Laura Harmon
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Labour Party · Ireland
“There is not enough room for a wheelchair to go around the side of the building. There is no obvious proper entrance. The reception is upstairs. There is no lift access for anyone with mobility issues, buggies or deliveries. The classrooms are an irregular shape and are not the standard classroom size of 49 sq. m.”
“Her cause of death was recorded as “congenital debilities”. For many of those babies who died at Bessborough, the reason given for their death was congenital debility or marasmus, which was essentially starvation. The reason given for these babies’ deaths was often very vague.”
“I am speaking again about the issue of Bessborough in Cork city and to call once again on the Taoiseach to act on this. There is still time to do the right thing and to have a negotiation process with the developer now or, failing that, to look at compulsory purchase of this site. The burial records have been sealed in relation to this.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. Will she call for a meeting in person with the school? Could that be facilitated to give the school an update in person? Does she have an idea as to a commitment on the timeline?”
“Will the Minister of State provide an update on what has been done to progress the request for additional school accommodation for Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork city and a timeline for the project?”
“It reaches high standards academically as well as in sport, STEM and stewardship. It has fantastic students and they deserve better. At present, the school is on the edge of Douglas Street Campus on Sawmill Street. There are two buildings. One is Buckingham House, which dates from the mid-19th century.”
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“These include the M20 Cork to Limerick motorway, which we have been waiting on for 20 years; the M28; the N25 Carrigtohill to Midleton upgrade; the R624 Cobh road; and the northern distributor road. It is fair to say that congestion in places like the N40 and N28, and in areas such as Bishopstown in the morning, make them like car parks. We need to have proper infrastructure for the city. The events centre, which has been promised for over a decade now, needs to be delivered for the city. Other projects include the new city library and, of course, the light rail system, which is under way and very welcome. However, the Labour Party has called for shovels in the ground by 2030. BusConnects has to be delivered upon, as does the Cork Airport project. Cork Airport's connectivity to the city is shocking.”
“I welcome the Minister here today. I will start by talking about Cork, which is the fastest growing city in Ireland, with a population that will increase by 50% by 2040. This will mean the need for the creation of at least 75,000 more jobs in Cork. There are over 600,000 people living in Cork, and two thirds of those are living within 25 km of the city centre. We are an education city. We have University College Cork, Munster Technological University and many other educational institutions, with a big student population in the city. The delivery of housing is key, as is the energy and water infrastructure around it. There are many projects that need to be delivered when it comes to infrastructure for Cork.”
“The school says that there is a waiting list of over 60 in terms of mainstream classes. The Department and the NCSE are aware of this need, but the school is pleading for money to be allocated to allow these classes to be set up. I have also been in communication with Scoil Bhríde in Crosshaven in Cork, which has been trying to open a special class. While the school sees the neighbouring school opening its second class, it is still waiting on its first. The project is stuck at stage 2b. In the email to me, the school asked whether it is to be or not to be. It needs an answer in relation to that. It expressed its concern about children going on to second level being able to access special classes when they have spent eight years in primary school without any access to special classes at such a fundamental time in their development.”
“That is not an explanation for parents and staff who do not know if these positions are going to exist a year from now. It was interesting that the Government was able to find the €19 million overnight. It is right that it should be there, but we should never allow funding to stand in the way of supporting our SNAs and ensuring that children get the supports they need in our classrooms. The SNA circular is long outdated. Policy set out in 2014 is not reflective of the lived experiences in our schools in 2026. I was contacted by a number of teachers and SNAs in recent days. I will highlight two schools that contacted me. Stapolin Educate Together National School has been desperately trying to open two more autism classes to create 12 places in order to meet the needs of the school.”
“Just two weeks ago, the Minister sat in this Chamber for the Second Stage debate on a Bill I tabled that would ensure adequate leave for SNAs and teachers in our schools who are injured in the classroom. That Bill absolutely needs to be progressed to Committee Stage. I look forward to communicating with the Government on that. The past number of weeks have been very turbulent and worrying for so many school communities across the country. SNAs, school staff, parents and, most vitally, children have been disrespected by Government parties in that time with regard to the way that they have been communicated with in terms of the yo-yoing on correspondence. The pausing of plans to reduce the number of SNAs in our schools is simply not enough.”
