Naoise Ó Cearúil
Kildare North · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“It was an excellent evening in the French Embassy last night, particularly with Michel Barnier, the Taoiseach and the ambassador. Notwithstanding that, further to the Taoiseach's meeting with Prime Minister Sánchez, it is exciting that there will be an Ireland-Spain joint action plan. When does the Taoiseach plan on finalising this?”
“Europe's task is not simply to embrace AI blindly; it is to shape AI in a way that serves its citizens in their best interests. That means investing in skills, digital literacy, worker protection and innovation. It means ensuring that creative workers, journalists, young people and ordinary citizens are not left behind.”
“A trusted European AI capability could support SMEs, public administration, translation across European languages, healthcare, education, research and democratic resilience. It does not need to be the biggest model in the world to be useful.”
“I will focus on the competitiveness element of the European Council and Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union because this may become one of the most important parts of our Presidency. Europe is at a crossroads.”
“Europe needs to think more seriously and strategically about sovereign AI capability. That does not mean trying to build an EU version of every major American or Chinese model. That is simply not realistic or within our means. However, Europe should not be wholly dependent on models built, controlled and governed elsewhere.”
“Ireland has always understood that the European Union is more than a market; it is a community of values. However, if those values are to endure, Europe must be strong, innovative and competitive.”
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“She says that she cannot financially afford not to work but that, like many other working mothers, she is being forced out of the workplace due to this severe lack of childcare support. I agree that the county childcare committees have a large part to play in this as well.”
“I recognise the progress that has been made and the advancements, particularly around the additional funding with the national childcare scheme, NCS, and with core funding. The reality of the situation still stands that the shortage of affordable childcare drives what is called the motherhood penalty, which is the economic setback that parents, mostly women, face after having children. This leads to many women having to reduce hours, turn down promotions or leave the workforce due to childcare constraints. It deepens gender pay gaps and limits career progression, particularly for single women and low-income women. I have multiple constituents and friends who have come to me on this. One example is a parent in Kilcock who has highlighted the shortage of after-school care in Kilcock.”
“We have seen the enormous demand for childcare throughout the country, particularly in my own constituency of Kildare North. However, a lot of the focus has been on preschool and not on after-school childcare. It is extremely difficult for parents to find after-school care and also to go back to work. What measures are being implemented to ensure this shortage of after-school childcare places does not act as a barrier to parents returning to the workforce?”
“The difficulty with schedules is trying to cater for children with different finishing times in the one family. I implore the Minister of State to put as much pressure on Bus Éireann as possible. Communication is the key element to ensure families and, in particular, students are looked after properly.”
“The third recommendation is to utilise available local resources and engage local drivers and buses willing to provide a service, particularly on disrupted routes. We have heard from Members about the over-70s. I recommend that there be an annual doctor’s certificate or type of medical assessment that would allow drivers aged over 70 years to help with those demands. We also need to expand the capacity on oversubscribed routes, especially to the large secondary schools where we have repeatedly seen students being denied tickets. We also need to streamline the grant process, clarify the eligibility criteria, ensure timely payments, review route allocations, ensure concession tickets are fairly issued and route timings match school schedules.”
“The Minister of State has a particular focus on children with additional and special educational needs. These are the students who need particular focus. Also, it is discriminatory against rural families with a lack of alternatives. I would like to bring some recommendations to the table. One is to review Bus Éireann allocations to prioritise continuity for returning students. It should not be the case that a person gets a school ticket one year but not the following year, especially those with additional needs. Second, improve communication. We have heard repeatedly how difficult communication is with Bus Éireann, not just for ourselves as Members of the Oireachtas, but particularly for members of the public. If there are queries or issues, communication needs to be set up in a way that is easily accessible for families.”
“One student in Scoil Uí Riada in Kilcock was unable to get replacement tickets despite multiple requests and follow-ups. Fifth, there is inappropriate allocation and route management. Concession tickets are being issued on routes where school finishing times differ significantly, leaving children waiting in unsafe conditions. That could be a child in senior infants and a child in sixth class, for example, and the collection times do not match up. In Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad, for example, students were left waiting for 40 minutes after school due to sharing a bus with other schools, namely, Maynooth post-primary and Maynooth Community College. These students are left waiting around. The impact on families and on students is severe, particularly on children with additional needs.”
