Teresa Costello
Agricultural Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“For example, in Tallaght, Firhouse and Ballyroan, people are telling me that the road and junction narrowing has led to increased congestion, longer journey times and frustration on the part of motorists, while also making it more difficult for buses, delivery vehicles and larger vehicles to navigate safely.”
“Likewise, long-acting reversible contraception such as implants and intrauterine devices will continue to be provided through appropriately trained medical professionals. These safeguards ensure that patient safety remains at the heart of this new service. The legislation represents good use of public resources.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here today. Over the past few years and during my time as a councillor, there have been many changes to the roads in my area. It led me to ask the Minister to undertake a comprehensive review of the design manual for urban roads and streets, commonly known as DMURS.”
“I am not the first to raise this and I will not be the last but I am constantly receiving reports - one as recently as this morning - about the huge number of dumped nitrous oxide canisters in the community. If there is a car park that does not have a gate on it is left full of these. I have had to clear up car parks with people.”
“While I acknowledge the council's position, many local people's lived experience has been different from what has been said about DMURS. We are seeing queues building up at peak times, greater difficulty accessing side roads and a road network that is becoming less efficient for everyone who depends on it.”
“I looked at one particular junction where cars were constantly overshooting white lines. It was very confusing and difficult for motorists. The proposed removal of village car parking under DMURS creates significant challenges.”
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“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I want to highlight an issue that was brought to my attention at a recent meeting of the health committee. In Ireland, over 160,000 people are affected by food allergies. By my own admission, until I sat in that meeting I never thought about the impact that a food allergy could have on people, how serious it can be and the difficulties they face. It is a serious public health concern. Allergies affect up to 6% of children and 1% to 2% of adults. They are chronic immune-mediated conditions, often linked with asthma and eczema. They are still often misunderstood and underestimated. For those living with food allergies, the risk of anaphylaxis is constant. For people who do not know, that is a rapid life-threatening reaction that requires immediate treatment with adrenaline.”
“It cannot go ahead without this. It will enable a thorough and respectful engagement with those affected while ensuring their rights and dignity remain at the forefront. I wholeheartedly welcome it.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I welcome and support this motion. It is necessary and timely in light of the establishment of a statutory public inquiry into spina bifida and complex scoliosis services at Children's Health Ireland, CHI. The Minister of State spoke about the importance of lived experience. For these scoping exercises to proceed effectively, it is essential that the personal data can be processed lawfully. The legal basis for processing this is grounded in Article 6(1)(e) of the general data protection regulation, GDPR. As the work is necessary for the performance of the tasks to be carried out in the public interest and specifically to inform the Minister on the appropriate next steps, it is essential to ensure that the people are protected and that the necessary protections are in place.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Scoping Exercise in Response to Requests from Dignity4Patients) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Scoping Exercise in Response to Requests from Dignity4Patients) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Children’s Health Ireland Inquiry into Spina Bifida and Complex Scoliosis Services Scoping Exercise) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Children’s Health Ireland Inquiry into Spina Bifida and Complex Scoliosis Services Scoping Exercise) Regulations 2026, copies of which were laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 23rd March, 2026.””
“The broader factors include the severity of DMD, the lack of alternative treatments and the enormous impact of this condition on children, their families and the wider community. I ask that every possible effort is made to progress these negotiations urgently and to ensure that cost does not become the only factor in a decision about a life-limiting childhood condition. These boys and their families have waited long enough; they deserve urgency. Time is muscle and every day that passes, these boys deteriorate. They need access to medication, like children in other European countries with early access programmes and compassionate access, such as Belgium, France, the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. I want the same for Ireland.”
“Yesterday, I was informed that the health technology assessment has been completed by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE, and that its recommendation is that givinostat should not be considered for reimbursement unless its cost-effectiveness can be improved. I will not lie; my heart dropped. I know this is worrying for families but it is not an unusual decision when it comes to medicines for rare and severe conditions. The next step is for the NCPE report to be considered by the HSE when it makes its reimbursement decision in line with the Health Act. The process now moves into the HSE drugs decision system, where price negotiations can take place and where, more importantly, broader factors can still be considered.”
“Many boys will need a wheelchair by around the age of 12. As the disease progresses, it affects the spine, the heart and the lungs. By their mid-teens, some boys develop serious heart disease and by their late teens or early 20s, many begin to experience breathing problems. Even with modern medical care, most people with DMD will die from heart or respiratory failure before or during their 30s. For families, this is a devastating and relentless condition but there is hope. A medicine called givinostat is a game-changer. It halts the progression of DMD, giving the boys more time on their feet and a better quality of life.”
