Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
Kildare South · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I do not question the Minister of State or the Minister's respect for the SNAs, but the Department needs to show that respect. The trust of the SNAs has been severely damaged following the scandal last February. It may have played a significant role in the ballot outcome, as well as years of being undervalued in the system.”
“I am very aware of and appreciate the work that has gone into this in recent years, but the local bargaining agreement being off the table now is a matter of serious concern and insult to SNAs. That pay increase should have been protected and maintained, irrespective of the ballot outcome on the new plan.”
“There are also concerns around redeployment, such as insecurity of fixed-term contracts following redeployment and the loss of seniority. SNAs receive no additional payment for State examinations, no extra personal vacation, EPV, days for the summer programme and no allowances for working in special schools, DEIS schools or Gaelscoileanna…”
“SNAs are very dedicated members of our school community who work very hard with our most vulnerable children. However, many have legitimate outstanding concerns following the publication of the new circular and the workforce development plan, WDP.”
“Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomrádaí, an Teachta Aengus Ó Snodaigh, as ucht an rúin seo anocht. An artist’s work is more than just a job An artist's work is more than just a job. It is a reflection of their creativity, their skill, and their unique perspective on the world.”
“This is not an abstract issue. Artists in Kildare and elsewhere across the State are already feeling the impact. A local photographer recently told me that she had lost work from organisations that once regularly hired her but now chose Al-generated images instead.”
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“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are no strangers to hollowing out our cities and public spaces for corporations. There is no such thing as public space in our capital any more. Scandalously, there is but a single public bathroom in the entirety of Dublin city today. Selling off our dearest national monument as corporate prey is one more step in that direction, and another in a series of affronts to our national history and republican legacy. Tá Ard-Oifig an Phoist mar cheann de na suíomhanna stairiúla is tábhachtaí in Éirinn. D'imir an suíomh ról lárnach in Éirí Amach 1916. Is ar na céimeanna a léadh an Forógra, agus is ann a thug Cogadh na Saoirse casadh cinniúnach. Dá dtiontófaí Ard-Oifig an Phoist ina haonad gnó, bhainfí ó shuntas stairiúil an tsuímh agus chaillfeadh na glúnta atá le teacht an nasc leis an miotais náisiúnta.”
“I urge the Minister and Minister of State to heed this point. They should stop delaying and taking cover behind the banner of inclusion. We need proper mechanisms to register demand for mild special classes and more special classes of all types to be sanctioned. Investment must continue to accelerate this year to finally put an end to children actively being denied their constitutional right to education. I am pleading with the Minister to bring this message to the Government in the budget negotiations because there can be no greater priority than this. Our children cannot wait any longer.”
“We know that children really value the relational aspect. Sadly, bullying also remains a problem for children with additional needs. An important finding is that many children in mild special schools arrive there on the back of negative experience in mainstream schools. Again, I urge the Minister and Minister of State to reconsider their Department's decision to redesignate those schools that function as a haven for students. Further to this point, the report found widespread support for our current mixed model of provision. The following statement from a teacher stood out to me: I think an inclusive model of education is not about pushing all children into the same building to be taught together. [It is] about valuing all types of schools, and allowing children to benefit from the best fit for them at that time ...”
“Some respondents still had their child at home due to a lack of a school place, and 75% of school staff reported difficulties accessing supports. The same percentage said that the supports did not meet the students' needs at all. When asked if they thought Ireland's education system gives an equal right to education for all children, only 20% of students and former students answered positively, while the response from professionals was even lower, at 16.7%. These statistics are damning. The review raised a number of other key issues that should remain on our radar. Crucially, despite significant progress, a lot of work still has to be done when it comes to attitudes. Children with additional needs consistently rate a compassionate teacher who sees them in their wholeness as most important to their learning.”
