Shane Curley
Cultural and Educational Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I congratulate the Acting Leader in his role as Whip. I wish Galway the very best of luck in the All-Ireland hurling final. I know everyone in the room agrees it would be great to see Liam MacCarthy go west. Best of luck to Micheál Donoghue and the lads on Sunday. We will all be there shouting them on, if we can get a ticket.”
“There are modules in special educational needs in the PME, but there is no mandatory follow-up after that. As we all know, special educational needs involve ongoing upskilling and awareness and we are constantly figuring out more about them. We will never have enough knowledge and will be researching it for eternity.”
“In some cases, teachers have to travel many kilometres to the nearest training day. It does not make any sense. I would welcome a debate in the House with the Minister on instructing Oide or some other body to carry out regular mandatory training in special educational needs for all teachers.”
“I would also like to welcome former Senator Ned O'Sullivan who I see in the Gallery as well. He is very welcome. Tá fáilte roimhe. It is high time, in the next few months if at all possible; this side of Christmas in particular, to have a debate in the House with the Minister to urgently address the issue of extra time in exams for studen…”
“CGMs allow patients and clinicians to monitor glucose levels in real time, improving diabetes management and giving many patients greater confidence in managing their condition.”
“In Ireland, you get ten minutes even if the exam lasts three hours and 40 minutes in the case of the likes of English paper 2. In third level in Ireland, the lecturers who are currently carrying out a review on the process that was undertaken by the SEC give ten minutes per hour of an exam to their students.”
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“Youth work provides something that cannot always be delivered in classrooms or formal settings. It supports young people at critical stages in their lives, particularly those who are marginalised, vulnerable or at risk. It is worth stating clearly that this Government sees youth work not as a cost but as in investment in prevention, in opportunity and ultimately in stronger communities. While the motion highlights funding pressures, and those concerns are valid, it is also important to set out clearly what is being delivered. In budget 2026, the Government allocated over €90 million in current funding for youth services, an increase of over €4.5 million on the previous year. This funding supports programmes reaching over 450,000 young people across the country.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I want to begin by acknowledging the Sinn Féin Senators who brought it forward. I could be wrong but it is fairly clear they had closely consulted the ETB sector when they put this together. I was speaking to the head of ETB youth services in Galway during the week and it has been received very well so I commend the work they have done on the motion. At its core the motion recognises something fundamental – that youth work is not an add-on to education or community life but is central to it. As defined in the Youth Work Act 2001, it is a structured voluntary process that supports the personal and social development of young people, complementing formal education. We in government fully recognise that.”
“Just before we get the Minister of State back in, I want to welcome guests of Deputy Cormac Devlin, students from Loreto Primary School, Dalkey, who are in the Gallery. You are all very welcome. Tá fáilte romhaibh.”
“That collaboration is one of the strengths of our education system. Ultimately, our goal must remain clear. Every child, regardless of their needs, deserves the opportunity to fully participate in education and to reach their full potential. SNAs are central in making that happen, so while recent events caused understandable concern, they should also serve as a reminder of just how valued and essential SNAs are within our school communities. As policymakers, we must continue working constructively with schools, SNAs and families to ensure the system supports them properly, because when we support SNAs, we support students and when we support students, we strengthen our entire education system.”
“It is, therefore, essential that we continue to strengthen the scheme, not only in terms of numbers but in terms of training, supports and clarity around the role. SNAs are highly-skilled professionals who play a critical role in supporting students' care needs, independence and participation in the classroom. We should continue to look at opportunities to expand training and special development so that SNAs feel supported in dealing with the increasingly complex needs that exist in schools today. We must also ensure that the allocation system remains flexible. Schools need the ability to respond when students' needs change during the school year. Above all, we must recognise the team-based approach that exists in our schools. SNAs work alongside teachers, special education teachers and school leaders to support students.”
