This matter relates to Cavan No. 1 National School on Farnham Street in Cavan. The school has an enrolment of 106 pupils - the number is increasing - and its ethos is Church of Ireland. It is an excellent school that has a very caring attitude. The school is in crisis, however, because a number of students who require special needs assistants, SNAs, do not have them. Two students have just joined junior infants. One has been diagnosed as autistic and is non-verbal. The other has quite complex needs and is awaiting an assessment by the children's disability network team. Neither has access to an SNA. As a result, the principal and the English as an additional language, EAL, teacher are providing the assistance required at the moment.

The principal is in the classroom with one of the students until 11 a.m. That student then goes home and the EAL teacher comes into the classroom to stay with the other student who only arrives at that time. What we have are two members of staff who do not have the ability to perform their own duties because they are in a classroom for a number of hours each day providing assistance to students who require it. This also means that the two students are not being given the benefit of a full day in school at any time. Parents are questioning why this is the situation.

There is another pupil in second class who is autistic and who has no SNA access. There is also a student in third class who is a wheelchair user, and there are times when she will need two SNAs in respect of toileting or other care needs. There are two SNAs employed in the school, but all of these students are in different classes. As a result, the SNAs are not able to provide support to them. They are under pressure to do as much as they can.

The school applied for additional SNA provision since September but this was refused. It was more or less told to make better use of its SNAs. That is just not possible at the moment. The school is concerned that if its appeal is turned down, it would have no option but to tell the students in junior infants that they cannot be accommodated. The school has already had to let one student who has siblings in the school go. That student travels 30 km to another school to get an appropriate education. The school would love to have that student back and the parents want the student back in the school. As a result, everyone involved wants a special class in the school, hopefully from September. The school has been inquiring about the latter for the past six months.

The urgent need in this case relates to additional SNA support in the school in order that the principal and the EAL teacher can perform the duties they are assigned to and that all of the students can be in attendance for the full day each day. Hopefully, the school will get a special class in September in order that it would be in a position to accommodate all of its students who are autistic in the same classroom and provide them with an appropriate education.

Cavan No. 1 National School is one of four schools in Cavan town. It is the only school that does not have DEIS status. It is also the only school that does not have a special class. It has heard about other schools being contacted about the establishment of special classes. Some of those schools are not willing to do this, but the school in question is willing to do it. It feels it is being penalised because of its Church of Ireland ethos. I am sure that is not the case, but I would like that clarified. It is also because the school is small. Some parents choose to send their child to a smaller school because it is more intimate, they know the staff better and the students, especially those who are autistic, are not overwhelmed by a large number of other students. It would be an awful pity if this school has to turn away students who want to attend because it is not being given the necessary supports.

I thank Senator Tully for very clearly and eloquently outlining the challenges that this school is having in terms of the lack of provision of SNAs and the challenge this is creating from the point of view of staff and SNAs not being able to cater for children who have additional needs. I have no doubt about what she is saying and the challenges those involved face. It is important to say that there is no discrimination on the basis of the fact that this is a Church of Ireland school. There are some incredible schools out there of all different denominations and none, which provide children with an incredible education. They should have access to the same services, which I know they do.

I will outline the national context before I come back to the issue with this particular school. The Senator will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools by helping to ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

By the end of the year there will be over 23,000 SNAs working in our education system, committed to supporting and nurturing children with special educational needs. The number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually, resulting in a significant increase in the number of SNAs employed by schools. Budget 2026 provides for a further 1,717 SNA posts, which will bring the total number of SNAs to close to 25,000 by the end of 2026.

The NCSE manages the allocation of SNAs to schools. It is the responsibility of the NCSE to ensure that these resources are allocated to students with the greatest level of need. The NCSE’s reviews can see an increased or reduced level of support or no change in allocation. This has always been part of its work and is necessary to ensure that resources are allocated in line with the level of need.