“It depends on what profession one is looking at, but the gender pay gap still exists. We are doing much better in the Seanad, with 40% female representation compared to the Dáil. We need more women to enter politics. All of the rights we as women have were fought for and won, but rights can be taken away. In the context of the world at the moment, between Trump, the Epstein files and everything else we are seeing politically, we have to ensure we protect the rights we have and ensure they are not eroded.”
“We need to raise more awareness of menopause. It is great to see that a lot of progress has been made on that area, but it needs to be spoken about more and we need more support in place. There is a new endometriosis hub in Cork University Hospital, CUH, which is welcome. It needs to be properly resourced and staffed. This is another area that needs more investment and support. We do not talk about women's health issues a lot. As a society, we have not spoken about them and there is a lot of stigma and silence around women's health. Many women say they feel they are not listened to when they go to a GP and are not taken seriously. The theme this year is "give to gain". Unfortunately, a report from ICTU today states that men make 3.5% more than women, on average.”
“In all of the political elections I have run for, it has primarily been men who have encouraged and stood behind me. It is important to acknowledge the role played by men. I want to speak about women's health in particular and the need for us to do more. A lot of progress has been made but we need to put more supports in place for women across all ages. Women who experience early pregnancy loss should be entitled to proper and adequate leave. Those accessing fertility treatment should also have access to leave. We need more progress on postnatal care in this country. A motion was unanimously passed by a cross-party group two weeks ago on a year of care after birth, not just the current six-week check, which is not sufficient. Of course, workplaces need to support and recognise women during menstruation and menopause.”
“My mother and grandmother were very excited and said they were going to play a cassette tape. My aunt got to go to the Áras and met Mary Robinson, which was a big deal. It was the start of Mary Robinson's Presidency. Of course, she opened up the Presidency to the public. As my aunt was one of the few in the family that did not emigrate, she spoke about the effects of emigration on her family. I remember we sat around and listened to the cassette tape. I remember the influence a political figure could have on a child and women in the country. I want to thank fellow Senators and other public representatives in the Oireachtas for being trail-blazers on so many issues. I thank the man who supported me. It is often men who do not go on about it or do not have to speak too much about being feminists. They just get on with it and support you.”
“A woman had to give up her job in the public service when she got married – this was before the marriage bar was lifted. They could not sit on juries, did not have access to contraception, would not have been able to refuse sex to their husbands, did not have proper property rights, could barely buy a pint in many pubs and, of course, pay inequality was a huge issue. How far we have come is remarkable. I played a role in the 2018 referendum on reproductive rights. It is extraordinary how much change across the three generations there has been in my lifetime. Before I spoke, I thought about being in my grandmother's kitchen with my mother when I was about seven or eight. We were around the kitchen table and I can still remember the colour of the walls, which were green.”
“It was not accepted by society because of the way we dealt with pregnancy and reproductive rights at the time. It saddens me to see echoes of that time this week, in particular when we see the granting of planning permission for apartments on the site of the Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork. My mother knew women who were sent to Bessborough. A lot of people knew women who were sent to mother and baby homes at the time. It is very much part of our shameful history. It is important that we have justice for them. I was partly raised by my grandparents. My late grandmother, Sheila Free Twomey, who passed away when I was 12, played a huge part in raising me. She would have been about my age in 1970. The world was so different for women at the time.”
“I am sharing time with Senator Noonan. International Women's Day is an important time for us to reflect on how far we have come and also celebrate the women in our lives. As the eldest of five girls, I wish my sisters a happy International Women's Day. While I was sitting here in the Chamber before speaking, I was thinking back on the strong women in my life and the women who raised me. I was born to a single mother at the time, Mary Twomey Harmon, in the late eighties. She experienced a huge amount of stigma as a single mother at the time in rural Ireland. I still feel it myself. I still think a lot about the injustice that was done to her. At the time, whether a woman decided to keep her baby, travel to England or whatever she decided to do, a woman could never make the right choice.”