“A student's confirmed ticket was cancelled the next day after being approved, leaving the family stranded, having cancelled private transport they had arranged previously. A third issue is disruption and uncertainty on rural routes. Services are disrupted or cancelled with little notice. In regard to the Tirmoghan-Hortland-Knockanally route to Scoil Dara in Kilcock, for example, one parent was left without a service despite reassurances from Bus Éireann. A local driver with a bus offered to help but has been ignored by Bus Éireann. Fourth, it has been encapsulated by many people that there is poor communication and lack of transparency from Bus Éireann. Families report repeated unanswered calls and emails, unclear timelines and no guidance on alternative arrangements or grants.”
“One example concerns a family with a student with ASD in Maynooth Community College who, despite having additional needs, was refused a ticket after years of receiving one and with another child in primary school with ASD. The family cannot afford private transport. A second issue is last-minute notification and payment issues. Families were notified days before term started in some cases that there were no seats available despite timely application and the fact they had paid early in July. One example of this concerns the Kilcock to Maynooth route where a student who used the service last year and paid in April was told in late August there was no seat. There is no viable public transport alternative for this particular student. Another example is Enfield to Maynooth.”
“I commend the Minister of State on the amount of work he carried out over the summer, particularly in relation to school transport and special education. There was a marked improvement this year in comparison with previous years. It is important to acknowledge that. However, there continue to be serious issues with school transport. The programme for Government commits to ensuring better management of the application system and timely communication to parents and families. While that has been the case for the majority - we have to be honest about this - it has not been so for a lot of families. It is important we recognise that. Some key issues have been identified by my office over the past month and a half. One is the refusal or withdrawal of bus places. Previously eligible students are being denied transport without a clear reason.”
“My argument here is not that we go full throttle into nuclear energy. All I am asking is that we model out the cost benefits of actually looking at and analysing whether nuclear is even an option and whether it is worth looking at and investigating properly. We need to ensure we have energy security moving forward and look at all options.”
“I recognise the expertise this State has garnered in offshore and onshore wind energy and indeed solar. I was at the launch of the Timahoe North Solar Farm in Kildare only three weeks ago, an excellent facility that will provide energy to a significant number of people in Kildare and across the country. However, my argument here is that if we look to Belgium, for example, they recently extended the operation of two nuclear reactors. These will supply 15% of national electricity demand and help reduce reliance on gas imports. France approved the construction of six new large reactors in 2022, which are expected to meet 10% of electricity demand. The UK, for example, under its 2022 energy security strategy, plans to build eight large reactors and develop small modular reactors, the SMRs that I mentioned.”
“These SMRs are being developed in the UK, across Europe - in Poland, for example - and in the US and Canada, so we need to start modelling out what the benefits would be to the State if we were to go down the route of these potential SMRs.”
“I appreciate that the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 prohibits nuclear power generation in this country and that the programme for Government focuses on renewable energy. I completely understand that, but the question relates to any type of consideration given to nuclear. We look at the likes of small modular reactors that create between 50 MW and 300 MW of energy. What I am saying here is that it is not a completely clean source of energy but it is a cleaner source of energy than fossil fuels. If we really want to achieve our climate targets, we need to look at all avenues available to the State. In particular, I look at the small modular reactors that can be built a lot more quickly. They are smaller and not as large in scale as some of the larger reactors we are aware of in the UK and the US.”
“We have seen an increase in electricity demand and rightly we are focusing on renewable energy. However, we have major challenges in meeting our 2030 and 2050 climate targets. Indeed, the climate action plan commits to 80% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Has the Minister of State's Department assessed the potential of nuclear energy in Ireland's future energy mix?”
“Obviously, employment plays a key role in that. As I said, I would like to welcome the strategy and commend the work of Dara Community Living and all other service providers throughout the State.”
“What I would love to see as part of this strategy as it develops is working to really help people with disabilities gain employment because it comes back again to that piece around independent living and giving people with disabilities a role that they see fit and with which they are comfortable. Many of them have excellent jobs on farms, for example. Michael, who I met, is working on a farm and loves working with the chickens and the animals. Other people are working in retail or in coffee shops. What they are looking for most of all is that ability to gain employment. Dara Community Living is doing excellent work in helping those people gain employment, but also gain their independence through independent living. I welcome the strategy. I ask that there be a particular focus on the independent living aspect.”