“What this episode demonstrates is the importance of clear communication, early engagement with schools and a system that is responsive to the realities on the ground. The SNA scheme is one of the pillars of Ireland's inclusive educational model. There are now nearly 25,000 SNAs within our education system. That reflects a really strong commitment from Government to supporting children with additional needs across the country, but we must ensure that the system continues to evolve in a way that works for schools. Schools today are supporting pupils with increasingly complex needs, including autism, sensory needs, behavioural challenges and medical requirements. That places significant demands on SNAs, teachers and school leaders alike.”
“Principals, teachers and parents contacted public representatives across the country, expressing very real anxiety about potential reductions in support for children with additional needs. I welcome the fact that the situation has now been resolved and that those proposed changes have been reversed. That brings much-needed certainty and reassurance to schools and families. However, we must acknowledge that the situation should not have arisen in the first place. For families of children with additional needs, the prospect of losing support is deeply worrying. For school leaders, uncertainty around allocations creates real operational challenges and, for SNAs themselves, it raises understandable concerns about the stability of the system they work within.”
“Táim an-bhuíoch a bheith in ann caint faoin ábhar thar a bheith tábhachtach seo. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the important role of special needs assistants in our education system this evening. As someone who comes from a teaching background, I have seen at first hand the extraordinary work carried out by SNAs every day in schools across the country. They are a vital part of the school community and play a central role in supporting children with additional needs to fully participate in education. For many pupils, an SNA is not simply an assistant. They are a support, an advocate and often the difference between a child being able to fully access school life or not. In recent weeks, we have seen significant concern across schools regarding SNA allocations.”
“It recognises both the opportunity and the risk. It calls for full implementation of Digital Ireland's objectives, strengthened regulatory frameworks, and the prioritising of children and young people in our digital policy. Ireland's Presidency must reflect our ambition to be at the forefront of digital innovation and at the forefront of digital responsibility. We can be pro-innovation and pro-safety. We can support enterprise and protect fundamental rights. We can lead Europe, not just in digital competitiveness but in digital ethics. The digital transformation is not slowing down. AI is not going away. Social media is not disappearing. Let us ensure that Ireland leads with confidence, clarity and a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable while enabling opportunity for all.”
“Age verification is important to provide proportionate safeguards. If platforms profit from user engagement, they must accept responsibility for ensuring children are not exposed to pornography, extreme violence, grooming or algorithm-driven harmful content. These systems must be secure, privacy-preserving and trusted. If Ireland is to position itself as a centre of excellence in digital regulation, we must build systems that citizens have confidence in. Many young people now receive their first smartphone before their teenage years. They spend hours each day on platforms engineered for engagement. Some have devices in their bedrooms without parental controls. Exposure to violent content, extremist narratives and distorted body image messaging is increasingly common. This is why this motion is timely.”
“When harmful content is reported, it needs to be removed instantly, not days later when extensive damage is done. Many parents do not feel equipped to navigate the online environments their children inhabit. We must support them. Ireland will soon assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Online safety will be a priority. That gives us a significant opportunity to shape Europe's digital future. We must be strong voice in Europe for a digital economy that supports innovation and competitiveness while protecting fundamental rights. In particular, we must prioritise the protection of women and children from the misuse of digital tools. That includes advocating for the addition of AI-generated intimate abuse images to the list of prohibited practices under Article 5 of the EU AI Act.”
“In my own constituency, I recently worked closely with Aoife Noone, founder of Think Smart Cyber, who hosted excellent online safety talks in Loughrea and Athenry. Those events brought together parents, teachers, a detective garda from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, and a child and adolescent therapist. There is a reason Aoife is packing ballrooms all over Galway with frightened parents. What strikes me most is the fear that has gripped parents throughout my constituency. Parents want practical tools. They want clarity on threats like online grooming, algorithm-driven content and excessive screen time. They want to understand how social media affects the developing brain. Parents are petrified of the danger of online bullying, which has tragically cost many young lives. We need to get tougher on social media companies.”