“I welcome to the Gallery the guests of Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and the pupils of Diffreen National School. As is customary, we encourage the teachers to give the pupils no homework for the rest of the week.”
“This is very serious. A lot of good work is being done on this by colleges throughout the country, and this needs to be highlighted, but we really need to have a discussion in the House about what is happening on our campuses throughout the country to deal with this.”
“This is a very serious issue and I want to highlight that it is prevalent not only on college campuses, but in wider society in general. When I was equality officer in the then Union of Students in Ireland, USI, many moons ago, we did a survey in 2013 that showed that one in five women students experienced an unwanted sexual experience. This was further highlighted in research by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, in 2021, which found that 42% of students stated they had received unwanted sexual images and text messages during their time as students. Central Statistics Office, CSO, data from 2022 shows that one in five young adults experienced sexual harassment, with women twice as likely to experience it as men. We know that women in Ireland are four times more likely to experience unwanted and inappropriate physical contact.”
“I want to raise serious concerns today after watching "Prime Time" last night, on which a student in UCD was interviewed anonymously. This student was assaulted. Later, images surfaced of this assault and of her in a very vulnerable, unconscious, assaulted state. These images were circulated over long periods of time to fellow students in WhatsApp groups and to staff in the university also. This morning, I have written to the chair of the Oireachtas further and higher education committee suggesting that UCD come before it to outline what policies are in place for dignity and respect and its handling of these cases. It was brought up with the Garda but, unfortunately, the perpetrator has not been identified.”
“I argue that they should have access to legal advice from the outset. The Government’s response on this has only muddied the waters further and, if there really is no intention to reduce the levels of support provided, that must be made explicit. The Bill must also be amended to include vital protections for vulnerable people, particularly the LGBTQ+ community and victims of trafficking. Both of these groups need to be recognised in this Bill as vulnerable and this should be provided for. We look forward to tabling amendments on Committee Stage and having a full debate then.”
“The Government’s suggestion that detention will be used under the Bill only when it is in a minor’s best interests is nothing short of Orwellian doublespeak. International human rights law is clear. The immigration detention of a child is never in their best interests and it is always a violation of the child’s rights. We simply have to ensure that this is not part of this Bill. There are several areas in which this Bill goes further than what is required under the EU pact. One area that has received significant attention but without any clarity being offered is the Bill’s use of the term “legal counselling”. There is significant confusion and concern from groups working with refugees as to what this would mean in practice for the level of legal support, assistance and representation available to asylum seekers.”
“Family reunification is not some optional extra; it is a cornerstone of integration, stability and dignity. In undermining family reunification, the Government risks creating a situation where people who have gone through the difficult process of proving that they should be granted international protection are then actively dissuaded from integrating and contributing to our communities. Surely we can all agree that this is not a worthy aim for a functioning migration policy. On Committee Stage in the Dáil, the Labour Party tabled amendments to delete the proposed two-year waiting period and the financial self-sufficiency measures. Means-testing family reunification is simply wrong in principle. This Bill massively expands the role of detention in the Irish immigration system and, most shamefully, allows the detention of children.”
“We saw this on Committee Stage in the Dáil. Hundreds of amendments were tabled by Opposition parties but the Bill was not examined properly by a select committee. Instead, it went before the Dáil Chamber and was guillotined before the vast majority of amendments were reached. This means that only a small minority of amendments are being considered. Therefore, it will fall to the Seanad, on Committee Stage, to make sure we have a full debate on amendments. We, and certainly Senators in the Labour Party, will be tabling amendments on this. There is a lot in this Bill that is ill thought through and that simply does not make sense. There are several provisions that it seems likely could be subject to future litigation because, in its rush to get this Bill passed, the Government is risking making errors.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. The Government has been in office for over a year now, and over that time we have seen it repeatedly try to act tough on immigration with grandstanding rhetoric. This has included some very worrying comments from our Tánaiste, deflecting from the housing crisis and implying immigration is the reason we have a housing crisis in this country. This is very divisive and concerning, and this Bill is the latest irresponsible step in that pattern. The Government claims it is just aiming for a quicker, more efficient asylum system, but this Bill is more interested in limiting the rights of those seeking asylum. This is the biggest change to Ireland’s migration laws in a generation but the Government has been intent on rushing it through the Oireachtas without proper scrutiny.”