“Some of the stories that were shared by the services users include that of one particular man, Paul, who has now gone on to write his own book. He is living independently. He has care staff who help and assist him with his day-to-day living. I heard from others as well. It is incredible to see the new lease of life that people with disabilities gain once they have that independent living. What is more they have the opportunity to actually gain employment. We know that quite a number of people with disabilities are not in work. Some 32.6% of disabled people are in work compared to an EU average of 51.3%.”
“I would like to first welcome the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. I particularly commend the fact that it was developed in partnership with disabled people, and the five key pillars in terms of inclusive learning and education, employment, independent living and active participation in society, well-being and health and transport and mobility. Two Thursday's ago, I met with representatives from Dara Community Living, which is based in Celbridge in my constituency of Kildare North. They are doing incredible work with people with disabilities, and their service users shared many of their stories with me and the benefits of independent living. In looking at the five particular pillars, independent living and active participation is a core pillar of that, and the other pillars come in under those auspices as well.”
“I think of a particular photograph of him in which he is extremely happy. He is in my thoughts this evening as I speak in the Chamber. Equality does not stop with the law. Rather, it lives in policy, community and respect. It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that equality stretches out, not just within this House and in drafting legislation, but outside of it in any sector or society we may touch and the conversations we have. While we celebrate Pride month and the achievements of the LGBTQI+ community, we must not forget that equality does not have a finish line. Equality is a moving and tangible obstacle that we must strive towards in our daily lives. It is incumbent on all of us to continue to strive to ensure that what we do delivers equality for the LGBTQI+ community and all marginalised sectors of society.”
“The amount of hate speech we are seeing online and in public discourse needs to be called out, not only in this House and the Seanad, but in private conversations. When people make jokes or are a little bit more serious about it, it needs to be called out. We should not be afraid to do so. It is important to go back and think about all of those people who are not here anymore but who fought to bring Ireland to the stage where we saw marriage equality. When I was in university in Maynooth, I joined the LGBT society as a straight man in order to be an ally to my friends. I think of Dean McCarron, a good friend of mine from Monaghan who is no longer with us. He campaigned vigorously during the marriage equality referendum and was present at the celebrations at Dublin Castle.”
“There must be a continuation of equality for all people in society, including LGBTQI+ people. The referendum was not just about the referendum. It was about respect, dignity and love. It was about being seen as equal to one's neighbours, friends and family. It is critical now more than ever to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community and all of those who are being vilified in society, particularly with the rise of hatred and the targeting of the LGBTQI+ community we are seeing online, including Members of this House who are members of that community. As other Deputies have said this evening, what has been happening in Hungary is plain and simply wrong. It goes against the basic human rights and dignity of people in their own country. Rightfully, the Hungarian people took a stand against their Government.”
“As we celebrate Pride Month and the ten-year anniversary of the marriage equality referendum, it is important to call out the bravery and activism of the LGBTQI+ community, their families, allies and campaigners. We can all recall the referendum ten years ago and the sense of sheer joy and jubilation when the result came through. The memory of seeing how much it meant to friends of mine will never leave me. I am sure the memories will never leave anybody who was part of that campaign. There has been significant progress in this area, from the decriminalisation of homosexuality under Máire Geoghegan-Quinn as Minister for Justice to the civil partnership Act and, finally, the marriage equality referendum. I have probably used the word "finally" wrongly because that achievement should not be the final step.”
“Every year, 14,000 expectant women lose their babies. This equates to roughly 25% of pregnancies ending in a loss, which is clearly a traumatic and difficult time for any woman. Currently, those women need to rely on sick leave to deal with the loss they are going through. Are there any plans to introduce paid miscarriage leave as a stand-alone support for women affected by miscarriage and their families?”
“Since the signing of CETA in 2017, Ireland's exports to Canada have surged from €1.7 billion to €5.2 billion in 2024. However, there was a reduction of over 50% in quarter 1 of 2025. It is believed that much of that is due to pharma being diverted to the US ahead of impending tariffs. We are now looking at the new EU-Canada strategic partnership of the future and negotiations will start soon between Canada and the EU. I ask that strong consideration be given by the Government in those negotiations, and when speaking with the likes of Maroš Šefčovič, to looking specifically at pharma to Canada from Ireland.”
“We recently heard of the possibility of an increase in US tariffs from 10% to 30%. EU Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, has said that the 30% tariffs would effectively cut off EU-US trade, which is quite a sobering thought. Is the Government liaising with the Commissioner on any possible impacts of the increase from 10% to 30% tariffs?”
