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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“Two years later, in January 2022, the Minister of State with responsibility for disability reconvened that group as a matter of priority at the time. Another year later, in February 2023, the final report concluded correctly that the DDS is not fit for purpose and should be replaced with a needs-based, grant-aided vehicle adaptation scheme and that responsibility should be moved away from the Department of Finance. By that point, my constituent had already been waiting three years. In June 2003, the Taoiseach said he would convene all relevant Departments to develop proposals. That work progressed through further interdepartmental engagement, with the subgroup reporting to the Department of the Taoiseach a year and a half later, bringing us to February 2025.”
“This young person cannot reliably press the brake pedal with their disabled foot. Yet, because their limb is not amputated, they do not qualify. Six years later, they are about to turn 24 and still cannot drive. This is six years without independence and without equal access to work, education or social life. It is six years reliant on family, friends and taxis, not because the support does not exist but because the system is stuck in limbo with rigid criteria. This injustice is compounded when we look at the timeline and the movements of responsibility between Departments. Under action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017 to 2022, the State committed to reviewing transport supports, including the DDS. An interdepartmental transport working group was formed in 2020 but that was, unfortunately, paused due to Covid.”
“I ask the Minister of State to cast his mind back six years to 2020 and imagine a constituent of my predecessor, former Deputy, Michael Ring, walking into his office at the age of 18. The constituent needed a primary medical certificate to access the disabled driver's and disabled passenger's scheme, DDS. They were refused. They appealed and lost the appeal. This was not because they can walk unaided because they cannot. It was not because they can safely drive a standard vehicle, because they cannot. They were refused because they do not meet an exceptionally narrow and outdated set of medical criteria that prioritise amputations over functional ability. This young person would not be able to walk unaided from where I am standing to where the Minister of State is.”
“We have seen the harm caused in relation to suicide. We are not, though, fully seeing yet the harm being caused in relation to physical and sexual abuse when it goes from offline to the real world, so we really must tackle this crisis. I will finish by saying AI offers unprecedented opportunities for accessibility and inclusion, but only if it is governed by robust regulation, ethical integration and ongoing research into its impact on children, underpinned by education and empowerment. We do not know what is coming, so we have to ensure technology serves human dignity and supports independent living rather than redefining or diminishing it. AI is here. We cannot fight it and we cannot resist it, but we can legislate for it, regulate it and guide it.”
“We have seen that there has been huge growth in romantic relationships with AI chatbots. I was alarmed to see that 10% of adults in Ireland had had an AI romantic relationship in the past year and 12% were considering it. That is a massive number of people. The adults in Ireland now did not grow up with chatbots. We grew up learning about relationships in what I do not want to say is the normal way, because maybe this is the new normal, but the teenagers coming up now who are starting to engage in these romantic relationships do not know what to expect. The AI romances are all about control and customisation. You could have the perfect partner and it is really dystopian. We must ensure, therefore, that we are providing supports so our young people coming up are not becoming emotionally dependent on chatbots.”
“However, we heard really loudly and clearly in the disability matters committee that AI, as it becomes increasingly integrated across public and private services, has the ability to further push the inequalities already present. There are built-in biases already in many of these tools, and new barriers can be created. In the short time we have left to us, therefore, we must use the opportunity to ensure that people with disabilities are properly supported and are meaningful co-designers, especially in things we are using across public services, so AI continues to be a tool for inclusion and not inequality in the disability space. In the time left to me, I want to touch on something Deputy Farrelly mentioned, namely, the rise of AI companionship, especially in relation to our minors.”
“We do not know what other apps and technologies are coming down the line, so we have to give people tools to prepare them for the unknown. We have to start building in safety by design. Safety by design and even co-design are also key when we look at AI for people with disabilities. I also sit on the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. We have heard of the fantastic ways in which AI can assist those in our disabled communities, including 131,764 children in Ireland. AI is bringing massive help in the form of assistive technologies. This includes things like screen readers, speech-to-text technology, navigation aids, eye tracking, voice recognition, real-time transcription for those with hearing impairments, etc. These AI tools can lead to greater autonomy, inclusion and participation in education and society.”