“Generative AI holds enormous promise in healthcare, accessibility and enterprise but it is also being misused to create non-consensual intimate images, to produce harmful and extremist content and to exploit children and vulnerable individuals. The sharing of non-consensual intimate images is illegal. The generation of child sexual abuse material is illegal. The abuse of digital tools to harass or intimidate is illegal but enforcement and deterrence must keep pace with technological change. Ireland's online safety framework is strong. The Digital Services Act has ended the era of self-regulation. Coimisiún na Meán now has real supervisory and enforcement powers. The online safety code places obligations on platforms to remove harmful content and implement age assurance measures.”
“I am glad to be bringing this motion today together with my party colleagues. Fianna Fáil is committed to making the online world safer for everyone, especially children and young people. We are at a pivotal moment in our digital transformation. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we live, work, learn and interact as a society. Ireland has strong digital foundations and a well-earned reputation as a global digital hub. Growing up online offers extraordinary opportunity. Our young people can learn, create, connect and innovate in ways previous generations never could. Alongside these opportunities come very real risks that can have devastating consequences.”
“Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil an uaillmhian agus tiomantas san Aire, an Teachta Calleary. Tá muinín agam as go ndéanfar an dul chun cinn sna blianta amach romhainn.”
“Tá go leor dúshlán san earnáil oideachais. Aréir, ghlac mé páirt i ndíospóireacht ar TG4 inar luaigh an stiúrthóir ar an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas go mbeidh modúil ar fáil trí Ghaeilge in ionad cúrsaí iomlán Gaeilge. Tá sé luaite ag an Aire faoi chúrsaí a bheith ar fáil ag leibhéil 7 agus 8, agus cuirim fáilte roimh an ráiteas sin. In amanna, áfach, bíonn an meon san earnáil oideachais diúltach ina leith seo. Nuair a thógtar na cúrsaí atá go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge agua a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge as an áireamh, níl ach dhá chúrsa ar fáil sa tír seo. Mura ndéanann daoine cúrsa a bhfuil baint faoi leith ag an nGaeilge leis, níl ach dhá chúrsa eile ar fáil dóibh timpeall na tíre. Tá sé sin thar a bheith dáiríre. Mura ndéantar iarracht an Ghaeilge a bheith lárnach agus mura n-athraítear an meon sna heagrais éagsúla Stáit, ní éireoidh linn.”
“Ina theannta sin, tá méadú €2 milliún i gcóir scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeilge. Tá sé sin an-dearfach. Ní hamháin sin ach tá méadú €1.5 milliún i gcomhair scéimeanna tacaíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Tá méadú tagtha freisin ar an maoiniú breise d'Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tá sé sin thar a bheith tábhachtach i gcomhthéacs na ndúshlán ar fad atá roimhe sa Ghaeltacht. In ainneoin na dearfachta sin ar fad, tá go leor dúshlán. Is léir go bhfuil dúshláin ann maidir le tithíocht sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá géarchéim iontu. Tá go leor rudaí atá ag cur isteach ar thithíocht sa Ghaeltacht, go háirithe céatadán na dtithe atá ar fáil ar bhonn gearrthéarmach. Tá sé sin cloiste agam, go háirithe ó na Comhairleoirí Máirtín Lee agus Gerry King le déanaí. Tá cúrsaí dúshlánach dóibh sa Ghaeltacht. Mar iarmhúinteoir, tá an t-oideachas thar a bheith tábhachtach.”
“Luaigh an tAire na deacrachtaí agus na dúshláin atá romhainn maidir leis an nGaeilge, chomh maith leis an ngluaiseacht atá ann chun an Ghaeilge a bheith níos forleithne sa tír. Ag an am céanna, áfach, is tábhachtach an dea-obair atá déanta ag an Aire a aithint. Sa bhuiséad deireanach, d'éirigh leis méadú 29% a bhaint amach i mbuiséad iomlán a Roinne. Ciallaíonn sé sin go bhfuil méadú €36 milliún againn i mbliana as buiséad iomlán de €159 milliún. Mar gheall air sin, má fheictear ar na figiúirí, tá €3 milliún sa bhreis ar fáil i réimse na pleanála teanga. Ag cruinniú de chuid an chomhchoiste Gaeilge cúpla mí ó shin, luaigh finnéithe ó Ghaeloideachas go raibh géarghá le méadú i mbuiséad na pleanála teanga, agus tá mé an-bhuíoch go bhfuil sé sin feicthe againn anois.”