“This will put more people into poverty, families who cannot afford this during a cost-of-living crisis. We need action from the Government and we need it to happen now. I also raise the issue of Bessborough in Cork and state on the record my dismay and worry at the granting of planning permission for 140 apartments on that site. Survivors of mother and baby homes are in shock because of this decision. Appeals will be lodged. One of them will be by Councillor Peter Horgan whom I work with in Cork and others by survivors who object to it. There will be a vigil on the site on International Women's Day, which is fitting, to commemorate those who died and those who are still seeking justice.”
“I condemn what is happening in the Middle East and the actions of the US and Israel. It is a failing of the Government that it was not able to condemn the attacks that happened over the weekend. We have a responsibility as a State to be clear on where we stand on such matters. Second, in relation to this, we saw a rise in heating oil prices in recent days. This is a blatant attempt by companies to take advantage of international instability, and the Government has to act. The Labour Party has been clear that the Consumer Protection Act 2007 can be used and we could set a maximum price based on last Friday's heating oil prices so that homes are not affected. This affects many people. We spoke in this Chamber last week about disabled people who have to choose between eating and heating. That is unacceptable.”
“We need clarity on that; clarity for students and clarity for families and those working in our colleges as to what the story is and a timeline for the publication of the student accommodation strategy. It would be fitting for this House to have a debate on that strategy as well. It will be long awaited, no matter when it is published.”
“Unfortunately, the average house price is now over eight times an individual's annual salary. It is hard for people to save when they are renting. I ask we have a full discussion and debate on supports for renters with the Minister for housing. Over the weekend, we saw a front page story in the Irish Examiner about the new student accommodation strategy, which is yet to be published. However, we are hearing soundings there may be a provision in that for college course hours to be curtailed or academic co-ordinators will be asked to change timetables to fit around the housing issue. My understanding from speaking with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, is that might not be part of the final strategy now.”
“I thank and acknowledge the ambassadors in the Gallery here today. I extend my solidarity to the people of Ukraine for all they have endured because of this invasion and aggression from Russia. The Irish people stand with the people of Ukraine and, on behalf of the Irish Labour Party, I say we stand with them as well. I raise the issue of housing today and in particular, the issue of renters and supports for renters. We saw a new daft.ie report this morning, which shows that rents have increased by 4.4 % over the past year. There has been a 34% increase in rents compared to pre-pandemic levels. That is coupled with the Threshold report from last week, which showed that 10% of renters in the Republic of Ireland feel they are trapped in the rental sector and are not there by choice. Their aspiration is to have a home of their own.”
“I encourage people to read the report. We opposed this Bill in general but there were very sensible amendments put down to try to ameliorate the legislation, make it better and make it more workable in whatever way we could for tenants and it is regrettable we did not get to have a full debate in the Seanad today.”
“We would have been willing to stay here for the evening if necessary to debate these amendments. I am in favour of amendment No. 7. I am not sure if anyone in the House saw a report launched this week called Renting on the Island of Ireland. It is a piece of comparative research commissioned by Threshold and it highlighted the insecurity tenants face in the Republic. Only 10% of them said they were renting by choice and the worry about evictions was clearly noted. There were dramatic differences with younger cohorts, with 61% of under-35s in the Republic concerned about termination of tenancy, compared with 23% in Northern Ireland, which is obviously also a high figure. Two issues that were dominant among tenants' feelings of uncertainty were unaffordable rents and rent increases and the fear of landlord-initiated terminations.”