“This is why, no matter what pay walls or features are geographically disabled, we must continue this focus that has been so sharp in the last couple of days and the urgency for global co-ordinated action, stronger regulation, mandatory safeguards and accountability measures to prevent AI from becoming a weapon of exploitation. We must ensure that innovation serves human dignity and does not undermine it. As the Chair of the Joint Committee on Children and Equality, I am committed to advocating to protect our young people. To do that, we have to provide legislation and regulation, but also education and empowerment. We did a survey in November that went out to over 2,200 parents. At that point, Grok had not even been launched. In some ways, then, that survey is nearly out of date. We do not know what is coming next week or the week after.”
“The EU AI Act aims for AI to be transformative, trusted and transparent. I think we can all agree that, in recent days and weeks, we have seen how swiftly AI can move to put dangerous tools in the hands of millions of people all across the globe. Make no mistake, though, Grok might have put the ability to nudify into the public domain and it might have opened the eyes of people and governments who were not already aware of the huge dangers of these tools, but these tools, especially the nudify apps, are not a new phenomenon. We know AI is being used every day, hour and second to exploit mostly women and minor girls.”
“We need to box clever when we are looking at it. For example, Knockrooskey is an area that does not have footpaths or lighting, so we cannot put an extra bus stop in yet for the Bus Éireann route that moves through it. A Local Link would be really welcome there where the nearest bus stop is Coill an Bhaile and it is too dangerous to walk to. I think of Louisburgh, where the bus service finishes around 6.30 p.m. and the residents are cut off from the nearest swimming pool where kids want to attend lessons, the theatre or cinema. I welcome the increased investment and numbers but we can think smart about it. We should expand the likes of TFI Anseo more so that we are being flexible and adaptive to the needs of our constituents and boxing clever with the resources we have. That would go a long way.”
“I also think of Pullathomas where one when can go as far as Curraunboy on a Monday or Wednesday at 10.30 a.m. and get a bus to Ballina at 10.44 a.m., but cannot get back. A lot has been done but more needs to be done.”
“I was at the launch of TFI Anseo and I welcome it, along with all of the increases in spending. When we look at the map of Local Link in Mayo, it looks like we are really connected, but I am thinking of a lady in Fahy outside Westport who is in her 60s. Her mind is super active and she is a fantastic woman, but she has arthritis and cannot drive. She has one option to go to Westport on a Friday morning at 12.10 p.m, but she has three hours and 20 minutes in town before she has to be back on the bus for 3.30 p.m. It sounds as though that is great and she can go to town once a week and do her shopping and meet her friends but she has to plan that in advance. With TFI Anseo doing so well, it would be great to see that expanded into Erris and Westport so that people do not necessarily have to plan ahead.”
“Many communities and individuals across Mayo continue to face significant challenges in accessing essential services like employment opportunities and social activities, as well as doctor's appointments, due to limited public transport options. Will the Department consider introducing additional Local Link routes and, more importantly, additional increased frequency to better connect communities in Mayo?”
“Deputy Claire Kerrane - To discuss restoration of the rapid response vehicle on a 24-7 basis in County Roscommon. Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss drug-related intimidation and associated violence. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss the tender for the building of Cork Educate Together Secondary School. The matters raised by Deputies Erin McGreehan, Aidan Farrelly, Colm Burke, Eoin Ó Broin and Eoghan Kenny have been selected for discussion.”
“Deputy Eoin Ó Broin - To discuss the decision to delay the completion of the DART+ South West extension. Deputy Louis O'Hara - To discuss the development of equine therapy facilities at the Toghermore Campus in Tuam, County Galway. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss the shortage of transport services to adult disability day services in County Meath. Deputy Pa Daly - To discuss the north Kerry CAMHS review. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh - To discuss funding for a "nurture room" at Saint Brendan's College, Belmullet. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss temporary accommodation and a school building project for Saint Farnan's school in Kildare. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan - To discuss the ongoing use and misuse of e-scooter vehicles in urban areas. Deputy Eoghan Kenny - To discuss the introduction of the new CIÉ pension scheme.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan - To discuss the need for a lift upgrade and roof repairs at a school in Cork. Deputy Jen Cummins - To discuss the plan for schools to be included in the DEIS plus scheme. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss funding for a community-based outreach dental centre in Cork city. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss the shortfall of SEN primary school places in Shankill, County Dublin. Deputy Sean Fleming - To discuss the need for women's refuge accommodation in Portlaoise. Deputy Erin McGreehan - To discuss accommodation and infrastructure deficits at Monksland National School in County Louth.”
