An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-24
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Eileen Flynn (IND), Administrative Panel

Last week, Donald Trump made a comment about people with dyslexia and said they were dumb. Over 63,000 children in Ireland have dyslexia. I want to send those children a message to say that they are not stupid or dumb. He is the leader of a country who can say what he wants to say, cause as many wars as he wants and is accountable to absolutely nobody. He is a simple man with a simple mind who judges people. He is a narrow-minded man who does not care about other individuals.
How many mothers have children with additional needs? As we stand in this Chamber, how many children are struggling in school only to hear a statement like that from Donald Trump? If I was the likes of Donald Trump, I would give myself a really good wash, get the orange off my face and act like the leader he is meant to be of the country he is meant to lead.
He should be ashamed of himself. Leaders around the world are looking at him and having talks with him because they have no choice. To be so hated and come out and turn on children and people with learning difficulties, calling people dumb, is awful. My mother, Lord have mercy on her, used to say you should never laugh at a fool because he would only get worse, but he is not a fool. If he was a fool, he would not be the President of America. He is a mad man who is full of ego and control. We need leaders around the world to stand up to him and not to be afraid of him. He is causing wars and is now looking to invade Cuba. Come on. We have to, as leaders, stand up to this man. If I was like him, honest to God, I would buy a bar of soap from the pound shop, have a good wash, just sit down with my family, be realistic and not be doing what he is doing with his silly statements and putting down the hard work of mothers and fathers. The world is hard enough without children believing they are dumb because they have a learning difference, not a learning disability.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-24