“I want to speak about givinostat and the current status of efforts to have this medication made available to the boys in Ireland who are living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD. I will outline the timeline and where the process now stands. On 11 June 2025, I stood alongside parents of families at a demonstration outside Leinster House and we held a briefing in the audiovisual room to raise awareness of DMD. What politicians learned that day is that DMD is the most common and one of the most severe genetic conditions diagnosed in early childhood. It almost always affects boys. Around one is every 3,500 baby boys worldwide is born with the condition. In Ireland, approximately 110 people are known to be living with DMD, the majority of whom are children. Children with DMD can struggle to walk, run, stand up and climb stairs.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I am glad that progress is being made. I will be making use of the email address for representatives to follow up because what I witnessed on Friday was chaotic. It showed terrible shortcomings for a rural area. I stood in a room with approximately 20 farmers who were suffering with poor Internet connections, which is a barrier to accessing the agrifeed system. In what other industry would you have 20 business owners who cannot access a basic service to carry out their work? It was very unfair on them. I committed to following up on that, so I will be making use of the email address. I ask the Minister of State to pass on my points about what I witnessed at first hand in Bohernabreena to the Minister.”
“However, for people living in places like Bohernabreena, they can feel very distant. What matters to residents, farmers and community groups now is whether they can connect today, whether the service is reliable and whether essential services continue to operate properly. For many people, the answer to this is "No". I ask the Minister of State to outline in clear and practical terms what steps are being taken to address poor broadband coverage in rural communities, how delivery on the national broadband plan is being accelerated in areas that remain underserved, and what specific measures are being taken to ensure that communities such as Bohernabreena and facilities like the community centre are not left behind.”
“At European level, there is a clear recognition of how important digital connectivity is. European policy aims to ensure that households, schools, businesses and public services all have access to high-speed broadband and modern mobile coverage. In Ireland, the Government has acknowledged that the market alone will not deliver broadband to many rural areas. That is why the national broadband plan was introduced in 2019, to allow the State to support the roll-out of high-speed broadband in areas where it was not commercially viable. Under the Government's digital Ireland strategy, the target is that all household and businesses will have access to gigabit broadband by 2028 and all populated areas will have 5G coverage by 2030. These are welcome and ambitious targets.”
“In simple terms, areas either have very good broadband coverage or almost none at all. The paper shows that more than 70% of small rural areas have broadband coverage of 10% or less, and at the same time, almost 90% of small urban areas have coverage of 90% or more. While most urban communities are fully serviced by commercial broadband providers, the majority of rural communities are being left behind. The research also highlights an important point that within areas that have poor connectivity, certain groups may be at even more of a disadvantage, including older people, low-income households and people who rely heavily on online public services. This is particularly relevant for farmers and rural workers who must now use online services to carry out basic administrative tasks.”
“I witnessed a staff member trying to get a resolution. It was a level of disruption and frustration that was really unfair. This shows very clearly that poor connectivity is not only affecting individual households or farmers, but limiting what community facilities can deliver for residents. We often talk about the digital divide between rural and urban areas, but it is important to understand how serious this divide actually is. In 2024, the Economic and Social Research Institute published a paper, called “Exacerbating the Divide? Investigating Rural Inequalities in High Speed Broadband Availability”. The findings of the research were very clear. They showed that Ireland did not have a slow or gradual digital divide. Instead, researchers described it as a binary divide.”
“For example, AgFood requires a two-step verification, and by the time the verification text arrives, the application has timed out, preventing the farmer from logging in. These systems are no longer optional, but essential. They are being designed under the assumption that everyone has a fast, reliable Internet connection, but that is simply not the case in many rural communities. This is not just inconvenient, but puts people at a real disadvantage. This problem is affecting vital local services as well. The local community centre is directly impacted by poor Internet access. On Friday, I witnessed that for myself when an issue arose where the broadband disruption affected the running of the centre. Staff were unable to carry out basic administrative tasks, bookings were disrupted, and some services could not be provided to local people.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in today. I raise the issue of the need for her to set out clearly what is being done to improve Internet access across rural areas. It is a real and practical problem for people in rural areas. In my constituency, an area called Bohernabreena is severely affected. Many residents and farmers there continue to experience very poor and unreliable broadband. This is now creating serious day-to-day difficulties. One serious issue that has been brought to my attention is that of people struggling to access the AgFood and other online agricultural systems that are now required for farming payments and compliance. When the Internet connection is slow or drops out, people cannot log in, pages time out and applications cannot be completed.”