“I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “ Impact forecast 3 . The Minister shall, as soon as may be after the passing of this Act, but not later than 6 months thereafter, prepare and publish, including publication by electronic means, a statement of forecasts for the following period of 10 years following its publication in respect of the impact of the amendments effected by this Act on market rents for a representative sample of tenancies, together with such other information as the Minister may deem appropriate for the purposes of this section.”
“I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “ Review of Act 3 . The Minister shall, not later than 2 years after the passing of this Act, conduct a review of the operation and effectiveness of amendments effected by this Act and shall, not later than 3 months after the end of that period of 2 years, or on the completion of the review, whichever is the earlier, make a report, in writing, to each House of the Oireachtas of the findings of the review and of the conclusions drawn from those findings.”.”
“I really hope we can have a full debate at that point. Any amendments or suggestions would be welcome when it does reach Committee Stage. Again, I commend the campaigners. I commend Sophie in particular. This should have happened much sooner. It now needs to happen as quickly and in as robust a manner as possible.”
“That change in language is going to be absolutely essential. We need to ensure that the remainder of the Bill is fully debated and remains intact. I do not want this to be the case of a race. Will the Government come forward with its own legislation and try to do it faster than I can get this to Committee Stage? I encourage us to work with the blueprint we have here. It is a good blueprint on which we can work together collaboratively. It would be nice, maybe for a change, for the public to see that we can actually have full collaboration across the House in respect of a cause and the passing of legislation. That is my hopeful message on which to end. I am delighted that we were able to get this through Second Stage. It is not easy to get Bills out of Second Stage sometimes. We will progress it to Committee Stage when we can.”
“From my conversations with them, I know that they all feel very passionately about this and that they want to get it over the line. I am not going to be cynical; I am going to be positive because I am hopeful that we can get this done together. The real win is for the teachers, SNAs and the sector as a whole. It is really welcome to hear the clear commitment that we are no longer going to use the word "assault". We are very much in agreement there that we will move towards the word "injuries". The Minister was very clear on that. That will remove a lot of the stigma that SNAs and teachers feel around reporting and coming forward. They should not feel any stigma but, unfortunately, that hesitation is there because of the word "assault". They do not want to place any blame on the children or pupils in question.”
“This is about the teachers and the SNAs. It is also about the trade unions. Trade unions need to be essential to any agreements. Saying that they need to be included does not negate any other processes that are there. Of course education partners need to be part of this. Ultimately, the word "commitment" stood out this evening. There is a commitment from the Government to work on this, and that is what we need. Getting the Bill this far took a lot of work. It was drafted in light of significant legal advice and collaboration with campaigners and the unions. It took many conversations and much relationship-building. I quite enjoyed calling and chatting to many of the Government Senators, TDs and Ministers in respect of it.”
“We want to get it to Committee Stage, which is the forum to bring amendments. I do not think there is any impediment to the legislation or to it being amended. Of course, we aimed high. You do not aim low with legislation; you want to cover everything that needs to be covered. There is potential for us to work together. I am putting out the call in that regard this evening. It is an open call. I want to work with the Minister. I want to work collaboratively with her as partners on this legislation, because it is not about any party or individual. We can all claim credit for this when it is done. Ultimately, however, this is about the campaigners in the Gallery. It is about Sophie Cole, Samantha O’Flanagan and her mother Angie. This is Angie's first time being in Leinster House, so I want to welcome her.”
“I acknowledge all the contributions from Senators, including Senators Cosgrove, Stephenson, Noonan, Clonan, Scahill, Kennelly, Nelson Murray, Ní Chuilinn, Crowe and Tully. I hope I have not forgotten anyone. I also acknowledge the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and the comments she made, as well as those of Senators Ryan and Conway. It is significant that this Bill is being brought through the Seanad initially because we are a House that has more potential for collaboration. I refuse to be cynical. I genuinely appreciate the support shown by Senators across the House and by the Minister. I have to believe the Government wants this to happen and I have to believe it wants it to happen quickly and effectively and that it wants to support teachers and SNAs. I certainly will not be giving up on this.”