“Sula dtosaíonn muid leis an Seanadóir O’Reilly, I want to welcome four guests of Deputy Cormac Devlin to the Gallery. They are transition year students Claire Pegum, Áine Wyatt, Iris McMahon and Ellen Pluck. Tá fáilte rompu. It is great to see students coming in and witnessing democracy in action. We do appreciate it. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.”
“Before I invite the Minister to respond I must welcome the transition year students in the Public Gallery, who are here today with the Office of the Ombudsman. Tá fáilte mhór romhaibh agus go raibh míle maith agaibh as ucht teacht isteach.”
“Tá easpa seirbhísí poiblí ata riachtanach, bunseirbhísí gur cheart a bheith ar fáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta, nach bhfuil ar fáil. Ceann de na rudaí is mó a chuireann tús leis sin ná an easpa cúrsaí trí Ghaeilge. Tá géarghá le comhrá leis an Aire sa Seomra seo. Táim lánsásta Ní i dtosach suí a chur isteach más gá ach ceapaim go bhfuil géarghá le comhrá maidir leis sin.”
“Bhí comhrá againn sa choiste Gaeilge an tseachtain seo caite maidir leis an nGaeilge ag an tríú leibhéal agus líon na gcúrsaí atá ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. An rud is mó a sheas amach domsa ná taobh amuigh de chúrsaí oideachais agus an Ghaeilge mar chúrsa faoi leith - na cúrsaí cosúil le céim sa Ghaeilge nó céim san aistriúchán atá ar fáil - níl ach dhá chúrsa timpeall na tíre ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. Tá dhá chúrsa ann don tír ar fad. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sin inghlactha sa lá atá inniu ann. Ní hamháin go bhfuilimid ag iarraidh boscaí a thiceáil agus a bheith in ann a rá go bhfuil na cúrsaí ar fáil ach tá tionchar ag an easpa cúrsaí sin ar an sochaí. Níl na dochtúirí ar fáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta chun rudaí a chur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. Níl na múinteoirí in ann rudaí a chur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge uaireanta.”
“Amendments Nos. 337 to 339, inclusive, 341, 343, 346 and 348 to 351, inclusive are related. Amendments Nos. 349 and 350 are physical alternatives to amendment No. 348. Therefore, Amendments Nos. 337 to 339, inclusive, 341, 343, 346 and 348 to 351, inclusive, may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.”
“They still get two nights off. They are all very welcome. It is great to see students coming into the Gallery to witness democracy in action. It is really important that they engage in politics throughout their lives. Gabhaim buíochas leo as ucht teacht isteach.”
“I have the pleasure of welcoming teachers and pupils from Castlegar National School, not too far from me in County Galway, to the Gallery. They are all very welcome. As long as they take it handy on Kilnadeema-Leitrim the next time they play them in the hurling, I have the privilege to allow them the week off homework.”
“It screams an effort to just pacify people and keep them quiet, to brush the problem under the carpet and not actually address it. Across-the-board measures do not work. Every subject is different and every student learns in a different way. We need much more comprehensive action that actually addresses the problem. I would like the Minister to come to the House to discuss this. There is still time. The leaving certificate exam is still five months away. We can do an awful lot more for students in this country. Today's action is an acknowledgement that a problem exists and no more.”