“The EPSEN Act sets out clearly that every child in the State should receive an education responsive to his or her particular learning needs regardless of ability. Shamefully, this is still a faraway reality. The portrait painted in the report is bleak but it is not anything new. It is the same story we all hear, day in and day out, from our constituents and in the media. Families with additional needs face chronic difficulties in accessing appropriate school places in their locale, assessments of need, therapies, SNAs and SET support. Parents and school staff are in a constant uphill battle against an unrelenting, unforgiving and frankly maddening system. A total of 60% of parents said they faced difficulties in getting a place for their child.”
“Fáiltím roimh an deis ráiteas a thabhairt ar fhoilsiú na tuarascála seo. Is cáipéis chríochnúil atá os ár gcomhair inniu. Molaim an rannpháirtíocht leathan le páirtithe leasmhara sa phróiseas, go háirithe ionchur suntasach na ndaoine óga a tógadh san áireamh. Ag an stad seo, is beag duine sa Stát nach mbaineann an cheist seo leo ar bhealach amháin nó bealach éigin eile. Is fianaise é an freagra mór millteach a fuair comhairliúchán an athbhreithnithe seo - d’fhreagair 28,000 duine an suirbhé ar líne. More than 28,000 people responded to the review's online survey and more or less everyone agreed on one thing, namely, that there is still dire underprovision of education for children with additional needs in the State.”
“Ó hUigínn i láthair ach ní bheadh cead ag an bhfear sin ná ag aon duine ó na Sé Chontae a bhuann craobh na hÉireann vótáil le haghaidh Uachtarán na hÉireann. Mar a deir Martin McGuinness, the people of Ireland are not partitionists. Tá sé ag éirí náireach dúinn mar Stát. Agus muid ag obair i dtreo Éire aontaithe agus Éire do chách, ba chóir go dtógaimis an chéim seo agus é sin a chur i gceart. Tiocfaidh ár lá.”
“It is absolutely nonsensical that Irish citizens in the North cannot vote for Uachtaráin na hÉireann. These people are no less Irish than you or I. They have Irish passports and they have contested and held presidential office, but they have been left behind by successive Governments since the foundation of the Free State, notably by Fianna Fáil, which still has the nerve to claim itself republican in the face of this blatant discrimination. Níl ciall ná réasún leis seo. How can we credibly call this person the President of Ireland when citizens from six of this island's counties do not have their voices heard? Anuraidh, d'ardaigh fear as Ard Mhacha Corn Sam Maguire i gcomórtas ar a dtugann muid the all-Ireland final. Bhí an tUachtarán Mícheál D.”
“More than a decade ago, a citizens' assembly gave a clear recommendation to change the Constitution to give citizens outside the State the right to vote in presidential elections. Tugadh comhartha soiléir. Vótáil 78% de bhaill an choinbhinsiúin ar son cearta a thabhairt d'Éireannaigh atá ina gcónaí lasmuigh den Sé Chontae is Fiche. Sinn Féin promptly brought forward legislation that would give legal effect to this recommendation. The Government parties were all ears. We heard that they were open and were listening but year after year and Government after Government, we have seen no movement. Ní dhearna siad faic. Mar sin, ní féidir a rá go raibh siad ag éisteacht. I call on the Government to put an end to the foot-dragging, heed the advice of the citizens' assembly, support our motion and enact legislation.”
“We do not have the power to do that, but we have the power to say the Irish people want no hand, act or part in that ugly deed. We know for a fact that we have the power to do this and a suggestion to the contrary is nothing more than foot-dragging and cowardice. Má thacaíonn an Rialtas leis an rún seo beidh deis ag muintir na hÉireann teachtaireacht a thabhairt ar an stáitse idirnáisiúnta go bhfuil muid aontaithe in aghaidh an chinedhíothaithe i nGaza, gur féidir seasamh suas i gcoinne bulaithe, agus nach ndéantar neamhaird ar dhaonnacht mhuintir na Palaistíne. The genocide bonds Bill is about sending a powerful message to our people and the international community that we will not stand idly by, that we can and will stand up to bullies and that basic human decency and dignity still count for something.”