“I would like to come back at a later date and talk about TFI Anseo. I am hearing fantastic things from constituents. It would be great to see that rolled out even further.”
“That will be welcome news to the islanders and I know when we have one announcement we are always looking to the next announcement. Regarding the piers at Clare Island and Inisturk, when we arrived there the islanders spoke about the difficulty getting the ferry right up to the shore with sandbanks and different things. Even though we are progressing Roonagh, there will still be lots more work to do. I am sure that after that, there will be even more. I was struck by my visit to Clare Island where people talked about the struggles accessing housing, the reliability on the fish farm and the lack of a hotel given that it was difficult to sustain a chef on the island. We have much work to do. There were fears about the school closing down and lack of childcare. We are doing great work but they are depending on us to do more.”
“The islanders, as the Minister knows well from their stories, struggle when their cars are at Roonagh and they have to go to Achill Island if ferries are cancelled. Can we look for a dedicated engineer to be assigned to those three piers, Roonagh, Clare Island and Inisturk around the breakwaters?”
“I am lucky enough to have been with the Minister on Inisturk when it got its new helipad and at the launch of TFI anseo, so I can definitely see all the improvements we are making. Last week the people there were very happy and they welcomed the likes of the solar panel to help their generator keep going. We know that, like all communities around Ireland, the islanders are particularly struggling with housing, childcare and access to jobs, given they are so dependent on tourism. The Minister has recently announced funding for the business case at Roonagh Pier. We can both agree, especially with Storm Éowyn and even recent storms that were not so bad on the mainland but were terrifying for the residents, we are not yet there with reliable year-round transport.”
“Can the Minister outline the current supports available to Mayo's offshore islands, including Inisturk, Clare Island and Achill Island in the areas of transport, housing, health, education, digital connectivity and community development, the efforts that are set out for the planned initiatives and funding streams for these islands over the coming years, including measures to sustain population levels, promote tourism and protect the cultural and linguistic heritage of these areas?”
“I hope we can go further and get the full review as quickly as possible so we can get full redress, or as close to it as possible, for our constituents.”
“We always tell our constituents at home that the Mayo TDs put on the Mayo jersey, as I am sure the Donegal TDs do. We have had Government and Opposition Deputies in the House. We will continue to work together for our constituents. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, mentioned Clodagh Gleeson. I hope the representatives and local authorities across the country who are dealing with this are as empathic and hard working as Clodagh, who often stays up late at night at weekends trying to support the residents in Mayo. I pay tribute too to the Mayo Pyrite group, the members of which were here protesting last weekend. I hope they welcome this proposal. I know it will not be the full review they want but it is definitely welcome. I thank the Minister of State for bringing this legislation forward.”
“That is a real practical improvement within the scheme. I welcome the extension of a possible 24 weeks, or five and a half months, that may be applied for because the current time of 14 months just is not enough. We know how difficult it is to get a builder, plumber or painter, etc., at the moment. Recently, I spoke to a lady who told me they demolished the house but then could not find the foundations. They had to keep going down and down. She told me how much time it took to remove so much soil. Then they had to put stilts into the house. That has added on a huge amount of time. Hopefully this extra 24 weeks will be enough. I think we can all agree it is difficult to get a house built quickly in the current climate. It is fantastic that we have so many Mayo representatives here today.”