“I can also say from first-hand experience that staff go above and beyond every single day to help and support the public. We often take for granted the work of a local authority because so much of it happens quietly and seamlessly in the background, but behind every successful event, every well-maintained park, every community festival, every road improvement, every grass-cutting programme, every library service, every community centre and every match day at our football stadiums, there are dedicated people who make that happen. I want to say a very sincere "Well done" to Colm Ward and all of the staff of South Dublin County Council. As a resident and a public representative, I feel genuinely lucky to have such a committed and hard-working team looking after the place I call home.”
“My dad worked there, my uncles all worked for the council, I worked for the council many years ago, I served as a member on the council and I am a resident of the area, so I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this recognition is truly deserved. The chief executive, Mr. Colm Ward, is a progressive, empathetic and forward-thinking leader who is always willing to listen and engage. His leadership sets the tone for the entire organisation. We are incredibly fortunate in south Dublin to have some of the best amenities in the country from our green flag parks to our excellent libraries, our community centres and local facilities. In South Dublin County Council, there is a constant drive to do better and raise standards for everyone who lives and works in our area.”
“I begin by congratulating the organisers of the 2026 Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, all-Ireland community and council awards on what was a truly fantastic event on Saturday night. It was a wonderful celebration of the people and projects that make such a difference in communities right across our country. For me, the night had very special significance because South Dublin County Council won not one, but two awards. It was recognised for the best enterprise and start-up hub for WorkIQ, but most importantly of all, it was named council of the year. If ever there was a time when I felt the right decision was made, it was Saturday night. I feel I genuinely know what South Dublin County Council is about and what it stands for.”
“We are at a place where there is no additional support if, for example, 120 people are applying for a school in Tallaght and only 30 are getting in. These are children who, for two years of their school lives, could be focused on and set up for secondary school without being slagged for being stupid. They are being called stupid by their peers. Kids do not understand. I will pursue this further. I thank the Minister of State for coming in today, but I would like it to be relayed to the Minister that I am not happy with the response and I feel that we are really letting down children with dyslexia.”
“I have spoken to the children, who have a lived experience and are saying they need more reading schools. I am not happy with the answer, if I am being honest. This is about two years of children's lives and getting them on the right road so that things can be turned around. I am dealing with one child who is under the second percentile, cannot get a place in a reading school and is getting slagged in the mainstream school. It is not good enough. Everybody's situation is different and requires a different approach. If we are coming from a base where, as the Minister of State said, the special schools were set up at a time when there were no other supports, then we need to get more schools now.”
“Rose’s is receiving 120 applications for 30 places, that indicates unmet need on a significant scale. I am asking if there are plans to establish additional reading classes, and more importantly reading schools, in under-served regions. Reading schools change trajectories and we owe it to those children to ensure it is not a rare exception to get a place but part of our national education structure. We must expand provision and ensure every child with a specific reading difficulty has an opportunity to succeed, regardless of their address.”
“International evidence demonstrates that structured literacy approaches, delivered intensively in small groups, significantly improve reading accuracy and fluency for children with specific learning difficulties. Articles over recent years have highlighted the emotional toll on children who fall behind in reading. Children as young as eight internalise failure. They begin to believe they are not intelligent. Reading skills disrupt that narrative. They do not just provide literacy intervention but restoration of confidence. The provision for reading classes in schools is patchy and uneven. Across the country there are 14 reading classes and just four reading schools, three of which are in Dublin. Children and families face what can only be described as a postcode lottery. If St.”
“They were really complimentary about the Wilson programme. They said it gets you ready for secondary school. One child told me that if there were more schools like St. Rose’s, people would not have to travel as far. That child travels an hour each way to attend. Having to commute long distances is the reality for many families but for others it is much worse as they cannot access a place at all. Research consistently shows that early, structured intervention is critical for children with dyslexia. Without it the consequences can be long-lasting, including school avoidance, reduced academic attainment and impacts on confidence and employment prospects.”