“It is only a fortnight since Sinn Féin introduced the Israeli genocide bonds Bill. In voting against that Bill, the Government squandered an opportunity to stand on the right side of what will, no doubt, be remembered as a decisive moment in history. I thank the Social Democrats for returning to this issue and giving the Government a second chance to make good on its supposed commitment to the Palestinian people. For all the Government's back-patting and boasts about being the best in class on Palestine, the truth is that we are now trailing behind Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, which have moved to sanction Israeli leaders for their abominable human rights abuses. Let us be honest. The motion before us today is modest. It is not a big ask. We are not trying to ban the sale of Israeli genocide bonds across Europe.”
“Rud eile a bhfuil géarghá leis ná criosanna brú cíosa a choinneáil mar a bhí. We need to ensure the tenant in situ scheme is adequately funded to meet the needs that are out there and we need the RPZs to be applied across the board. Instead, this Government is too busy protecting those who are already set up and settled and it wants to woo institutional investors. When will the Government stand up for the ordinary people in their 20s, 30s and 40s and give them a chance to have a home of their own so they can start their families, have a little peace of mind and live with the dignity they deserve?”
“Its own Department of housing has said private rental is the second most common route into homelessness, yet renters are being punished again and again. It is shameful. Families like hers are falling through the cracks and are squeezed by a cost-of-living crisis that this Government pretends no longer exists. Too many are earning just above the threshold for help but are still living month to month, one bit of bad news away from sleeping in their cars. Tá céimeanna gur féidir linn a thógáil le feabhas a chur ar an scéal. Ba chóir go mbeadh maoiniú ar fáil don scéim cís costais do thionóntaí in situ de réir an éileamh atá amuigh ansin. Ní féidir leis an mbean seo aon chúnamh a fháil toisc nach bhfuil aon airgead fágtha ag Comhairle Contae Chill Dara chun aon teach dara láimhe eile a cheannach i mbliana.”
“This week I spoke to a woman in Kildare town who is facing the prospect of homelessness. She told me, "I have done everything right, and now the State is slowly killing me." The pain and dread she is feeling as the clock runs down is absolutely crippling. Her landlord is selling up and she simply cannot afford to re-enter the private rental market. Just a few weeks ago in this Chamber, we discussed double-digit rent increases in Kildare. Homelessness rose by about the same figure last year as well. This woman is a nurse in Naas General Hospital who has served her community for nine years. She is also a single mother to a beautiful nine-year-old girl. She is about to fall into homelessness. The Government knows this story well.”
“When will the Government stop dragging its feet and bring forward a proper national Traveller mental health strategy? Will the Government underpin it with legislation to guarantee that it is not just another plan that gathers dust but one that delivers real change on the ground in services, outcomes and in respect?”
“An estimated 90% of Travellers report ongoing mental health difficulties while 11% die by suicide, which is over seven times the national average. Four out of five Travellers say they have been directly affected by suicide, with nearly half losing someone in their own family. These are not just shocking statistics; these are families devastated, communities grieving and lives lost far too young. We cannot talk about mental health without talking about discrimination. Discrimination against Travellers is widespread and absolutely normalised in this State, with 36% of people in this State saying they actively avoid Travellers and 97% saying they would not accept a Traveller into their family. This is the reality and it is shameful.”
“An ocean of political will separates us from the Government on this. Kevin Delaney, a pensioner, was arrested last night for shouting his frustration from the Visitors Gallery of this very Chamber. Would you blame him? Sophie Ní Choimín has now gone a week without food because the Government is not acting strongly enough or fast enough. Last week, I spoke about the brave women who intervened at Shannon Airport because the Government will not defend our sovereign airspace. Tá muintir na hÉireann ag seasamh sa bhearna bhaoil. It is simply not good enough that men and women in this State are putting their bodies and reputations on the line.”