“The SEC has given ten extra minutes across the board in every single State exam this summer, whether it is a short junior certificate exam or a three-hour-and-20-minute exam in something like English, where students are pushed to the pin of their collar, regardless of a learning difficulty, to actually finish the exam. A meaningless ten minutes has been added on to a lot of these exams but that does nothing for students who are really crying out for help. In the UK, for example, students get a minimum of 25% extra time in their exams if they have similar learning difficulties to the ones that today's action addresses, or tries to address. In Ireland, with this action, students will have an extra 5% on average across the leaving certificate. That is not good enough. It screams tokenism.”
“First, I pay tribute to former Senator and MEP Brian Crowley and extend my sympathies to his family and to the Cathaoirleach at this difficult time. Today the State Examinations Commission, SEC, published the guidelines for extra time in this year's leaving and junior certificate exams for students with very specific learning difficulties. It is positive that there is some acknowledgement that there is a problem, but that is as far as I see today's action going. It is an acknowledgement that a problem exists but it does nothing to solve it.”
“Some Gaelic football matches have had to be forfeited because of a complete lack of pitches. If the OPR had listened, Loughrea's sporting carbon footprint would be 5% of what it currently is. This shows the ramifications of not listening to local councillors on the ground. My ask today is that we speedily support the local government taskforce and rapidly give power back to local communities who elected their local councillors and put trust in them, instead of allowing the OPR to overrule every decision councillors make. I implore that we get that moving with speed.”
“When State agencies fail to listen to local county and city councillors on the ground, the consequences are invariably negative. There is a growing frustration among councillors. They sit through lengthy local area or county development plan meetings only for the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, to overrule them and to decide with a stroke of a pen that it knows better. For example, when I was a county councillor in 2024, we tried to zone lands for sports facilities in Loughrea. However, we were overruled, and it has caused a lack of sustainability in Loughrea. For example, in the past few weeks, Loughrea Rams' under 12 soccer team have had to make 40 km round trips for home games in Athenry. Our secondary school's rugby team has to make 126 km round trips to Creggs to play rugby.”
“They are two issues we are going to have to constantly work on into the future. Councillor Fionán Bradley also contacted me about the social housing scheme. There has been no real movement on that yet. He is hoping we can start on that in the very near future because it is a huge issue in Buncrana. Finally, there is the issue with community buildings. County Anthony Molloy in Ardara has a huge issue with naíonraí and other community buildings. He is hoping to see urgent progress made on that. Go raibh míle maith agat, Senator Gallagher, for the shared time.”
“During the summer, I had the pleasure of going to Inishowen. Councillor Martin McDermott brought me to his brother's house. It was just really sad. I stood and watched a man with tears in his eyes while he allowed me to stick my hand into the wall of his house and literally pull dust out. It is not something you cannot believe until you go and see it. The level of devastation this has visited on people makes it a really emotional issue up there. Like Senator Gallagher, Councillor McDermott has constantly been on about the vulnerable people who are trying to apply for this scheme but may not have the wherewithal to do so themselves. They need help from the State during the application process. The upfront costs make it prohibitive for a lot of people to access the scheme in the first instance.”
“Amendments Nos. 10, 26, 46, 53 to 55, inclusive, 69 to 73, inclusive, and 78 to 88, inclusive, are related. Amendment No. 84 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 83. Amendments Nos. 10, 26, 46, 53 to 55, inclusive, 69 to 73, inclusive and 78 to 88, inclusive, may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.”
“That is what I want from my town, but I do not see it in the response. It is a priority, but I do not see any commitment to fast-tracking applications even though zero facilities exist in a town where there is a glaring and obvious need. It is a passion of mine to see this delivered. I would really appreciate a more urgent response from the Minister so that she would commit to some level of fast-tracking in the case of Loughrea town. I do not know many towns in Ireland that cater for the needs of 24,000 people in an overall rural hinterland but do not have a single SEN classroom. That is not good enough in this day and age. I am passionate about this. I know I have gone over time. We need to see urgent action on this. Stage 2a still means there are years involved in this before we get to completion, and that is not fair.”