“This morning I published my first Bill to establish the national AI office, oifig náisiúnta na aintleachta saorga. As part of the EU's AI Act, every member state is required to produce a regulator in the state. The idea behind this particular office is that it would act both as a regulator and an enabler for SMEs and for State entities. I have spoken with the Minister of State, Niamh Smyth, about this. I submitted the Bill to the public Bills Office today. I ask that it is given a fair hearing. We are required under the EU AI Act to set up a regulator and there would be an independent commissioner running that, similar to the Data Protection Commissioner and Coimisiún na Meán.”
“An iarratas dheireanach atá agam ar an Aire ná go n-iarrfadh sé ar an Aire Airgeadais an t-airgead a chur ar leataobh don cháinaisnéis do na líonraí Gaeilge seo - go háirithe i gCill Dara, mar shampla. Go raibh míle maith ag an Aire as an méid oibre atá á dhéanamh aige go dtí seo.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Buíochas leis as an aitheantas sin chomh maith. Tá sé seo an-tábhachtach do na pobail Ghaeilge seo, go háirithe lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Ní airgead amháin atá ann. Tuigim go bhfuil airgead i gceist sa chás seo ó thaobh líonra Gaeilge a bhunú ach is rud fíorthábhachtach é an t-aitheantas mar líonra Gaeilge do phobal na Gaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Tá sé tábhachtach go háirithe i gCill Dara ach timpeall na tíre chomh maith in áiteanna cosúil le Maigh Eo agus Baile Átha Cliath. Tá sé feicthe againn cé chomh maith is atá an líonra ag dul i gCluain Dolcáin mar shampla, agus i mbailte eile. Tá na Gaeil Óga i mBaile Átha Cliath chomh maith agus tá a lán eagraíocht eile ar fud fad na tíre.”
“Ní hamháin go bhfuil mé ag breathnú ar Cill Dara le Gaeilge agus Nás na Ríogh agus Sult na Sollán ach tá mé ag breathnú ar Mhaigh Nuad chomh maith ó thaobh líonra Gaeilge sa todhchaí. Ceist amháin atá agam ag teacht as sin ná cathain a mbeidh an chéad bhabhta maoinithe eile ar fáil do na heagraíochtaí sin?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Mar atá ráite aige cheana féin, tá trí cinn de na líonraí seo in Éireann faoi láthair: Inis, Baile Locha Riach agus Cluain Dolcáin. Ó thuaidh, tá Carn Tóchair agus iarthar Bhéal Feirste chomh maith. Ó thaobh Cill Dara go háirithe, tá Cill Dara le Gaeilge ann. Is eagraíocht é seo atá ag déanamh iarracht líonra Gaeilge a bhunadh i gCill Dara. Tá an oiread sin Gaeilge á labhairt i gCill Dara. Breathnaím ar Mhaigh Nuad, mo bhaile féin, mar shampla. Tá dhá Ghaelscoil i Maigh Nuad agus tá Gaelcholáiste ann. Tá Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ann, ar ndóigh, agus Coláiste Phádraig Má Nuad chomh maith. Tá Gaeilge Nuada ag déanamh an-obair ansin, chomh maith le Gaeilge an Bhradáin i Léim an Bhradáin.”
“Cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le haitheantas a bhronnadh ar bhailte a chur isteach ar stádas mar líonra Gaeltachta? Cathain gur féidir leis na ceantair sin a bheith ag súil go mbronnfar an stádas sin orthu?”
“There is a little bit of light in a dark place from the commitment by the State and the Tánaiste's Department to increase the funding, especially to Sudan. That is an important message people need to hear. I acknowledge as well the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, made the comment in Sierra Leone earlier in the year that Ireland has a responsibility to show real leadership in how development spending directly impacts people living in poverty. It goes throughout Government and throughout the Tánaiste's Department. As I said, I welcome the increase in funding and the commitment to increase funding, especially to Sudan and the hardest-hit areas globally.”
“I acknowledge there is a commitment in the programme for Government and the Tánaiste's commitment to international development aid. The difficulty, as he has outlined, is the global aid landscape has completely changed. The US has made massive cuts to USAID. Over $60 billion has been slashed. UK development aid is down by £6 billion. That has a huge knock-on impact on the likes of the Irish NGOs. Goal, Concern and Trócaire, which is based in my home town of Maynooth, have lost vital funding and have had to freeze recruitment and suspend some operations in countries such as Syria and Sudan. Earlier we heard of the devastating impacts in Sudan and how we as a collective need to speak more openly about Sudan. These programmes run by Irish NGOs are vital in ensuring there are supports for people in the hardest-hit areas of the world.”