“Meanwhile at home, the Government passes up every concrete opportunity to punish Netanyahu’s genocidal regime. Services are being left out of the occupied territories Bill, dramatically watering down its impact, and the Government is happy to keep raising billions for Israel through blood-soaked bonds. On both counts, the Government is taking cover under mysterious legal opinion, but there is nowhere to hide. The Oireachtas’s own experts back the legality of our Bill and many of our country’s top lawyers support the inclusion of services in the occupied territories Bill. In the flurry of interviews he has done on this issue, the Tánaiste has claimed there is no policy difference between the positions of the Government and Opposition on Gaza. Let us be clear about this: there is an ocean between us.”
“Half a million Gazans are starving. Thousands of children are dying from hunger alone because of the Israeli blockade. Yesterday, while very little aid was being distributed, Israeli troops fired at desperate Palestinian civilians. Enough food was given to feed 2% of the Gazan population for half a week. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation director overseeing the delivery resigned in protest, stating aid could not be distributed according to basic humanitarian principles. Aid is blatantly militarised and used as a weapon of war. Israel and the US alone dictate the terms of distribution, and the effects on life in Gaza as we know it are cataclysmic. I plead with the Irish Government to use every tool in the diplomatic arsenal to release the abundant UN aid and allow officials who have the expertise to deliver it to do so.”
“Just today, the Ombudsman for Children published a report confirming cases of children still being subjected to repressive and traumatic practices of seclusion in our schools. I welcome the move to ban this and I urge the Government to ensure the ban is properly enforced.”
“As I stand here, it is ironic that we are speaking about a world-class education system when the truth is that, come September, children still will not have a school place or will be placed in an inappropriate school setting that does not meet their needs. Yesterday, I spoke with a principal in a primary school in Newbridge. He has been pleading with the Department for years to sanction a special class but he is rightfully insisting on a grant for a properly furnished appropriate space and he has been refused time and time again. They need future-proof facilities, not a quick-fix solution which will drain resources down the line. Thousands more are waiting for therapies that are essential to their learning.”
“I mo Dháilcheantar féin, i gCill Dara Theas, tá an baol ann go mbeidh ar Naíonra Uí Shionnaigh dúnadh an bhliain seo chugainn de bharr easpa maoinithe. Tá an t-éileamh do luathoideachas lánGhaeilge ag fás ach níl an naíonra incháilithe don scéim rialtais. Éilím go dtabharfaí aird ar an gcás faoi leith seo agus go gcinnteofar go bhfuil an tseirbhís ríthábhachtach seo in ann leanúint ar aghaidh. I have brought up Naíonra Uí Shionnaigh here before. I have written to Minister, Deputy Foley's Department. I am really pleading with the Minister for help in saving Naíonra Uí Shionnaigh. That is 33 places Kildare South cannot afford to lose but the right to an education trí mheán na Gaeilge is also so important.”
“It is unsustainable and, as a result, many of our talented teachers are leaving the profession and going abroad. There are roughly 8,000 of our best and brightest young teachers in the Gulf countries, no doubt because of the cost of living crisis, which has evidently not gone away despite Government claims to the contrary. We also know the right environment is crucial to a child's learning and development. Right now, schools across the State are chronically underfunded, capitation grants have not kept pace with inflation and schools are struggling to cover basics, such as heating and electricity. That is not a world-class system. Ba mhaith liom a lua freisin go bhfuil sé de cheart ag gach páiste oideachas a fháil trí mheán na Gaeilge, ceart nach bhfuil á chomhlíonadh faoi láthair.”
“As a teacher for 20 years and an SET múinteoir for ten, I have seen at first hand the power of education to break down barriers for children. From my own experience of growing up in Ireland's education system, I know how one good teacher can change a child's life, nurturing confidence, curiosity and a sense of belonging. This is especially true for those without much support at home. I thank the teachers of Ireland, many of whom go above and beyond, often at a significant personal cost, to ensure that every child has a chance to realise their potential. It is thanks to their dedication that there is any truth to the idea that education is a great leveller. Nonetheless, our teachers are woefully undervalued. Too many are stuck in part-time or temporary roles, with job insecurity and a two-tier pay scale still in place.”
“The Irish people have made themselves clear. We do not want our skies used to ferry munitions for crimes against humanity. It should not fall to a few brave citizens to take personal risks in order to uphold our values and our laws. The Government needs to act now; not tomorrow, not next month.”