The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, visited Cavan No. 1 National School earlier this year, as the Senator knows, and met with staff. This issue was raised at that point. The NCSE has advised that the school has submitted an appeal of the SNA review outcome, which is currently being processed. The Minister cannot pre-empt or get involved in the outcome of the review, so he cannot comment further on the process. The NCSE will advise the school of the outcome when the appeal is completed. While the school awaits the outcome of the appeal, the NCSE's local special educational needs organiser, SENO, is available to discuss the current deployment of SNA supports and to offer advice as to how to use these supports to the best advantage of the students. The NCSE in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.

Regarding the sanctioning of special education classes, the NCSE is currently collating the information received via the parent notify portal. Parents were asked to notify the NCSE by 1 October if seeking a special educational placement in the 2026-27 school year. Once this data and information has been verified, the NCSE will be in a position to engage with schools and match which schools are best placed to open new classes to meet known demand in local areas. The NCSE is working towards sanctioning the majority of new special classes for the 2026-27 school year by 31 December 2025.

I accept that much of the reply relates to the national context, which, I suppose, is helpful in understanding the challenges that exist. In relation to Cavan No. 1 National School specifically, there is an appeal ongoing that precludes the Minister from commenting. That said, I totally understand the challenges that the Senator outlined very well. We have seen it in many other schools, including in my constituency, where there is a challenge in terms of maybe toileting needs and so on and where the onus is put on the teacher to provide support and also teach and manage the classroom. I understand the challenges. Let us await the outcome of the appeal and then we will look at how to proceed.

I am aware the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, visited the school about six months ago. There is a specific issue now regarding the SNAs. The allocation has been appealed. Hopefully, the result of that appeal will go the way of the school. There is also the issue of the additional classroom. It makes sense in one way to prioritise larger schools because they will probably have a larger proportion of students with additional needs, but we should not forget about the smaller schools that parents have their children attend. It is important that children can attend their local school and have access to appropriate support there. It is also important that they can attend the schools their siblings are attending.

That is the case with this issue. Many of the families whose children attend the school live in the Cavan town area. They walk to school. Some of them do not have transport to go to different schools if the supports are not offered in this school. I am hoping that the NCSE and the Minister can put the supports that are required in place as a matter of urgency, but also put a plan in place for an additional special class next September.

The Senator hit the nail on the head with her closing comments. When the NCSE is looking at these situations and at allocations, it cannot just be a case of using a black-and-white formula. Individual circumstances have to be taken into account. As the Senator stated, things such as whether a sibling is attending the school or whether there are no other schools in the area that suit the needs of the student involved have to be taken into account. I completely appreciate that. As I said, the Minister unfortunately cannot comment prior to the outcome of the appeal. I am more free in terms of the comments I can make. In that context, let us await the outcome of the appeal. I am sure all of the points the Senator made were made in the appeal. Of course, the NCSE has to take all of that into account. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, has already visited the school and has clearly taken an interest in it. He will be free to comment on the matter when the appeal is decided upon.

The issue I am raising is one of great importance. It relates to the training of elected representatives such that we may be properly able to support victims of domestic violence and abuse. The Government's new housing plan contains strong commitments to victims of domestic abuse. It recognises that when a household is fleeing domestic violence, staying safe often means relocating. The plan ensures that survivors who are forced to relocate will not face barriers in accessing housing supports. Survivors can immediately avail of social housing supports and will not lose time spent on the housing list when moving between local authorities. These are welcome changes which, unfortunately, are necessary. In the second half of 2024, 117 households presented to emergency accommodation due to domestic violence, while this year, 189 households presented.

Policy and procedure alone will not be enough, however. As elected representatives, we witness at first hand the impact domestic abuse has on individuals and families. Ensuring that we are properly equipped to respond to victims is not optional; it is our responsibility. Only with the right knowledge, sensitivity and training can we fulfil the commitments laid out in the Government's plan. During my time as a councillor on South Dublin County Council, I benefited from training delivered by Saoirse Domestic Violence Services. That training helped me and other elected members and staff to better support victims seeking assistance. All elected representatives should be offered and should undertake such training.