“I appreciate the response and I know the Minister of State is delivering it on behalf of a different Minister but, basically, what we hear in the response is that there is one SEN classroom on the way in Loughrea. It does not exist; it is on the way. I know that four are approved and that the project is at stage 2a with the Department, but I ask that that stage be fast-tracked. In a town where there is not a single SEN classroom, we see in the response that there is a four-classroom SEN base awaiting approval for Loughrea in St. Brigid's College, where I myself went to school. It would be great to see that delivered. It would be a proud day for Loughrea for us to finally be able to say that we meet the needs of every student and, no matter their needs, we will provide for them and give them the education they deserve.”
“Where there are not adequate facilities for people with special needs in our country, we need to see fast-tracked applications whereby a school puts in an application and it gets fast-tracked where the school has a clear desire to deliver proper education for our most vulnerable students but cannot physically do so with its current buildings. We need to see those applications fast-tracked, and I ask that the Minister of State consider that. I know this is not within his remit, but he might liaise with the Minister and make sure that we deliver for every student in Ireland. We should be judged on how we deliver for the most vulnerable, and we are not delivering in Loughrea right now. I am fed up dealing with that and I want to see action on it.”
“In Loughrea, that simply is not happening. It is not the fault of either of the two schools. The teachers, the SNAs and the special needs co-ordinators are doing their level best to try to deliver the best education they can for every child who comes through their door. Sadly, however, they do not have the facilities to do so. There is a ready-made solution sitting on the desk of the Department of education right now. It is an application for a 13-classroom extension in St. Brigid's College in Loughrea, which includes six SET classrooms. It would address the needs of the vast majority of students in the hinterland who need to access special education in their local schools. My request is simple.”
“There is not a single special educational needs, SEN, classroom at second level in Loughrea, County Galway. There is a rural hinterland with a population of 24,000 served by two secondary schools, not one of which has an SEN classroom. That is wrong in this day and age. An awful lot of students drive through Loughrea town and past their local secondary schools to get to towns like Athenry in order to access the nearest school that meets their needs. That is extremely wrong and we need to urgently address that. I fundamentally believe that, as a society, we should be judged on how we cater for the most vulnerable people in our society. Sadly, that is not happening in Loughrea. Every student in Ireland should be able to access their local secondary school and have their needs met on a fundamental level.”
“This is testament to the work she is doing and the impact her company is having for parents as regards the safety it provides to their children once they are armed with the knowledge. I was shocked by what I learned. Think Smart Cyber applied to the community safety fund, through An Garda Síochána, and unfortunately missed out. I would like to have a conversation with the Minister on why that was not rolled out because the initiative could have a huge impact on young people and their parents around the country, if what Ms Noone is doing could be rolled out nationally. I am my party's spokesperson on education and the talk was hugely educational. I learned so much, as did an awful lot of other parents. I encourage having a conversation with the Minister on this.”
“Last Thursday evening, I left Leinster House and hurried home to a talk in then Meadowcourt Hotel, which was completely sold out, by Aoife Noone on her Think Smart Cyber safety initiative, which tries to educate parents on the dangers of the online world for their children, and empower them. Parents are extremely fearful of what their children face online. They do not have a clue and feel powerless to try to help their kids to navigate the online world in a safe way. I regard myself as someone who is pretty clued in online and I found the talk extremely informative. I was totally out of touch with what young people are accessing online. Ms Noone and her company, Think Smart Cyber, won the 2024 digital impact of the year award.”
“Before I allow Senator Lynch back in, I welcome the group from Dromahane National School from County Cork. Senator Lynch tells me the school recently got a new school building. I was a teacher myself in the past. I took up a job and, six months later, moved from an old school building to a new one. I know the excitement involved in that. Congratulations to you all.”
“Today, I put on record my thanks to SpunOut for its 20 years of leadership and my support for its continued and increased investment required to ensure youth mental health services are not something we talk about but on which we deliver.”