“Fed up with Government inaction and hollow statements, they attempted to inspect military aircraft landed at Shannon Airport for weapons being carried illegally through Irish airspace. They did this because the Government refuses to enforce its own laws. Ní cóir go mbeadh ar mhná na hÉireann teacht chuige seo. Níl muintir na hÉireann ag iarraidh go n-úsáidfear ár n-aerspás chun airm a iompar le haghaidh coireanna in aghaidh na daonnachta. Ar feadh blianta anois, tá daoine ag máirseáil, ag síniú achainí agus ag cur brú ar ár gcuid ionadaithe poiblí ach fós níl tada tar éis tarlú. Níl sé ceart go dtiteann an t-ualach ar roinnt saoránach cróga chun seasamh suas le haghaidh luachanna na hÉireann. Teastaíonn gníomhartha ón Rialtas ar son thoil mhuintir na hÉireann anois seachas amárach ná an mhí seo chugainn. Why should it come to this?”
“After the longest blockade yet, Israel is starving the population in Gaza. Israel brazenly continues its airstrikes and full-scale ground offensive, advancing its openly stated imperial imperative of the total occupation of the Gaza Strip, regardless of the human cost. Yet, our Government still places zero sanctions. Ireland, a State with a proud history of principled neutrality and human rights, is instead enabling this destruction. We are literally fuelling the war machine. We are selling bonds that finance the war machine. We are exporting parts that become components of the war machine. We are a privileged trading partner and there is no question that it makes us complicit in genocide. It is against this shameful backdrop that the May Day three and Operation Sound the Siren from Palestine Action Éire took matters into their own hands.”
“All along, it was an easy diagnosis. Then there are Ruby and Luna McGarry, who are nine and four years old. Their parents submitted AON applications in February 2024. By law, assessments, as we know, should have been done by August 2024. We are now in May 2025 and there is still nothing. The HSE is blaming a backlog due to a High Court ruling but their mammy, Orla, notes that her third child was seen as part of that backlog two years ago, but only after paying privately. Orla and Andrew cannot afford to go down the private route this time. The McGarrys, like so many, are being strung along by a system that is breaking the law and breaking families in the process. Those are just two stories from Kildare; there are thousands more out there.”
“When he began school, his mammy, Vivienne, fought for a National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, assessment but was told Isaac's condition was not severe enough. All the while, he was struggling emotionally, socially and academically. On the advice of the school, his parents forked out €2,000 for ADHD and dyslexia assessments. In 2023, Isaac was finally taken back into primary care, where a psychologist confirmed his previous diagnosis and flagged autism as a required assessment, saying it should have been picked up seven years earlier. After yet another year of waiting, Isaac finally had a CAMHS appointment but it did not have the authority to conduct an autism assessment. Only in March of this year did Isaac get his assessment. He went eight years without the proper support and has been set back enormously by this.”
“Kildare has the highest number of overdue AONs, second only to Dublin, with 1,700 children on waiting lists. I want to take this moment to speak about Isaac. He is 14 years old and has four siblings. He first got onto the AON waiting list eight years ago and has yet to receive a written diagnosis. Back in 2017, Isaac was first seen for an occupational therapy, OT, assessment and was diagnosed with developmental co-ordination disorder, DCD, despite his parents, Vivienne and John, suspecting something more was going on. They were told to come back in two years. When they did, there was no record of Isaac's file - the HSE had lost it - and he had to go back to the bottom of the waiting list.”
“What immediate steps will be taken to ensure expectant mothers in south Kildare can continue to access the care they need close to home and without unnecessary barriers?”
“Yesterday, expectant mothers in Kildare received word with very little notice that the community midwife service at Athy primary care centre had been cancelled. This service has provided crucial prenatal care to women in Athy, Castledermot and surrounding areas. This care was local, consistent and accessible. The sudden withdrawal of this service now means that women will have to travel to Portlaoise for similar care. Public transport options are limited and many will need to pay out of pocket for taxis to the hospital. For women who are already at their most vulnerable, including those with other children at home, no car or limited support, this adds significant stress. To date, the HSE has not provided a timeline for the restoration of the service.”