“The criteria for admissions are strict in that children must be aged between eight and 12 and dyslexia must be their primary difficulty. Children must have average or above-average intelligence and have an educational psychological assessment. Enrolment is limited to between third class and sixth class and children attend for a maximum of two years. St. Rose’s provides a targeted, intensive intervention. The school operates a 9:1 pupil-teacher ratio. Every child participates in the Wilson programme, which is a systematic, structured literacy programme designed to improve reading and spelling for those with dyslexia. I spoke with the students when I visited and they told me why their school works for them. They said there were fewer people in their classes and that they used programmes to break down words.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here. Dyslexia affects an estimated 10% of the population with about 4% experiencing severe dyslexia. In every classroom in Ireland there are children with specific reading difficulties. For some, mainstream supports are sufficient but for others they are not. Reading classes in schools provide specialised, short-term interventions for children with these difficulties. These classes operate with small pupil-teacher ratios, specialist methodologies and structured literacy programmes. Recently I met the principal of St. Rose's National School in Tallaght, which is one of the few dedicated reading schools in the country. The demand for places speaks for itself. This year St. Rose’s received 120 applications for just 30 places, which means that for every child who was admitted, three were turned away.”
“It allows healthcare workers to spend less time dealing with paperwork, which I am sure they would be happy about, and more time treating patients. Ireland has lagged behind other EU countries in giving citizens access to their own electronic health records and that gap is no longer acceptable. This Bill, alongside the digital for care strategy, is how we close it. In supporting this legislation, we are laying the groundwork for a safer, more connected and more patient-centred health service. Fianna Fáil strongly supports the Health Information Bill as a landmark reform that will deliver lasting benefits for patients, healthcare professionals and the wider health system.”
“It will reduce duplication, improve safety and support truly integrated care. The Bill underpins all of that work. It establishes a duty to share health information for care and treatment, strengthens protections around the primary use of health data and enhances patient safety through robust identification processes, including best-practice use of eircodes and PPS numbers. It also improves the quality of health information available to the HSE for public interest purposes, including planning and service delivery. The Bill is technical but its impact is profound. It is the legal foundation for a digital health service. It means better care, quicker access to information, greater patient control, and more cost-effective use of public resources.”
“The national shared care record is another critical building block. Its roll-out will allow key health information from hospitals, GPs and community services to be viewed in one place at the point of care. That means safer clinical decisions, less time spent chasing information and more time spent caring for patients. A phased roll-out is due to begin later this year, with national expansion from 2026. Looking ahead, the national electronic health record represents the most ambitious transformation programme in the history of the health service. Government approval to begin procurement marks a major milestone. A national EHR will give clinicians access to a patient's full medical history in real time, across all care settings, while empowering patients with access to their own records.”
“The Bill supports the implementation of Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024 to 2030 and the HSE's implementation roadmap. Together, they set out a clear path to the full digitisation of health records, in line with the programme for Government and the principles of Sláintecare. We are already seeing progress. The HSE health app, launched in February 2025, has been downloaded by over 140,000 people, with more than 91,000 users accessing their personal health information, which is absolutely brilliant for people. Its expanded functionality is improving patient engagement and reducing missed appointments. That is something we often speak about. The app has been co-designed with patients, staff and advocacy groups, which is essential for public trust and uptake. The figures show that it has been successful.”
“This Bill helps to make that a reality. It allows healthcare professionals to see a more complete and holistic picture of the patient they are treating, while reducing duplication, delays and inefficiencies across the system. The Bill empowers the HSE to draw together health information from public, private and voluntary care settings. It is very disappointing to hear about the one hospital that has not come on board. That is essential if we are serious about delivering continuity of care and improving outcomes. Paper-based systems are no longer fit for purpose in a modern health service. This legislation is also central to Ireland meeting its obligations under the European health data space regulation.”
“I thank the Minister. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Health Information Bill. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this legislation. It provides, for the first time, a clear legal basis for digital health records in Ireland and it is a foundational reform for how care will be delivered into the future. At its core, this Bill is about patients. It will give people easier and more meaningful access to their own health information, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and their care. It establishes the legal basis for digital health records, allows greater patient access to information, and facilitates the appropriate sharing of care records to support integrated care. Integrated care, as envisaged under Sláintecare, depends on having the right information in the right place at the right time.”
“The way Senator Conway spoke of his uncle really struck me. It is a very real burden. I too have family members who have had shingles. It is not there for people to see; it is a very privately borne and lonely illness. The pain just does not seem to end with it. Fianna Fáil supports continued evidence-based progress towards a shingles vaccination programme.”