“This morning, SpunOut highlighted the need for sustained multi-annual investment in youth mental health supports. It is doing extraordinary work but the demand is increasing. Young people are reaching out more and earlier. That they reach out earlier is a good thing but they are coming with more complex needs than ever before. If we want early intervention and if we want prevention rather than crisis, then we must invest in the organisations that are already delivering it efficiently. That means ensuring SpunOut and the wider youth sector have the resources they need to expand services, strengthen outreach and continue meeting young people with compassion and credibility. We often say our young people are our future. That is true but they are also our present. They deserve support now, not in ten years time.”
“It does this in a way that meets young people where they are - online, on their phones - and in language that is clear and simple. We all know young people today face pressures that did not exist a generation ago such as the impact of social media, the cost-of-living crisis, housing insecurity and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health. Organisations like SpunOut are often the first line of support. They are the ones young people turn to at 1 a.m. when they are anxious, unsure or overwhelmed. Put simply, SpunOut's work saves lives. It empowers young people to seek help, to understand their rights and to look after their well-being. It fills a gap that traditional services, despite best efforts, sometimes cannot reach, but this does not happen on goodwill alone.”
“This morning, I attended SpunOut's 20th anniversary in Dublin City Council and I congratulate the organisation on the milestone. For two decades, SpunOut has been at the heart of youth well-being, and when it was set up, one of the big focuses was on youth mental health in rural areas. I am all too familiar with that. I was a young person who grew up in a rural area and it can be hard, especially in winter months when there is rural isolation, for young people to look after their mental health. I compliment SpunOut on the concept it has been driving for 20 years. SpunOut provides trusted information on everything from mental health to employment to sexual health, education and navigating the pressures of modern life.”
“Before I invite the Minister of State to respond, I congratulate Councillor Brendan Mulroy and his guests from the Jester Bar in Westport whose Relay for Life group has raised vital funds for the Irish Cancer Society. Councillor Mulroy also asked me to wish the best of luck to Kilmeena GAA club which is playing in the intermediate football final this weekend. I now invite the Minister of State to respond.”
“There was an announcement in local media in March that the appointment of a contractor would take place on 20 March. That appointment did not materialised, however. There is major anguish among the local community because there is no alternative mode of transport in places like Tuam and Turloughmore other than the car. We need to provide viable transport routes for people. I would like a discussion with the Minister on this matter to allay the fears of Councillor Killilea and his community.”
“It is high time something was done. The students have spoken loudly to us; they want action now. Their parents are anxious that this go ahead and the teachers themselves are angry with the conditions in which they have to teach PE. I do not think we can stand over students having to make a 1 km round trip in the driving rain on the Atlantic coast as being fair in this day and age. I call on the Leader to talk to the Minister to have this matter addressed urgently in the context of the next round of sports capital funding. I also wish to raise the issue of the Local Link bus route between Tuam and Galway city via Corofin and Turloughmore. This is something Councillor Donagh Killilea consistently raised at Galway County Council meetings over the years when I was his colleague.”
“Seamount College in Kinvara urgently needs a new sports hall. I visited the school last Friday with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and we saw the lack of facilities that exist on campus in Seamount College at first hand. The school has seen a rapid rise in its enrolment in recent years, which is testament to the quality of education provided there. However, we need the resources to keep in step with that. On average, a student loses one full year of physical education, PE, per six years in school because of a 1 km round trip walk to the local PE hall in the town, which is very small. It is good that they have it, but I do not think from a practical point of view we should have a situation where 20 students watch four students play badminton in PE class, which is one practical example a PE teacher shared with us.”
“It puts pressure on students to think quicker than their brains can process information. I just do not understand how we got to the situation where 17 years after the initial recommendation was made by an expert advisory group set up by a Minister, we are still here. I do not understand it. I urge the Minister to help us out. I will work with her and I really appreciate her coming in, but this has to be solved this year. We cannot let another year go by and another cohort of leaving certificate students go by who have been failed by the system. I would really appreciate the Minister’s help on that.”