“That is why we need real investment in our water infrastructure now, not false promises or spin but the kind of sustained, targeted investment that ensures people do not have to go without the most basic service of all - clean running water.”
“One woman in Newbridge told me just last week that she has lost water pressure every evening from 5 p.m. until midnight since January and still nothing has been done. That means no washing up after dinner and no laundry. Her two teenage daughters cannot shower after their sports training or when they are menstruating. It is just not acceptable. To add insult to injury, people are paying plumbers out of pocket just to fix airlocks caused by these interruptions. More than €1.1 million has been spent on this by Kildare residents in 2023 alone. Kildare's water system cannot handle any new developments without compromising the basic rights of those already living there. We all know how urgent the need for housing is.”
“Arís eile, táimid ag caint faoi thithe a d'fhéadfaí a thógáil, ar chóir dúinn a thógáil, ach atá á gcur siar mar gheall ar theip leanúnach an Rialtais seo infheistíocht cheart a dhéanamh i mbonneagar criticiúil. Níl aon áit go bhfuil sé sin níos soiléire ná i gcóras uisce dheisceart Chill Dara. Idir 2018 agus lár 2024, thaifead Uisce Éireann os cionn 15,500 gearán ó chustaiméirí i gCill Dara amháin. Sin gearán amháin maidir le soláthar nó caighdeán uisce gach ceithre huaire an chloig. Sa bhliain 2023, tharla briseadh sa tseirbhís uisce i 205,000 teaghlach, an líon is airde ó 2018 i leith, in ainneoin dearbhaithe faoi infheistíocht mhéadaithe agus oibrithe cóirithe áitiúla. Constituents come to me regularly about recurring boil water notices, water with a petrol-like taste and, most frequently, falling water pressure.”
“As Irish republicans we support engagement in Europe but only on the basis of sovereignty, equality and democracy. Ireland must never be a silent passenger in a Union that puts the interests of powerful states or unelected elites ahead of the people. Our future, North and South, must be shaped by ourselves. With increasing pressure from Europe to rearm, we must stand our ground and send a powerful message to the rest of the Union to remind it of its founding values. On this Europe Day let us recommit to a Union that respects sovereignty, stands for peace and acts with principle and in alignment with human rights and international law. That is the Ireland we represent and that Europe and Palestine need.”
“Ní féidir linn anois níos mó ná riamh ár nglórtha ar son na ndaoine atá faoi chois a fhágáil ar leataobh. Tugann ár neodracht an neamhspleáchas dúinn labhairt ar son na síochána, coimeádaithe síochána a sheoladh tríd na Náisiúin Aontaithe agus seasamh in aghaidh na héagóra cibé áit a dtarlaíonn sí. Chaill muid deis den sórt sin an tseachtain seo chaite nuair a theip ar an Rialtas seasamh leis an bPalaistín sa Chúirt Bhreithiúnais Idirnáisiúnta trí argóintí béil a thabhairt i gcoinne comhairle chogaidh Iosrael mar gheall ar fhaitíos seasamh suas in aghaidh bulaithe. Éilím ar an Rialtas gníomhú anois go dáiríre agus dul níos faide ná béalghrá a thabhairt do chúis na Palaistíne agus an Bille maidir leis na críocha faoi fhorghabháil a bhrú chun cinn. Ní leor focail chun an dlí idirnáisiúnta a chosaint. Tá gníomh ag teastáil.”
“The Schuman Declaration that we commemorate today begins, "World peace cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it." Military neutrality and our triple lock system are the kind of bold policy instruments that are in keeping with this European vision of world peace laid down 75 years ago. Last year saw the highest number of state-based conflicts since 1946. The past three years were the most violent in the past three decades. Around the world, nation states are withdrawing more and more from the international system. In the face of rising militarism and intimidation, we must maintain robust counter-measures that promote peace and diplomacy. Tá a fhios againn ó thaithí go n-éistear le hÉirinn mar gheall ar an stair faoi leith atá againn.”