“Ireland has a proud history when it comes to development aid. We are still falling short of the UN target of spending 0.7% of gross national income on overseas aid. The most recent figures show we are at just 0.57%. When domestic supports such as Ukrainian refugee assistance are excluded, the figure drops to 0.41%. How does the Government plan to progress towards the 0.7% target?”
“It is impossible for them to get the required documentation because they are in a war zone that most refugees will pass through. Exceptions need to be made, particularly for people from Gaza, because as many people rightly have said here, there is a particular affinity between the Irish people and the Palestinian people. I will send the Minister of State an email on this and see if it is something that the Department or, indeed, the Minister for Justice could look at in more detail. I had contacted the Minister. We stand with the people of Palestine.”
“The Minister for Health is bringing a memorandum to Cabinet that will allow not only a parent or a carer to come, but, indeed, siblings and a second parent or second carer. I called in this House last week for the refugee status that we granted to Ukrainians coming to the State, particularly throughout the war in Ukraine, to be extended to the people of Palestine because there are a lot of Irish families helping Palestinian families. Irish families are funding Palestinian families to try to help them buy food, such as flour, etc., but it would be great to see an initiative like that. Not everybody will want to come here from Gaza or from the West Bank, but for those individuals and families who do want to come here, at least we can provide that opportunity.”
“There have been concerted efforts by the Government to help children as much as possible travel here safely to ensure that they get the medical attention that they require in keeping with the WHO initiative that other member states are working on as well and what frustrates me is the politicisation of this. Here we have sick children, the State is doing its utmost to help them and we are not seeing any recognition. It is merely trying to politicise it, time and again. If someone genuinely has concerns or questions about issues such as this, sometimes that type of work is better done behind the scenes rather than trying to politicise it. I commend the Taoiseach and, indeed, the Minister, on the amount of work that they are doing to ensure that those families and individuals can come here.”
“On the Middle East, and Gaza in particular, we are constantly hearing from the Opposition that the Government is not doing enough. They fail to mention the recognition of the State of Palestine by the Government, the progress with the occupied territories Bill, the funding of UNWRA and the work on the International Criminal Court, ICC, case, among many other measures. Earlier on Leaders' Questions, the leader of the Opposition criticised the Taoiseach and the Government in relation to children coming to this country from Gaza to seek medical assistance.”
“I commend Deputy Byrne on the work he has been doing as Minister of State with responsibility for foreign affairs and, in particular, European affairs. There are two areas that I would like to cover following the European Council meeting: Ukraine and the Middle East. It is critical that Ukraine remains at the forefront of our minds and that we continue to call out the illegal aggression of Russia as it continues to bombard the country. I urge the Government to push as much as possible to ensure that Ukraine can acquire full EU membership. This is tantamount to ensuring the safety and future of the Ukrainian people and, indeed, the Ukrainian state, and I appreciate the efforts that the Minister has been making in this regard.”
“I commend the establishment of the infrastructure committee. It is rightly targeting key areas of society: water infrastructure, energy infrastructure and housing. However, I ask that policy on social infrastructure be considered as part of this. I am referring to schools, Garda stations, crèches, playgrounds, etc. When we are considering the development of towns and villages and increases to the amount of infrastructure, particularly from a housing perspective, social infrastructure should be considered also. The last thing we need is the building of what are essentially shells rather than communities. Building social infrastructure in line with physical infrastructure is crucial in this regard.”
“What we did when the war broke out in Ukraine in allowing Ukrainian refugees to come here with special protections we need to consider for the people of Palestine. Not everybody from Palestine will want to leave as refugees but for those who do, we should be in a position to allow them. Trying to get visa documents and trying to get online is quite difficult, so we should be looking at ways to care for them and help them to come here if they so wish.”
