a new needs-based vehicle adaptation scheme. We are now told the Department is beginning extensive engagement and public consultation while working towards January 2027 for the scheme to be up and running. That would mean seven years from my constituent's first application, which was made when they were aged 18, without being able to drive. I know the response I am going to receive tonight is that the Department of Finance shares my concerns, that the DDS is outdated, that a new scheme is being developed by the Department of Transport following work co-ordinated with the Department of the Taoiseach and that, in the meantime, the existing DDS remains with the Department of Finance and assessments remain with the HSE.”