“I had a constituent in Páirc na Coille, Westport want me to ask the Minister if she will be able to get the retrospective payment if she pays her final bill now. Her contractors were waiting for her to pay in September. That is not clear from today, but maybe I am wrong. I was also asked by a cancer patient: "If anything happens to me, will my children be able to take over the scheme?" I know improvements have been made today in relation to the relevant owner - it might apply to cohabiting people - but I am not sure if it applies to children if they were left behind. I welcome that homeowners may now apply for ancillary grants. That is really key for families with children with additional needs or physical disabilities where adaptations are needed and it might not be as easy to get temporary accommodation.”
“There are real physical conditions emerging, such as people with ticks and tremors that they are dealing with from the stress of this. Families were hoping for pre-legislative scrutiny. However, here we are; it is December 2025. The increases were announced in October 2024. I welcome that we are getting this legislation published quickly, but I regret that we have not had pre-legislative scrutiny. The increase of 10% that will now be applied retrospectively is a welcome relief for many, but I am still going to get the question: "If I pay my bills now, will I get my retrospective payment?" According to what I have read today, they will be able to submit unpaid invoices for consideration of payment.”
“I understand the importance of getting it here fast and people want it before Christmas, but many feel they have missed the opportunity to make representation on pre-legislative scrutiny. The people we are talking about bought or built their houses in good faith and they are depending on us to help them. These people are beyond stressed. I welcome this amendment, which is an improvement. It will increase flexibility, but it is not enough. I am still calling for the full review that we have promised in the programme of Government. I am still thinking of the constituents that I know who are elderly and want to sell their home with the grant intact. They do not want to face into a rebuild. We need to consider mental and physical health supports. We talked a lot about suicidal thoughts among families.”
“I thank the Minister for being here. My colleagues have brought this up and the Whip is looking into the delay of the publication of this Bill. However, it is difficult to come in here this evening and to speak to it truly as our constituents expect us to do so. We would love to get to the bottom of why it was published so late that when we are speaking about issues, we can be well informed. Today's amendment is highly anticipated since grant increases were announced last October. Again, since this was published on 4 June, families have been wondering if they can sign off on their homes and leave the scheme. Homeowners have been wondering if they will be included in the amendment. Week after week after week, we have been getting questions about when this is going to happen and when it is going to pre-legislative scrutiny.”
“However, if we are in this situation in December and the telephone lines go down again, I do not think we will be accountable to our constituents if we leave them.”
“Cross-government action is needed. We see the fantastic roll-out of the national broadband plan, which is having great results in Mayo. As the Minister of State said, broadband alarms are being recommended, but we have to go back retrospectively. More than 1,000 people in Mayo are using these alarms. I think of the people in Binghamstown, Belmullet, out in Leenane and in some of the rural black spots. Where we have been successful in putting in rural broadband we should get community groups to go out retrospectively, right now, ahead of winter 2025 to see the people whose panic alarms are attached to copper telephone lines, and see if we can get them switched over to the national broadband plan where it has already caught up. I acknowledge that there are ongoing reviews following Storm Éowyn and into panic alarms.”
“If there is family nearby, they have to move in for days and communities try to rally around. I was awake in my bed at night thinking something was going to happen to a 90- or 100-year-old on their own in their bed.”
“It is welcome that a review is taking place. All of us, including my colleague from Mayo, are scarred by what we witnessed during Storm Éowyn. I would like to know how many people on the alarms are still on the old copper telephone lines. We need to look at this retrospectively. I understand the review is not supposed to be finished until next summer and I am worried about our preparedness for this winter. This relates to vulnerable adults in their nineties whose panic alarms go down. First the ESB goes down. They wait for the electricity to come back and then realise the problem is the telephone line, and Eir does not have the wayleave rights necessary to get onto properties. Following Storm Éowyn, it was weeks and sometimes months before an alarm was restored.”
“I speak for those who have developed ticks, tremors and traumas from the stress of living in defective homes. For them, sparse free counselling is not enough. Their mental health deserves more than a token gesture. It deserves real, sustained support. While we make policies in offices, its impact is felt in kitchens, bedrooms and back gardens all across the country. We must deliver the legislation that is needed urgently. We must carry out the full review urgently. We must expand the scheme urgently because behind every cracked wall is a broken heart and behind every delayed payment is a family holding on by a thread.”
