An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-17
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Seán Kyne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

I thank all Senators for their contributions, starting with Senator O'Loughlin, supported by Senators Tully, Scahill and Boyhan, who spoke on the pausing of the cuts to SNA numbers. The Minister has indicated that SNAs play a crucial role in our schools, that she knows what they mean to school communities, parents and the children they support, and that she has listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. She reiterates that there were no cuts to SNA numbers. She wants to ensure that SNAs are with the children who need care the most. To that end, she is pausing the review of SNA allocations. She, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are engaging intensively to ensure all of the concerns raised are understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported. No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks. I welcome that, as have Members. We look forward what comes from this. We all know the importance of special needs assistants and the work they do in our schools.
Senator O'Loughlin also raised the issue of women working on building sites. We has a debate last week on apprenticeships with the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. The Senator highlighted that up to 3,010 women are involved in apprenticeships, some in construction. She mentioned some of the issues they may have which need to be addressed. I will request a debate with the Minister for further and higher education, Deputy James Lawless, on that matter. The Senator also acknowledged the work of volunteers around the country and the work of Kildare Volunteer Centre.
Senator Duffy raised the Love 30 km/h campaign by Culleens National School in Mayo and spoke about the benefits of the safe routes to school programmes, reduced speed limits and the investment in relation to this. Roads programme funding was announced today. I hope there is scope within that for additional safety works at Culleens National School. I acknowledge the Senator's advocacy on this issue.
Senator Clonan gave an impassioned speech regarding disability and the cancellation of spinal surgeries, with some 500 cancelled in the past four years. From the reports, I understand there were a number of reasons, for example, issues with children getting sick, emergency cases taking priority, clinical decisions or personal, parental and guardian reasons. During the pandemic, 15% of cancellations were due to Covid. There were also cases where intensive care unit beds were not made available. I will request a debate on this matter. There has been a lot of investment in this area and there have been improvements. Additional people are being seen for scoliosis procedures but there has also been increased demand. I acknowledge Senator Clonan's advocacy on this matter. I will bring it to the attention of the Minister for Health.
Senator Comyn paid a lovely tribute to Tony Smith from Drogheda who has passed away. His garage is 90 years in business. Our sympathies to his wife Mary, his extended family and all who knew and loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Senator Brady raised the issue of sepsis, which is a real threat. I think we all know people affected by sepsis, some of whom, unfortunately, passed away. It is a silent killer at times and people might not realise they have it until they start to feel very unwell.
The Senator mentioned courses of antibiotics.
I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on that matter also.
Senator Craughwell raised the issues of air traffic control and the boarding of shadow ships, and requested that the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien come in, as well as a debate with the Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee. Deputy McEntee will be in the House next Wednesday for statements on defence and I will request that Deputy O’Brien come in to discuss issues of air transport.
Senator Fitzpatrick shared her frustration and anger at An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision to overturn the plans for the Rotunda Hospital. Clearly, An Coimisiún Pleanála is an independent body and she rightly calls out the cynical politics by some who are blaming the Government for this. The inspector’s report was overturned and Senator Fitzpatrick cast her ire at the Civic Trust and at architectural heritage needs being put over the needs of women and children. I certainly hope that those or similar plans can be resurrected to ensure plans at the Rotunda Hospital go ahead.
Senator Boyle raised the issue of seaweed and protecting our shoreline and I am familiar with this issue in Galway, in Connemara. The Marine Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, is involved in the licensing of seaweed, and former Ministers of State, Damien English and Deputy Kieran O’Donnell, did a fair amount of work in relation to this area when that section was in the Department of housing and local government. The former Minister of State, Damien English, raised the issue of putting a committee together to get best advice on this, and got advice and a judgment from the Attorney General in this regard. Where there are seaweed rights listed on a person’s folio, they are protected. There are also what are called appurtenant rights in relation to seaweed harvesting. It is a slightly complex area because some rights might not be defined, some might be part of the Land Commission or may not be available. There are historical rights and there is great attachment among those harvesters to the harvesting of seaweed. I will request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, on that matter.
Senator Keogan called for a debate on hauliers and the burden on the industry due to the pressures they are experiencing. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, on that matter.
Senator Maria Byrne called for people who have not availed of or applied to the pyrite resolution scheme to do so before it closes. I acknowledge her advocacy to have Limerick included in that programme as a number of houses there have been remediated.
Senator Andrews raised the issue of the Nations League and that UEFA is breaking its own statutes. He is right of course to say the players should not be the ones who ultimately have to make a decision on this. They cannot be put under pressure on this issue. They are there to play football and need to be allowed to do that. The FAI has made its call and UEFA disagreed and did not sanction it. It is obviously in the hands of the FAI and UEFA but I certainly hope that if the game is sanctioned to go ahead, there will be no blame attached to the players.
Senator Boyhan raised the issue of SNAs, which I covered, as well as the issue of the prison report for Mountjoy Prison. I asked the Minister for justice to come to the House for that debate, and also for a wider debate on prisons. He is dealing with legislation in the Dáil at the moment but I will remind him again of that report.
Senator Kennelly raised a paediatric dermatology consultant post in Kerry and the costs of travel and time of going to Dublin, and the pressure that that puts on services in Dublin. I ask him to put down a Commencement debate in relation to that particular issue because it is quite specific to the Department of Health.
Senator McCarthy raised the requirement for the Department of Defence to approve a request from the Irish Air Corps to capture images on 12 August of a rare solar eclipse. The Minister, Deputy McEntee will be before the House next Wednesday. He may wish to raise it with her on that occasion.
Senator Nelson Murray acknowledged the Meath Travellers workshop she visited with Maria Walsh MEP . I acknowledge the good work it does, especially of course in relation to Traveller Pride Week. I will request a debate with the Minister for education to coincide with that.
I think I have covered all the issues raised today.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-17