The new housing plan rightly contains a commitment to the effect that victims will not face the barrier of having to start over from scratch when relocating to a new local authority area. It also rightly recognises that safety should not mean starting again. I raised this in November 2023 in the form of a motion I tabled at a meeting of South Dublin County Council during my time as a councillor. I am glad to see what was advocated for locally has been taken on board nationally. The supports are in place, but do all elected representatives understand the lived reality of fleeing abuse, of picking up children, of leaving their home under duress? Do we understand how to direct victims to the right supports, ensuring that their housing applications are dealt with sensitively, how to communicate with the local authority and safeguard confidentiality and dignity?

The housing Minister as a crucial role. Will he initiate a nationwide programme of domestic violence awareness and response training for all elected representatives in Ireland? When someone flees an abusive home, they need more than a policy promise. They need an elected representative who knows what to do, how to help and how to ensure the system delivers. Let us ensure that our policy ambition is matched by our practical readiness. I commend the housing Minister on the progress made in the new housing plan. I especially commend him on the focus placed on victims of domestic abuse, showing his understanding of the importance of the changes that are needed. The training of elected representatives must follow swiftly, however, to ensure that we fulfil the commitments laid out in this plan.

I thank Senator Costello. On the back of her raising this, I will bring it to the senior Minister, Deputy Browne. What she is asking for is incredibly important and necessary and there should be no reason we cannot do it. The issue she raises is very thought-provoking. It makes us all, as local representatives, think about whether, when we have been in that position of trying to support survivors or victims of domestic abuse, we have always given the right guidance. The Senator is right - I know I do not have the training, expertise or knowledge in terms of pointing people who contact my constituency office where to go and as to what supports they can get. I have learnt slowly over the years but I never had that training, and I should have had it. Luckily, I have a terrific team in my office who have far more knowledge about how to deal with situations involving women, in particular, in really desperate situations. I commend Senator Costello for raising this here because it is something that needs to happen. Quite often, constituency offices are the go-to places for people who find themselves in desperate situations. They are often in incredibly emotional and anxious states and are looking for support. If we are their go-to office then we need that proper training. Well done to Senator Costello on pointing that out.

I have a response to read as well. I probably will not get through all of it. It sets out what kind of training is there at the moment, which many will know already. Each local authority is required to adopt a training and development programme for elected members. This is more relevant to councillors. Approval for attendance by an individual member at any course is a matter for each local authority to decide within its budget, in the context of its annual training and development programme. A contribution towards relevant education and training programmes at QQI level 6 and higher is only one of a number of supports available to elected members to assist them in carrying out their role. Local authorities may provide up to €700 per annum per councillor for attendance at conferences and seminars. Councillors may also attend appropriate events organised by recognised bodies, and training by the Institute of Public Administration, as well as the spring and autumn seminars held by the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and by the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA.

The AILG is a recognised training body for the provision of appropriate and relevant training to elected members. Since 2014, the AILG has typically provided six themed training and development modules each year that are delivered on a regional basis in conjunction with Departments, State agencies and local authorities. The review of strategic policy committees, SPCs, made recommendations in relation to training for their members. On foot of these recommendations, the AILG and Institute of Public Administration delivered the first strategic policy committee induction session on 17 April 2025, and training for SPC chairs was delivered on 2 and 3 September. These were well received and it is intended to provide further training sessions for SPC members. It is expected that the forthcoming local democracy task force may look at further areas to support councillors in the discharge of their functions. There is an opportunity there to introduce training for public members in relation to dealing with victims and survivors of domestic violence.

My Department recently published Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. One of the key pillars is that of supporting people. A key part of this pillar is homelessness prevention but another key part, as the Senator has rightly said, relates to supporting survivors of domestic abuse. What the reply is pointing out is that within local authorities there are training seminars that can be attended by councillors. There is definitely a discussion to be had there from the AILG and LAMA as to whether more conferences should be held on training for public representatives. That only targets councillors, however. As I said at the outset, the offices of Senators and TDs right across Ireland tend to be go-to support tools for survivors and they need to be trained better. Senator Costello has hit the nail on the head and I will undertake to take this back to the Minister for housing to ensure this is rolled out.