“I speak for my constituent who had to dig down 4.8 m, just to find solid foundations. They are now facing the uncertainty as to whether these excess costs such as stilts, removal of soil and rubble and increased engineers fees will be covered. I speak for my constituent with terminal cancer who lies awake at night, wondering if her children will be entitled to the scheme if the unimaginable comes to pass. I speak for families living in unsafe houses who want to knock and rebuild but in this housing crisis, they have nowhere to go. They are trapped between danger and displacement. I speak for those who bought their homes in good faith, only to discover pyrite years later. They have had to jump through hoop after hoop to prove they did not know. These victims must defend their innocence.”
“Today, I have constituents who feel unheard, unseen and left in limbo. I want to acknowledge that progress has been made. The Government has taken steps in recognising the scale of the housing defects crisis by the establishment of the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme and by announcements of increased caps offering choices between non-demolition, remediation or a full technical review. These are not small victories. They are hard-won milestones but today I speak on behalf of my constituents in Pairc na Coille in Westport, across Belmullet and all across Mayo. Today, I speak for the homeowners who are anxiously awaiting legislation on retrospective payments. These constituents are under huge pressure to sign off on their houses and to leave the scheme.”
“The matters raised by Deputies Séamus McGrath, Ruth Coppinger, Marie Sherlock, Barry Ward and John Connolly have been selected for discussion.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Séamus McGrath - To discuss the need to review the protocol in dealing with suspected victims of a drink spiking incident. Deputy John Connolly - To discuss a proposal to close the salmon hatchery at Cong on Lough Corrib. Deputy Marie Sherlock - To discuss the completion of necessary works to the George's Hill primary school in Dublin 7. Deputy Joe Cooney - To discuss the HIQA report into the delivery of urgent and emergency healthcare services for the HSE mid-west region. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss the shortfall in ancillary grant funding for schools in the Booterstown area. Deputy Ruth Coppinger - To discuss the policies around the use of pepper spray by gardaí.”
“I know it is easy for someone such as me to come in and offer a simple solution. I appreciate that the response is not so simple. At the moment, however, a lot of unnecessary duplication is happening. Multiple checks are being carried out into the same people to verify the same information. One of the key problems is that people who are trying to start a job can come into financial difficulty when that job is delayed. There are times when people who are looking for a new employee cannot wait for the Garda vetting process. They lose the chance to hire someone who may be a key staff member. Anything we can do to speed up the process would be welcome. From 2021 to 2025 is a long period. The frustration has been ongoing for longer than that. I appreciate the Minister's work. I hope we can get an efficient solution sooner rather than later.”
“We could provide a Garda vetting card that would apply for three years. That way, at least people would not be delayed in starting work or working with vulnerable groups.”
“As Chair of the Joint Committee on Children and Equality, and somebody who has worked with children her whole life, I join the Minister in wanting to ensure that our Garda vetting process is robust and that we are protecting our vulnerable children and adults. At the same time, it is great to hear that the report has made it to the Minister's desk. The review was initiated in 2021. Volunteers are frustrated. If they work with a GAA group one weekend and a drama group the next, they must be vetted repeatedly. I know that multiple Deputies have come in over recent months looking for updates and wondering if we can lean into our technology and come up with a common-sense and streamlined solution, similar to the process for the Passport Office whereby people can apply online once.”
“The Garda vetting review group recently submitted its report to the Minister. Will the Minister provide an update on the changes to the Garda vetting system being considered by the Government, especially the proposed changes to the re-vetting requirements, as we know a lot of people are very frustrated with the delays that have been caused, especially in NGOs and sporting groups?”
“Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the national planning framework and the sustainable rural housing guidelines. The matters raised by Deputies Kenny, Butterly, Cahill, Wall and O'Sullivan have been selected for discussion”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Mark Wall - To discuss the provision of an hourly train service for Athy. Deputy Paula Butterly - To discuss the rule preventing widows, widowers and surviving civil partners from receiving illness benefit. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. Deputy David Cullinane - To discuss the development of a youth mental health centre for the south-east. Deputy Eoghan Kenny - To discuss the roll-out and funding of DEIS plus. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan - To discuss the need for an increase in funding for the LauraLynn children's hospice.”