“We need a real emergency response team to cut through the red tape and the reform of the CDNT model, which is failing far too many children. These families do not want special treatment; they want fair treatment. What is being done for this family and for Scoil Mochua in Celbridge, County Kildare, and many other schools that are in a similar situation across the State? Ní féidir leis na tuismitheoirí nó na páistí seo fanacht a thuilleadh.”
“How can we claim that special educational needs placements are at an emergency level when red tape is allowed to stand in the way of children's rights to an education? This mother's family has been forced into debt as a result of paying €220 week privately on therapies because the CDNT failed to deliver early intervention. Tá sé de dhualgas ar an Stát tacaíocht cheart a thabhairt do na daoine is leochailí sa Stát, ar nós na bpáistí seo. Ní hé sin atá á dhéanamh, áfach. This mother told me her little girl asks her every morning why her brother cannot go to the same school. She does not understand, because there is nothing wrong with her brother. She is right. There is nothing wrong with these children, it is the system that has wronged them. Now is the time for action. We need immediate transparency on school buildings and classes.”
“His mamaí is not confident that he will have a place come September. Scoil Mochua in Kildare was approved for two autism classes for 12 children with additional needs in 2021. Right around this time, this mother's son was born. It would have been a perfect place for him to attend but, almost four years on, those classes still do not exist. That is not because of a lack of will on the part of the school but because of a Land Registry issue that remains unresolved. While the Government claims it is doing everything in its power to ensure no child will be left without a school place in September, 12 children are being locked out of special education places in Kildare, and locked out of educational rights, and their human rights.”
“Gabhaim míle buíochas le Páirtí an Lucht Oibre as ucht an rún tábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála inniu. Tá sé thar am dúinn éisteacht le guthanna na dtuismitheoirí atá ag fulaingt i gcóras a bhfuil ag teip orthu. Tá mé tar éis bualadh le han-chuid tuismitheoirí thar cúpla mí anuas, go háirithe North Kildare SEN Action Group, agus tá obair na gcapall ar siúl acu ar son a gcuid páistí. Inniu, I would like to share with Members the voice of a mamaí in Kildare whose words speak for hundreds, if not thousands, of families around the country. Her daughter attends Scoil Mochua in County Kildare. Her four-year-old autistic son hopes to one day attend school alongside his sister and within his community and with his friends. He is currently 12th on the list for a school don chéad scoilbhliain eile.”
“Many of these children are in inappropriate class settings due to their not being able to get their appropriate class. They are the ones who are most vulnerable. They rely heavily on the SNAs. These decisions are deeply affecting students who are already vulnerable. It will worsen their educational experience if the reduction in SNA support happens. Ní mór dúinn a chinntiú go bhfaigheann na páistí seo na hacmhainní ceart chun forbairt, ní hamháin maireachtáil.”
“Tuigim an tábhachtacht a bhaineann leis na huimhreacha atá curtha ar fáil, ach is é an rud is tábhachtaí ná go mbeidh na spásanna oiriúneach do na páistí. There is another issue that is coming up. I and my colleagues have had many parents contacting us regarding SNA allocations. In one case, 15 students were told on Friday that their SNA allocation was being withdrawn on Monday. In two other schools, reviews are indicating there will be a reduction in SNAs for September. In another school, a review recommended additional SNA support but the school was told no additional supports would be provided because it has already reached its cap. Has there been a change in approach or policy? Can the Minister of State guarantee there will be no reduction in supports to children?”
“Parents from across the State have been campaigning relentlessly for years and there is still no sufficient action from the Department. This failure of Government year on year left parents with no alternative last week, as many took to the streets to sleep rough for the second time in the hopes the voices of their neglected children would be heard. While the numbers of new special classes and schools being planned for September are welcome, we need a commitment today not only that there will be places but that they will actually be opened.”