I thank the Minister of State. I cannot overstate how important this training is. That somebody trusts us enough to approach us for help is a privilege we all have in the jobs we are lucky enough to be doing. We do not want to put people wrong. We do not want to miss an opportunity for somebody to escape a terrible situation. It is easy to give people advice when you are not living their reality. It is the training that teaches that patience is often needed and the understanding as to why it may take people several attempts before they leave. They deserve a safe space and a person who they feel knows what they are talking about. I benefited greatly from the training rolled out by Saoirse Domestic Violence Services and I urge all public representatives to get themselves trained on this matter to ensure they do the best for their constituents.

That is a really good point. Perhaps we should not wait until there is a national programme of training. We should all take it upon ourselves to get training and advice on how to deal with these situations. They are such sensitive matters. At what point should we contact An Garda Síochána? Are we fully aware of all the refuges and shelters for victims of domestic abuse in our areas? All of that comes into account. There is a bit of pressure on us as well to make sure we do the right thing because we have someone who is generally in quite a vulnerable position. All I can say is that I will talk to the Minister about the idea of a national training programme for all public representatives, not just those in local authorities. The message from the Senator is that, with the likes of Saoirse Domestic Violence Services providing this training, there is a bit of an onus on us to reach out, train ourselves up and become more qualified so that we can deal with these situations with more confidence. I thank Senator Costello again for raising this matter.

I thank the Minister of State for coming in to address this absolutely crucial piece of strategic infrastructure for County Wexford, one of the single biggest projects that the county needs in order to capitalise on its potential. I am aware that the Minister of State will be visiting south Wexford tomorrow. I look forward to welcoming him to Lady's Island. He will travel the same road on which I am looking to get an update on today. I refer to the need for the Oylegate to Rosslare motorway to be delivered and developed. I am seeking an update on that. At the moment, the road travels the whole way from Larne in Northern Ireland all the way down to the little village of Oylegate. Any traffic that is heading to Rosslare Europort must travel through the village of Oylegate, around the Wexford ring road, into Drinagh, down then to Killinick, to Tagoat and on then to Rosslare Harbour.

As a result of Brexit, we have seen a €230 million investment into Rosslare Europort. I was there with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, only a few days ago. The reality for the people living in that area is that the harbour having gone from 20 sailings a week to now close to 75 sailings a week means the volume of traffic making its way to the port is now directly affecting the lives of all those residents living in that area. The infrastructure has not followed and there is quite a lot of frustration that, due to the court case relating to the Galway ring road and the knock-on impact of that judgment on requiring active-travel considerations, this had added over a year extra to the time it will take to deliver the motorway. A preferred route has been selected for the motorway. Will the Minister of State provide an update on where things currently stand in relation to the motorway and the commitment from the Government for funding this project beyond the planning stage? When we finally get through the planning stage, is the commitment there from Government to put the money in place to go to tender, CPO and construction?

I know the road very well because it leads to Lady's Island and also down to Tacumshin. Any birders or birdwatchers out there are very familiar with the road. I have travelled it quite a lot and I totally understand where the Deputy is coming from in terms of the need for this development. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The Senator will know a lot of the information in the reply already but I will certainly elaborate on anything I can.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned - in this case, Wexford County Council. TII ultimately delivers the national roads programme in line with Project Ireland 2040, the national planning framework and the NDP.

Approximately €502 million of Exchequer capital funds were provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2025. This is used for the construction of major new roads as well as the protection and renewal of the existing network. Under the NDP, a number of major new roads projects have already been delivered since 2021. These include the Dunkettle interchange in my county, the N5 from Westport to Turlough, the N22 from Ballyvourney to Macroom and bypasses of Moycullen and Listowel. Other new roads projects, such as the Adare bypass, are under construction or in the design phase. The Oylegate to Rosslare Harbour project falls into the latter category. In other words, it is in design phase. In the context of the national roads programme capital budget, which is provided by the Department of Transport to TII, significant funding has been provided for the development of the N11-N25 Oylegate to Rosslare Harbour project, which was allocated €4 million in 2025. This important project will increase the safety and capacity of the N11-N25 corridor, in addition to improving connectivity between Wexford, the surrounding areas and international markets.