“Pulling names out of a hat may seem fair but that is not really the case when you take people's circumstances into account. The final point I was to make relates to children with additional needs or those who are disabled who avail of bus transport. We really need to look at clear guidelines around simple things like food. If you have autistic children, a lot of the time their condition can often be accompanied by restrictive eating. Making sure a child is fed going out the door might mean sending them to school with a slice of toast. In that context, we sometimes hear that there is no eating or drinking allowed on buses. I reiterate what I said last week about providing further training and support for bus escorts who often have to deal with distressed behaviours.”
“Again, flexibility and local knowledge could be applied in this instance. If three buses are going from one town to another, even if it is not the nearest or second-nearest school, surely we should try to support people in the relevant communities. I spoke about transparency. In the context of concessionary tickets, I am aware of an instance where ten people were on a waiting list for concessionary tickets. There were nine tickets available. Those responsible for making the decision in respect of allocating those tickets said that in the interests of fairness they would pull the names out of a hat. That did not take into account the fact that some families do not have cars or that there might not be safe footpaths or drop-off points in some areas. I heard another Deputy refer to disadvantaged families in this regard.”
“Some secondary schools do not offer autism classrooms. I know of a set of twins, one of whom will miss out on school transport if he goes to the same school as his twin. We need to respect tradition and keep flexibility in mind. One mum who reached out to me said, "not knowing until the beginning of August just weeks before the school year starts whether you will need €75 or €800 to cover transport costs is so nerve-wracking". This comes into play when we look at Sancta Maria College. We have three buses leaving Westport to go out to that school. There is a huge tradition of children attending Sancta Maria College in Louisburgh. For one child, attending Sancta Maria College costs €850 per year. For two children, the cost is €1,450. If you have three children, it will cost €1,800.”
“I think of students in Glenhest outside Newport who were advised by the system that St. Gerald's is their nearest school. Nobody in Glenhest goes to St. Gerald's in Castlebar because the Sacred Heart School in Westport, Sancta Maria College in Louisburgh and Rice College in Westport are the feeder schools for Glenhest. I will be selfish and take this opportunity to congratulate my school, the Sacred Heart School, on its centenary this week. Another challenge of the nearest school rule is not taking into account that we live in a modern Ireland and that parents are working in different towns. School preferences and subject interests need to be taken into account. For example, some schools do not teach music. A gifted student who loves music may want to go to a school where it is taught. We have to keep siblings together.”
“We need to start dealing with the system earlier in the summer in order that we avoid panic later in the summer and in order to help parents who are struggling to budget and who find out late in August whether they have to pay or not. We need more funding and better communication. When people are contacting their TDs, it is because the system is not working for them and they are struggling. Better communication would really ease the situation, as would more transparency around who is getting concessionary tickets and more flexibility, especially by means of the use of local knowledge. We can look at this in the context of the nearest and second-nearest school rule. The system is too rigid and does not take into account local knowledge and feeder schools.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here. I welcome the fact that now over 170,000 children are availing of the school transport system, which is a huge increase on the 120,000 who previously availed of it. I also welcome that in the programme for Government we have committed to having another 100,000 avail of it by 2030. I understand the difficulty we have in recruiting bus drivers. At the same time, however, we have to acknowledge that the system is just too rigid. Probably only 2% of those who use the system are experiencing challenges with it. However, that 2% includes parents stressed out of their minds, who are dealing with uncertainty and who are extremely anxious, from both a practical and a financial perspective. This affects rural families in particular.”
“I acknowledge the good work that is being done, but there are some veterans who are still falling between the cracks in relation to waiting lists for mental health services and the risks of homelessness. I think of the potential end of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. When our troops return home, they are transitioning from a highly structured environment with a very close community, to other work and back into their families. We have to step up to the plate to ensure we are giving them adequate mental health supports and adequate financial supports. The Tánaiste mentioned the €300 million pot for pensions, but there needs to be that co-ordinated, efficient, robust support so we ensure none of our veterans fall between the cracks and we reward them for the service they have given to the country.”