“It is a workers' rights issue and an education issue. We are the party of workers' rights and we want to make sure this happens.”
“We need to ensure that the Bill moves to Committee Stage, at which point there can be a full debate on it and on any amendments tabled. The most important thing is that we make sure the Bill progresses and is passed. I just want to acknowledge those in the Public Gallery, many of whom are SNAs and teachers. I thank them for the work they do. That work is vital. All of the work that Sophie, Samantha, the INTO and Fórsa have put into this legislation cannot be understated. This Bill does not belong to any particular party or individual: it is about the teachers and the SNAs. Ultimately, Sophie has been an absolute champion in relation to it. I also acknowledge my colleagues in the Labour Party, namely Deputies Conor Sheehan, Ged Nash and George Lawlor, and our leader, Deputy Ivana Bacik. This is really important to us in the Labour Party.”
“He said he was worried about her going to school and that something was going to happen, and something did happen unfortunately. This is where we are with the campaign. It is a huge achievement for it to reach Second Stage. We genuinely appreciate the Minister's support. I know that she is keen to work with me and others across this House. The Minister met Sophie and Shane earlier. I know she Minister is committed to this. We need to ensure that this happens and that we can improve the lives of so many across the country. We are losing SNAs and teachers from their professions. Some are moving abroad. We need to ensure that the professions are as attractive as possible to enter and that we properly support those who work them. Those to whom I refer are predominantly female, but this obviously affects both women and men.”
“I am the mother of two children under the age of four so this injury is having an enormous impact on me and my home life ... These are just some examples. I am sure the Minister has heard them as well. We have had multiple emails from members of the public who have told us their very personal stories. This is happening. We have to deal with the reality of what is happening in our classrooms. Schools need to be safe for all the people in them, namely those who work in them and students. What really struck me when I met Sophie Cole and her husband Shane O'Brien for the first time was that he is a firefighter. He said that he would expect some level of danger in the job he does but that he never would have thought that his wife would be at risk going to school every day as a special education teacher.”
“This is grossly unfair given that I was injured while doing my job ... The fourth states: I have 13 years post-qualification experience. I have dedicated the past ten years to special education working in special education classrooms for students with autism. I really enjoy and love my job. Earlier this year I was injured in the classroom. I had instant pain in my arm. I took assault leave and went to the emergency department. The X-ray was clear yet the swelling and pain was very significant. I continue to experience horrific pain that led my GP to order an MRI. More than seven weeks after the incident a private MRI revealed a slight dislocation of my wrist, two partial ligament tears, cartilage damage and possibly instability in the joint. My GP and Medmark have stated I am unfit to work.”
“Since then I have had two shoulder operations and a third one which entailed a full reverse shoulder replacement. In this time I could only avail of 12 weeks assault leave for initial fracture recovery. Three operations later I have had to use all of my sick leave ... The third states: I myself am currently on injury leave, presently unpaid and losing vital pension contributions as a result. I have been unable to work since 2023 and have been receiving extensive medical treatments, including extremely painful spinal surgery in October last, from which I am currently recovering with ongoing physio for the foreseeable future. Injuries leave pay and sick leave entitlements have all since been exhausted but I am still on medically certified leave and I am being treated by the Department as if I am on unpaid leave.”
“There is a lot of stigma in relation to it as well. People are afraid to tell their stories. I will just read out the messages. I will not attribute any names. The first states: While working in an autism class I was headbutted in the mouth and as a result have a fat lip. Additionally, in last school year I ended up needing a tetanus injection due to a bite that broke the skin. These, along with many other daily injuries, occur and we keep going to work to help and support these children. We are not asking for anything other than support for the teachers and SNAs who most need it: those injured who cannot return to their job that they love due to their injury ... The second states: I am working as an SNA since 2002. In 2021 I was injured at work resulting in a fractured shoulder.”