In that regard, it is important to point out that Rosslare Europort has seen greatly increased traffic since the departure of the UK from the European Union. As such, the project will also strengthen Ireland’s international links, having positive economic benefits for the country as a whole. The proposed project will also provide journey time reliability for road users, which will improve the quality of life of local residents. A major benefit provided by the proposed project is the improvement in road safety, and provision of infrastructure that can accommodate a larger volume of road users, including passenger traffic, freight traffic and road based public transport. The Senator already knows all this. It is essentially what he said in his opening statement.

Furthermore, the safety performance of some sections of the existing N11 are substandard, with collision rates twice the national average. The existing corridor also fails to provide dedicated and high-quality facilities for vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The scheme is intended to address this.

Technical advisers have been appointed to progress the project through the planning and design phases, including statutory processes. A preferred route option was selected in late 2021 and work on the design and environmental phases began shortly thereafter. It is anticipated that these phases will be completed late next year, following which a preliminary business case will be submitted for Government approval, as required under the infrastructure guidelines. Subject to the necessary approvals, a planning application will follow.

I also mention the Rosslare Europort access road, which is expected to commence construction next year. This project will provide greatly improved access to Rosslare Europort for freight and passenger traffic and will complement the Oylegate to Rosslare Harbour project.

What I have outlined is the need for the project. I think we are all in agreement on that. There is a design process to go through. Like most public representatives, I dislike the term "preliminary business case", but considering the response from the Department of Transport and the Minister, there is a sense of priority and urgency, so I have no fear of it. We will do anything we can to speed it up. I thank the Senator for raising it.

I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to this important infrastructure for County Wexford. Given the Government will shortly announce a series of measures on how the delivery of strategic infrastructure projects might be accelerated, can consideration be given to including the Oylegate to Rosslare Harbour motorway when those proposals are published? It is important infrastructure for County Wexford and I cannot stress enough the impact the success of Rosslare Europort is having on local communities there. A lady said to me during the week that the Wexford ring road is now effectively like a car park at times coming up to sailings. As we now have 75 sailings a week, up from 20 pre-Brexit, the Minister of State can imagine the impact that has on local residents.

We should be in a position to welcome and rejoice about the fact that Rosslare is busier. We want that, but we cannot have it impacting residents and the county. A preferred route was selected in 2021. That is a while ago now. I get the Senator's frustration. This should be more advanced at this point. Let us get the design done and go through the statutory process as quickly as possible. From the Department's response, I get a sense that there is now a bit of urgency about it, so I hope we will see progress soon and that I will see the Senator in Lady's Island.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to answer this Commencement matter. When I was canvassing in 2024, I came across houseowners in the village of Inver in County Donegal, which is badly affected by coastal erosion. Since then, I have been working hard on it with the homeowners. A few days after Bridge Street in Killybegs flooded - the Minister of State might have seen it on the television as it went national - the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, visited Killybegs and, at my request, he also went to Inver village to see first-hand what was happening there with coastal erosion. On that day, the Minister of State met Donegal County Council engineers, homeowners and the OPW on the site.

I am asking about the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme and particularly the delays in Inver, County Donegal. Despite an allocation of €45,000 in April 2025, no work has started. It was proposed to install rock armour along the face to help to keep the pressure off the gabion baskets, which have been there for more than 40 years. They have done a great job, but need to be reinforced. Given the urgency of the situation for homeowners, I am seeking clarification from the Minister of State about the reason for the delay. What steps is the Department taking to ensure the timely delivery of this project? This is a matter of urgency and concern for the people in the houses when a storm is forecast. When I was there, there were waves going 5 m over the thing and there are children in one of the houses. The work needs to start as soon as possible. Every week we delay, there is more erosion. I hope the Minister of State has brought some good news about when the work will start and finish.