“In terms of how pushing for suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement and the recognition of the Palestinian state, Ireland, Spain and a few others have stood out for a long time. Through those diplomatic relations, we have been able to bring other countries along with us and let them see our perspective. More countries in Europe now have their eyes far more open to what is happening. It has taken far too long but it shows that diplomacy - working with other countries, trying to bring them along and not just being an outcast standing on our own - works. How we make a real, thorough impact is by hitting Israel where it hurts, and that is through the EU-Israel trade agreement. That is the strongest tool we have at this moment. Let Ireland continue to lead as it has, not only with words, but with our actions, our heart and our hope.”
“The EU-Israel trade agreement should be suspended until full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law is restored. Words alone are not enough. It is action that gives meaning to our principles. I would go as far as to say that a mere suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement is not enough. A review of any possible reapplication of it should be considered very seriously in light of what we have seen, not just over past two years, but over the past number of decades. I commend the work of our diplomats, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister of State, Thomas Byrne, and our civil servants who continue to work through international channels, often quietly and diligently, to help families, build pressure and support peace-building efforts, but we need to go further now. Our voice matters.”
“This should be akin to what we provided for Ukrainians, namely, a humanitarian route grounded in urgency, dignity and practicality. We cannot ask people trapped under bombardment to wait months for paperwork that they cannot even access. This scheme would allow Irish families who are willing to sponsor and support Palestinians to do so legally and securely. Ireland has a proud record of humanitarian responses, but now is the time for a bolder and more tailored approach. Gaza is not just facing a humanitarian crisis. It is facing annihilation. Ceasefires must hold, hostages must be released and aid must flow. Beyond the emergency, we need to ask ourselves what role can we play in ensuring this never happens again. It starts with consequences.”
“In Kildare and across Ireland, families are contacting me daily asking how they can help families in Gaza. Irish people are in WhatsApp groups with families in Rafah and throughout Gaza and the West Bank. They are co-ordinating donations and desperately trying to bring Palestinians here to safety, particularly those with acute medical needs, but the barriers are immense. Applying for asylum through the normal processes is next to impossible for those in Gaza. Internet access is patchy or non-existent, documents are destroyed or unobtainable, and travel outside of the Gaza Strip is almost impossible. Yet, these families continue to try. They do not want to be forgotten. Ireland must respond with compassion and leadership. Today, I call for the creation of a special scheme for Palestinians seeking refuge here in Ireland.”
“The UN has rightly called it a teaspoon of aid where a flood is needed. The decision by Israel to take control of humanitarian aid through private contractors is weaponised hunger. We also cannot ignore the findings from the EU review of the EU-Israel association agreement. The conclusion is clear: Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2. We now need to act on that. The occupied territories Bill is a welcome step forward but if we are to make real progress and meaningful differences, the suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement must be prioritised. That is the most effective economic lever we have, and Ireland has been and is at the fore of pushing for it across the European Union. Beyond the policy level, we are seeing extraordinary solidarity here at home.”
“The situation in the Middle East, specifically in Gaza and across the occupied Palestinian territories, is beyond tragic; it is catastrophic. Ireland must speak with moral clarity and courage. As I have said before, and as many people in this House have said, what is happening is clearly genocide. Ireland has long supported the two-state solution and advocated for peace but peace without justice is not peace at all. What we are witnessing today is the collapse of humanitarian protections. Gaza has become a place where children go hungry, hospitals are bombed and families are being deliberately targeted and murdered. This cannot go unchallenged. More than 400 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured while trying to access food at militarised distribution centres. Aid is barely trickling in.”
“It does not fit into the mix for kids going through special education. I appreciate that the summer provision is in place but we should be looking at it differently from the normal education perspective, so that there is a continuation throughout the entire summer. It is not actually provision; it is a continuation of the classroom. I acknowledge that the EPSEN review gives us a strong platform. The vision is sound but the delivery now needs to match that vision. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, is committed to that, and there is a commitment across this House. I will do anything I can to support him. I appreciate the efforts he has taken to support me and my constituents in Kildare North and children and families across the country.”
“In all of these situations what stands out is not a lack of will. The political will is there; the will is there from parents and from schools. However, there is a lack of joined-up delivery. This is a problem we see time and again. I would have liked to have seen this report recommend a single body be given responsibility for the most profound cases. Instead of parents being pushed from SENOs to CDNTs to CAMHS to the HSE to special schools and then to different agencies, those particularly profound cases need a single, co-ordinated approach. The CDNT claims it is responsible for building it, but there are also SENOs, and parents are trying to deal with all of these different agencies, which is extremely difficult. Another proposal relates to the summer programme, previously the July provision.”