“It did conclude at that time that it could be cost-effective at certain ages but that the price of the vaccine was quite high. I am told it is consistent with some international experiences, and HTAs in other European countries reached similar conclusions. In 2025, the HSE entered some negotiations with the manufacturer and, again, the price quoted was still high. Despite that, progress is being made on this. I am told the Department is committed to examining the introduction of a shingles vaccine for a cohort of immunocompromised individuals in the first instance. HIQA has also been asked to consider whether new scientific evidence has emerged since 2024. When this work is completed, the Minister for Health will be able to make a more informed decision. This debate is timely and necessary, however.”
“Ireland's immunisation programme, guided by the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, currently advises that shingles vaccination may be considered in those aged 65 and over and recommends vaccination for adults aged 50 and over with immunocompromised conditions. At present, the non-live recombinant vaccine, Shingrix, is available in Ireland. It is administered as a two-dose course and is more effective than the older vaccine, Zostavax - my pronunciation is terrible - and can safely be given to immunocompromised patients. In 2024, HIQA published a comprehensive health technology assessment, HTA, and there were issues around the pricing. Some of the costing was that to roll out vaccination for everybody aged 65 and over would cost €218 million. I will have to check if I am correct on that.”
“Hospital data over the same period shows an average of 285 related discharges and more than 2,600 bed days per year, with almost three quarters of discharges and nearly 90% of bed days occurring in people over 50. There were 54 deaths in acute hospitals during that period, and the vast majority occurred among those aged 75 and over. These figures do not capture those who may have died in the community. International evidence also demonstrates that people who are immunocompromised experience higher incidence and more severe disease. While overall mortality from shingles is low, the burden on individuals is clear.”
“Around one third of people who have had chickenpox will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime, with two thirds of cases occurring in those aged 50 and over. The consequences can be severe. Morbidity increases significantly with age, and the most common complication of this condition causes persistent and often debilitating pain long after the rash is resolved. It can lead to a marked reduction in quality of life, limiting mobility, daily activity and overall well-being, while also increasing the need for medical care and support. The data is stark. GP surveillance between 2013 and 2022 shows that shingles rates rise sharply with age. The highest mean rates are among those aged 75 to 79.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here and thank Senator Conway, who spoke brilliantly. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and about the shingles vaccination programme. Fianna Fáil welcomes the debate and we note that the Government is not opposing the motion. That reflects a shared understanding across this House of the seriousness of shingles and its impact, particularly on older people and those who are immunocompromised. It is not a minor condition. It is caused by the same virus, as was said, that is responsible for chickenpox. Following a primary infection, the virus remains dormant in the nervous system and can reactivate years and even decades later as shingles.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the response. I do not really like to use the word often but I think we are in an "emergency" situation with this. Not to be dismissive of anything that the Minister of State has said, a fact sheet is not going to cut it with a 16-year-old or a 17-year-old. We need to reach young people. Given that something so easily available can cause spinal cord damage, we need immediate action on this. We do not want a tragedy. I do not want to wake up and read on the front page of a paper that there has been a huge tragedy. This is everywhere. In a small area of Tallaght the amount that is being consumed, and the size of those canisters, is frightening. We definitely need something that will reach the younger people. I genuinely do not think it is fact sheets.”
“I just really want them to be protected in this. The evidence now is showing clearly that it is not harmless and the cost to young lives on long-term health is already being felt in hospitals and communities.”
“There are also risks about the settings in which people are taking this. People can fall, collapse or have accidents. There are a whole lot of issues around this practice. It is not only a health issue, however; it is an environmental and community issue too. The sheer scale of these discarded canisters in our communities and neighbourhoods sends a very clear signal that this problem is growing and we cannot ignore it. Education around it is vital. We need to be clear, honest and consistent with our information for our young people in particular, as well as parents, schools and youth services about the real risks. We need far better reporting and monitoring of the health incidences relating to nitrous oxide in order that communities can understand the true scale of harm. I am not here to blame young people or judge them.”
“Professor Looby has warned that many teenagers who would not consider using other drugs are inhaling from these canisters because they believe them to be safe, but what doctors are seeing is spinal cord damage and in many cases permanent damage. Although most of the patients in the study improved with treatment, none of them made a full recovery and every single person was left with some level of lasting neurological injury. It is an extraordinarily frightening outcome for a drug that young people kind of perceive as being harmless. We need to be honest about the wider risks and side effects. Inhaling directly from the canister without a balloon is particularly dangerous. The gas is cold and can cause frostbite to the mouth and nose and damage to the throat and lungs. Other people are at greater risk if they have heart conditions.”