I am not 100% sure my answer will give the Senator the comfort he is looking for, but I am glad he raised the matter, because coastal erosion along the whole west coast, including the south-west and north-west coasts, is a big issue. It is coming down the road like a train and we will have to invest more and more in it to protect communities. I hope that the fact gabion baskets are already in place and there is some form of coastal protection will make it more straightforward from foreshore and statutory requirement points of view. I will go through the response from the Department, which might clarify who is responsible for what.

Coastal erosion and localised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address. Local authorities can undertake these works within their own resources. In 2009, the Office of Public Works introduced the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to provide 90% funding to local authorities to undertake studies, coastal erosion or minor flood mitigation works in their administrative areas. The minor works scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short timeframe and the costs do not exceed €750,000. From the way Senator Boyle described this, I doubt they would exceed that amount, but we will leave that to the experts.

Applications under the scheme are assessed by the OPW, having regard to the specific economic, technical, social and environmental criteria set for this scheme. To be approved for funding under this scheme, the benefits from the works must exceed their associated costs. To date nationally, the OPW has approved over €70 million for more than 900 unique local flood relief and coastal projects that are providing benefits to some 8,000 properties. Since 2009, the OPW has approved some €2.4 million in funding for Donegal County Council for some 45 projects. As part of this, €112,500 has been approved for coastal erosion works in Inver, through four separate applications by Donegal County Council.

Under the minor works scheme, it is the responsibility of the local authority to advance the works once they have been approved by the OPW. This includes all environmental assessments, planning consents, health and safety requirements and landowner agreements. The most recent funding approval of €45,000 for Inver, which the Senator mentioned, was announced in April this year by my colleague, Deputy Moran, who is the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. This funding was for Donegal County Council to construct a row of rock armour along a line of existing gabion baskets to provide protection from further damage. I understand the council is continuing to engage with landowners to be in a position to commence these works. While the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, has recently announced revisions to this minor works scheme, these revisions do not change the approvals of funding for Donegal County Council for previously approved works at Inver. I understand he will be setting out the details of the revisions to this scheme over the coming weeks.

The Government recognises the risks associated with climate change and that increases in sea levels and storm damage will result in increased frequency of coastal erosion.

In response to these challenges, the recommendations outlined in the report of the interdepartmental group on national coastal change management strategy are being implemented.

The allocation has been made from the OPW. From the response I have just read out, it seems it is now down to the local authority to proceed with putting in the rock armour to protect those gabion baskets that are already there. That is quite clear in the response. I am not sure whether there is a further role for the OPW in this. Perhaps there is and I would have no problem going to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and asking him to engage with Donegal County Council to ask about where matters stand and the reason for the hold-up. The response mentioned engagement with landowners. I would assume all landowners in that area would very much welcome this development. There is an onus on Donegal County Council to ramp up the speed at which it delivers this, since the funding is there.

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. There is an onus on the OPW and Donegal County Council to get things moving. It is a massive issue in Donegal. This is only the tip of the iceberg. These people's houses in Inver are within five metres of their gardens going into the sea. It is important we get moving on it. A stitch in time saves a lot of money. We should put in the rock armour now and get it done before there are any more storms. That will give the people in the houses reassurance. The children in the houses will know that, when they go to bed at night. their gardens will not be gone in the morning. I went there after, I believe, Storm Éowyn. I saw the waves cracking in and the water coming onto the windows of the houses. It was scary. Donegal County Council and the OPW really need to get moving on this. Hopefully, when the Minister of State goes back to the other Minister of State, the latter will make a call to Donegal County Council to find out what is going on and whether we can push it on.

It is a gorgeous piece of coastline. I know it well. It is stunning but very exposed to the west and it gets those big swells coming in. As I said, there are more frequent storms. To the credit of Donegal County Council, it has applied for 45 projects, worth approximately €2.4 million, under this scheme. It has been quite active in that space. It will have to be because the area is so exposed. The money is there from the point of view of the OPW. There is an onus on the council to crack on and get this delivered. There are always challenges for a local authority in delivering projects. However, I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and ask him to reach out to the chief executive in regard to this situation and find out what the delay is. I can imagine the fear and anxiety on the part of the residents.