“The Bill will provide for early retirement provision in cases of long term or permanent incapacity to return to work. The scheme must be agreed by trade unions, which is essential as part of this, and the teachers and SNAs would be treated the same under any scheme so that there would not be any differentiation in relation to that. I want to read out some anonymous comments and messages that I have received. These are personal stories from teachers and SNAs who are affected. There are many. We know from research by the INTO last year that over 1,700 people have availed of the assault leave scheme. At the end of 2025, I think 97 had been out of work for longer than the period for which they were medically certified. This issue affects a large number of people. These are just the ones who have come forward and talked about what happened.”
“Ultimately, Sophie set up a campaign page and she has received messages from thousands of teachers and SNAs across the country recounting their personal experiences about injuries that happened to them in the classroom. What will the Education (Leave for Injuries) Bill 2025 do? It will ensure that the current assault leave circular would be amended and that paid leave would be granted for the duration of the period for which someone is medically certified, and that immediate costs would be covered should a teacher or SNA experience an injury in work. We are moving away from the language of assault. Sophie and all the teachers and SNAs I have spoken to will say that we are not apportioning any blame to students or children here. These are not premeditated acts .”
“She has taken on an issue and championed it because of her experience. She is being obliged to tell her story again and again. She was on Ireland AM just this week. The programme attracted nearly 1 million views. Sophie has been her story consistently, even though she is in extreme discomfort a lot of the time with complex regional pain syndrome, which she suffers as a result of her injury. She is doing this at huge personal cost, and that needs to be acknowledged. Whatever happens down the line in terms of the final legislation, I suggest that the ownership belongs to the teachers and the SNAs who are directly affected. I propose that it should be named after Sophie in terms of her campaign. Perhaps calling it Sophie's law might be appropriate. I want to put that suggestion on the record.”
“This legislation was created with Sophie, with Fórsa and with the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO. David O'Sullivan from the INTO is also here this evening. Colleagues in Cork were really supportive of this, including the Ministers of State, Deputies Jerry Buttimer and Michael Moynihan, and Deputy Séamus McGrath. Councillors Jack White, Ciara O'Connor and Peter Horgan were essential. I have also had loads of conversations with Senators Anne Rabbitte and Margaret Murphy O'Mahony. I want to put that on the record because I believe we can work together on this. There are a lot of public representatives in the Oireachtas, but we are not the only public representatives in Ireland. There are also public representatives who are outside of electoral politics. People like Sophie Cole are public representatives.”
“I could not believe it when Sophie outlined her story to me regarding what had happened to her in terms of an injury sustained in the classroom. Sophie is a special education teacher. Unfortunately, she was left without adequate supports. Once her assault leave pay ran out, she was left without support from the State for a long period. This was a huge financial burden on Sophie, and it was also a huge shock to her. There was a significant lack of information around the process and the supports that were available. Sophie has spoken about how hard it was to get information and answers on this. It is great to see that we are at the stage where there is real progress happening in respect of this issue. I really want to thank Samantha O'Flanagan from Fórsa, who is here with Andy Pike.”
“As the leader of the cross-party group in the Seanad of the Labour Party, Social Democrats and the Green Party, and with colleagues Senators Nessa Cosgrove, Malcolm Noonan and Patricia Stephenson, I are delighted to bring forward another Bill to the House. We have been very practical in all the proposals we have brought forward. This was in the Labour Party manifesto in 2024. We were the only party to have this in our manifesto at the time so I am really thrilled to be able to follow through on action in relation to this. I have many people to thank but first I want to talk about Sophie Cole, who is in the Gallery, and her husband, Shane O'Brien. I first met Sophie and Shane in November 2024 in their kitchen of their home in Carrigaline in County Cork.”
“I thank the Cathaoirleach and welcome the Minister, Deputy Naughton, to the Seanad this evening. I am delighted to bring the Education (Leave for Injuries) Bill to Second Stage tonight in the Seanad. It has been a long process to even get it to this point. I believe the Government will not be opposing the Bill on this Stage. I am thrilled about that and I know the campaigners in the Gallery are really delighted about this too because we have been waiting for progress on this for a long time. It really is welcome. We need to work together across this House in order to get a resolution here. This is one step along the way.”