Education (Leave for Injuries) Bill 2025: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Mike Kennelly (FG), Labour Panel

As the bell for the Dáil was ringing, the Minister was saying that this is a very important Bill.
I am pleased to speak in support of Senator Harmon's Education (Leave for Injuries) Bill 2025, which is before the House this evening. First, I acknowledge the work that has gone into developing this legislation, not only by Senator Harmon but also by Fórsa and the INTO, and by the campaigner, Sophie Cole, and her husband, Shane. I welcome them to the House this evening. Sophie's advocacy has been charmed. She is leading this out. She has been instrumental in bringing this issue to where it is right now on a national level.
A lot of us have a personal interest in this issue, as many of us have family members who are either SNAs or teachers. Tonight, we have their back on this. The Bill is rooted in the lived experience of teachers and special needs assistants who support children in classrooms across this country every day. It is about real people who have been injured, traumatised or left without adequate support under the current system.
The Bill seeks to modernise and amend the existing assault leave circular, which many staff feel is outdated and inconsistent. Senator Harmon's proposal replaces it with a more compassionate, accurate and protective approach, one that the Bill sets out in a number of clear and reasonable principles. First, it ensures that paid leave is granted for the full period for which an injury is medically certified. That is a basic standard of fairness. No teacher or SNA should be left worrying about income while recovering from an injury sustained at work.
The Bill provides for immediate financial assistance to cover the costs that arise when someone is injured or assaulted in the course of their duties. These costs can be significant and unexpected, and it is only right that the State steps in promptly. The Bill guarantees access to appropriate information and supports, including specialist and psychological services, where needed. We know that not all injuries are visible. Trauma, intimidation and delayed symptoms must be treated with the same seriousness as physical harm.
The Bill provides for early retirement options in cases of long-term or permanent incapacity. This is a humane and necessary provision for those who cannot safely return to their roles. As Senator Cosgrove said, it is a worker's right and a human right. The Bill requires that any future scheme be agreed in consultation with trade unions. That is essential. The people who work in our schools must have a voice in shaping the protections that affect them.
The Bill ensures that teachers and SNAs are treated equally under the scheme. Too often, SNAs, who are overwhelmingly women, have found themselves treated differently in policy and practice. This Bill corrects that imbalance. This is a balanced and constructive proposal. It does not place unreasonable burdens on schools or the Department. It simply ensures that when staff are injured in the course of their work, they are treated with dignity, consistency and compassion.
This issue was a major topic of discussion at both the INTO and Fórsa conferences in 2025. As we approach their next conferences, progress on this Bill would send a strong signal that this House is listening and responding.
For all of these reasons, I strongly support the progression of this Bill to Committee Stage. I hope colleagues across the House will join in allowing it to move forward so that we can continue the detailed work needed to deliver a fairer, modern system of injury leave for the teachers and SNAs who give so much to our children and schools.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18