This is an extremely difficult and challenging topic. I feel a huge weight on me to speak on behalf of people who have experienced child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools. I welcome the visitors to the Gallery. As difficult as it is for me, I do not know the words to describe what it must be like for them. It is very important that we discuss this here, that there can never again be silence for what has happened in the past and that we have full justice for survivors or victims. Those two words are interchan…

I am thankful to Sinn Féin for tabling this motion and I welcome all the people in the Gallery. Yet again, here we are in Ireland where women have to talk about the most private things in public. I was in here earlier talking about child sexual abuse in Ireland, another secret that was kept for so long. In the time I have been here, I have spoken many times in the Dáil on issues that affect women and children in this country. I do not understand how we keep repeating the same thing over and over. We need to see the…

In the 1990s, I worked in London at a domestic violence project to support Irish women in my job in a school completion programme. Every single year, we supported children who were growing up in families where domestic violence was an everyday occurrence. My doctoral research found that the number of young people who left school before the leaving certificate was due to violence in the home. I interviewed a number of students at the time. Now, in my constituency, people come in every single week, telling me the dir…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss the need for all special schools to accept children at different levels on the autism spectrum. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss the need to improve the design of the entrance to the Rush side of the Rush and Lusk train station. Deputy Shane Moynihan - To discuss online disinformation and the need to promote and resou…

In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time on Wednesday, 16 July 2025.

In recent days, the Chamber has spoken about the cost of living and how it affects education. To provide the bigger picture of what the cost of living for families is at present, if we look at it through the lens of education, which in my opinion is the foundation for our society, we have voluntary contributions for schools because schools cannot afford to keep the heating on. Parents are not fundraisers, they are taxpayers. We have hot school meals in our schools. I worked in education disadvantage for a very long…

Gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin as an rún seo a thabhairt. For the previous nine days or so, chaos and confusion has reigned. It has been an omnishambles of a will they, will they not? There have been three different proposals as to how putting the student contribution fee up by €1,000 might look. Fees will go up by €1,000, followed by discussions about a two-tiered model and there was then support for families with multiple children in third level. All the while, families are grappling with the thoughts of whether t…

That is very welcome but words are one thing. We need action. I did not come in here to lecture the Minister, although I was a lecturer in DCU and as was my educational role previously, I will set some things out. Sometimes in this House, we forget what the rights of young people are. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights explicitly states that everyone has the right to education and that education is crucial for the realisation of human rights, such as the right to participate in society, the right to work and…

I represent Dublin South-Central which is a densely populated area. A huge amount of building is going on, particularly in areas like Bluebell, Inchicore, Ballyfermot, Park West and around that area. Our access to rail is actually quite limited. The Luas goes through it but it is constantly jammed. Bus services are being re-evaluated at the moment in terms of BusConnects and people are quite unhappy about that. I love that DART+ is going to come out. Kylemore and Ballyfermot are future-proofed but when I did the re…

Some of the parents in our school system are having to act like fundraisers because the schools are not fully funded. I know the Government has increased the capitation grant, which is welcome. However, having spoken to many different schools, DEIS schools in particular, I know that fundraising is very difficult because families are struggling with general day-to-day costs. The same is true in special schools. Parents are exhausted from the level of care needs. At what point in the future will we be able to get rid…

-----but I am wondering about forward planning. I thank the Minister.

In recent months, since the Government was formed, there have been announcements about additional school places for children and young people with additional educational needs, be it in special classes in mainstream schools or in special schools. There have been promises that special education will improve. I know the Minister of State and his officials are trying their best in every way to ensure that happens. This is very welcome. I find it very hard to understand that elements of the EPSEN Act, which was introdu…

It is a defining moment for the preservation of our history. The GPO is fundamental to our past but it is not a relic. It has huge potential. I am lucky to live in Dublin South-Central, where Deputy Ó Snodaigh also lives and where history and historic buildings are preserved and celebrated. They include the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Kilmainham Gaol, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Of course we do not always get it right. I also live in a constituency where Kilmainham Mill has yet to see the preservation and restorati…

In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is postponed until the next weekly division time.

This motion comes at a time of deep concern for the people of Ireland but particularly for my constituency of Dublin South Central. Our capital city is at breaking point. The housing crisis we are living in is dire. Every single clinic I have is jammed with people who are in desperate situations. They are coming to the clinic, the phone never stops ringing and the emails are full. When we reach this point, what else needs to happen for genuine action to follow? As a politician and a person who lives in my constitue…

I thank Sinn Féin for introducing this motion. The Social Democrats will support it. Democracy is something we must strive to keep in a world where we see it being eroded and erased. Voting in elections is fundamental to democracy. The decision to extend voting rights to people has been a battle, particularly for women, over the past 100 years. Last year was a bumper year of elections. We had local, European and general elections. I do not need to tell anybody in this House about them; we all know about them. Every…

Community training centres, CTCs, provide an excellent education to young people in second chance education. There are 31 community training centres located around the country. Young people aged 16 to 21 who have left mainstream education before the leaving certificate can attend these centres, which provide a range of training and other supports to them, achieve QQI levels and progress to further education and employment. I have the pleasure of being on the board of directors of one of these community training cen…

I thank the Minister of State. It is great to raise this issue. It is great that the Minister of State is visiting these centres because they are amazing. While I understand that boards are responsible for the pay and conditions of each staff member, the funding given centrally to the community training centres is not enough. Although the staff are supposed to be put on the same pay and conditions, or pay rates, as Youthreach co-ordinators, the funding is not there to pay them at that rate. If they are supposed to …

I wish to ask about schools that cater for young people with mild general learning disabilities. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Scoil Eoin in Crumlin in my constituency and seeing the absolute care and love in that school for those students. I was really taken with how well they are provided with an excellent service for their education but also for their future. What will happen now with regard to this school having to broaden its admissions policy?

I accept there are children who will pass by special schools to go to other schools because there is no capacity for them in that school, whether that is because of the admissions policy or because of what they are catering for. Notwithstanding that, could we not as a country, seeing as we are quite rich, have schools that cater for mild general learning disabilities as well as schools that cater for more complex needs? Do we have to have catchall special schools? That is the phrase that is being used. Could we not…