“This clinical evidence confirms what youth workers and community organisations have been warning for years, that is, that this misuse is rising rapidly among children and young adults. Nitrous oxide is cheap, easy to buy online for a legitimate commercial use and widely perceived as harmless fun, but the medical evidence tells a different story. It interferes with the body's ability to process vitamin B12. This can lead to a serious condition called subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord. The symptoms include numbness in the hands and feet, difficulty walking, poor balance and problems with co-ordination.”
“What I find particularly frightening is what has now been revealed in a new Irish study. A study published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology shows that young people in Ireland are increasingly being diagnosed with spinal cord damage caused by the recreational use of nitrous oxide. The research was led by Professor Seamus Looby, consultant neuroradiologist at Beaumont Hospital and honorary associate professor at the RCSI. The findings show a very clear and disturbing trend. Between 2012 and 2020, not a single case of spinal cord damage related to nitrous oxide was recorded at Beaumont Hospital. Between 2021 and 2024, however, 14 cases were diagnosed, with the median age of those patients being 20 years. It is a dramatic change in a short period.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here. I wanted to have this discussion today because, like many others, I am genuinely concerned about the growing use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. Tallaght Tidy Towns volunteers, in particular Nico Crowley, collected 305 nitrous oxide canisters in January alone from just five locations. Just think about that for a moment - in one part of a community, in one month. The reality is that that figure is almost certainly only a fraction of what is actually being used. Everywhere you look - parks, footpaths, green areas, estates - you can see these canisters discarded. They have become a part of our street litter. Behind that litter, however, is something far more worrying, namely, the health impact on our young people.”
“Before I call the next speaker I want to welcome to the Public Gallery my dear friends, the lost boys, also known as the Dragon walking club. This group of people are very close friends of mine and they have raised tens of thousands of euro for numerous local and national charities. Alongside our good friends in Kerry, we do annual walks. I think everyone here has contributed at some point and has heard of this group. It is an honour to have them in here today and we will have a good night tonight. Senator Sarah O'Reilly is next.”
“We talk a lot about data, outcomes and systems. All of that is so important but behind every statistic is a person, a family and a team of professionals doing really difficult work every single day. The staff who treat and care for people with cancer carry an enormous responsibility. It cannot be an easy job. They deliver life-changing news. They walk alongside people through fear and uncertainty and they continue to show compassion even in the hardest of circumstances. Today reminded me that while policies and programmes shape our health services, it is people, dedicated skills and deeply caring people, who truly change lives. I will always be grateful for those who looked after me.”
“As we all know, today is world cancer day. Earlier on, I attended the launch of the cancer dashboard for Ireland prepared by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics. The report made some very good points and is a really interesting read. However, today, something unexpected happened to me. At the launch, I came face to face with my oncologist from 12 years ago, Professor John Kennedy, and I had not seen him in over ten years. Seeing him again today was genuinely emotional and it was so random that it was on world cancer day. He was a huge part of my breast cancer journey. At a time when my world had become very small and uncertain, he represented hope. I always knew that when I walked into the hospital to see him, his objective was simple: to get rid of my cancer and give me back my life. Today, I finally had a chance to say thank you.”
“It has been said that we have spent about 19 hours discussing this, and I think it was hours well spent. It was not a hardship for me, being honest. I have learned a lot about the other Senators in the room. I do not think we are too different. We want the best for people in Ireland because mental health is everybody's health. It is good to get to where we are today and we will be back in March. I cannot top Senator Boyhan. I do not think he omitted anyone from his acknowledgments and thanks, so I echo whom he has thanked and acknowledged. It has been great to have such robust discussions. I have certainly learned a lot from this and I also thank everyone involved.”
“It is great to see funding going into an organisation like that. We can see the work. I do not think anyone would disagree with me when I say that Jigsaw is doing a great job.”
“It has to be done the right way. I liked the Senator's story about people going to sing, but maybe if they reached out to the Minister of State and the Departments, they could be talked through how to acquire funding. Unless they were refused funding, then we could look at why they were refused funding. I commend the amount of money being put into Jigsaw. Yesterday, Jigsaw appeared before us at the health committee. What an organisation. There are very short waiting times to get an appointment with Jigsaw. When I was a local councillor and people came to me, Jigsaw became the default organisation that I would send them to. There were people whose children were in dire straits. Jigsaw would have somebody ready to talk with them, definitely within the two-week mark. Through Covid, it was doing that online.”