“Cuirim lánfáilte roimh na figiúirí agus na huimhreacha a thug an tAire Stáit dúinn ach is iad na focal is tábhachtaí ná "they are provided" agus "they are sanctioned". It is important these are actually open. As a former primary school teacher of nearly 20 years, with at least eight of those in special education, and now as Sinn Féin's spokesperson on special education, I am deeply concerned for the many families in Ireland who are struggling to secure appropriate school places for their children. Last week alone, I was contacted by six different families in south Kildare desperate because they have been unable to secure an appropriate place for their children in a special class or school. These are not isolated incidents.”
“Iarraim ar an Aire nua-shonrú a thabhairt ar líon na ranganna speisialta nua agus na scoileanna speisialta a cheadaíodh i Meán Fómhair 2025. An féidir léi a dheimhniú go mbeidh gach cheann dóibh oscailte roimh mhí Mheán Fómhair na bliana seo? I would like the Minister to provide an update on the number of new special classes and special schools sanctioned for September 2025. Can she guarantee that these will be opened this September?”
“Tá baill an ghrúpa ag cur an teanga chun cinn tríd í a spreagadh i ngnólachtaí áitiúla, trí scéimeanna a chur ar fáil dóibh siúd atá spéis acu an Ghaeilge a fhorbairt sa ghnó atá acu, agus tríd imeachtaí iontacha a chur ar fáil do Sheachtain na Gaeilge do mhuintir Chill Dara. Mar gheall ar fadhbanna maoinithe le Foras na Gaeilge áfach, tá baol ann nach mbeidh eagrais thábhachtacha cosúil le Cill Dara le Gaeilge beo amach anseo. Caithfidh an Rialtas a chinntiú go mbeidh eagrais mar seo beo. Caithfidh an Rialtas maoiniú eile a chur ar fáil don bhforas ionas gur féidir leis leanúint ar aghaidh leis an sárobair atá ar siúl aige. Níl an Rialtas dáiríre faoin nGaeilge. Deir sé sa chlár Rialtas: This Government is committed to the protection and promotion of the Irish language. lt is the first language of the state.”
“Nil ach teaghlach amháin as cúig ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht, agus tá an ghéarchéim thithíochta ag meá na Gaeilge mar nach féidir le daoine áitiúla tithe a thógáil sna ceantair inar tógadh iad. Tá níos mó ná 1,000 teach ar cíos ag Airbnb sa Ghaeltacht chomh maith, gan ach deich acu ar cíos fadtéarmach. Tá an Rialtas seo ag cur le scrios na teanga. l mo Dháilcheantar féin i gCill Dara Theas, tá an-chuid grúpaí Gaeilge ag déanamh a seacht ndícheall an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Is grúpa pobail é Glór an Churraigh. Cuireann sé imeachtaí ar fáil trí Ghaeilge ar nós maidin chaife an Luain, céilithe móra, tráth na gceist agus Pop-Up Gaeltacht, a d’fhreastail mé air le déanaí. Grúpa eile is ea Cill Dara le Gaeilge, atá ag cur seirbhís chuimsitheach ar fáil chun tacú leis an nGaeilge sa chontae.”
“Is mór an onóir dom a bheith ag labhairt ar an nGaeilge don dara huair i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge. Is seachtain í seo do gach duine le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar ár dteanga. Gaeilge más féidir, Béarla más gá, mar a deirimid. Ba bhreá liom a bheith ag seasamh os bhur gcomhair agus ag ceiliúradh na rudaí iontacha faoin teanga. Ba bhreá liom a bheith caint faoin ngrá pearsanta atá agam di, faoin saibhreas atá aici, faoin neart agus spiorad atá ag Gaeilgeoirí fud fad na tíre, agus faoi na daoine ar fad atá á labhairt lá i ndiaidh lae. Ach, faraor, ta géarchéim ann i leith na teanga. Ta líon na ndaoine ag labhairt na teanga sa Ghaeltacht tar éis titim sa dhá daonáireamh deireanach.”