A total of 87% want their schools to stay English-medium schools. Only a small number want to move to Gaeilge-medium schools.

I believed the Ministers when they told me several times in this Chamber that they would work with me. I believed them when they said several times that they had the solutions. I believed the NCSE. I believed lots of people but that might be my political naivety. I am really disappointed. I have come to the Ministers several times both here and outside the Chamber, the committee has been on to them and I have submitted umpteen parliamentary questions. I have written letters pleading with them to do something on beh…

When preparing for today, I read a document that is for secondary school teachers to use with students to educate them. Just as my colleague, Deputy Whitmore, said, it is about education. The students who will use this programme will learn all about how air pollution happens and what needs to be done to mitigate it. It was a fascinating read but I will come to that in a second. I am a TD for Dublin South-Central. I am sure Members know that because I have probably mentioned it about 3,000 times since I have been in…

I canvass regularly in my constituency, Dublin South-Central, and I hold clinics on a weekly basis. I can tell the Minister that people are far from all right in Dublin South-Central. When we set aside the issues with housing and also that of appropriate school places – I am the education spokesperson – we see that the next biggest issue in my constituency is affordability. When it comes to the energy crisis and what is going on in people's homes, I note that renewables, solar and all these things are absolutely be…

Chair.

I welcome to the Public Gallery people who were incarcerated in Bessborough and other institutions. I particularly welcome Councillor Noelle Brown who was born in Bessborough and who has been an activist in this area for decades. Noelle has tirelessly highlighted the wrong done in this country. We are at a tipping point in how we acknowledge and make amends for our history and the large-scale human rights abuses that took place in mother and baby institutions. The incarceration of women and the forced disappearance…

I thank Labour for bringing forward the motion. Over the past number of weeks, community safety fora meetings have been happening in Dublin South-Central. It has been very interesting to see, over the number of years I have been attending, the waning of Garda numbers. At the moment, however, we are on a high where people are saying there is higher visibility in Dublin South-Central for gardaí, particularly in the Crumlin area, where there is a concerted effort for gardaí to be present there. This is highly welcome.…

The cost of living in this country is skyrocketing. Before the war in Iran, 320,000 households were in electricity arrears. People are choosing between heating and eating. The cost of living is impacting more than just energy, though, because there is now the price for education. Exam fees, which had not been in place since before the pandemic, are being reintroduced without warning to parents. The cost of living needs to be discussed this evening.

The first International Women's Day was observed in 1911 following calls for women's rights, including the right to vote and to hold public office. It was officially adopted by the United Nations in 1975. The day focuses on celebrating progress while urging pay equality, educational opportunities and increased representation and leadership. This year I was invited to a few events, and I was asked to make a few videos. I did not go to any events, and I did not make a video because my heart was not in it. I could not…

Families across this country are already at breaking point. I want the Tánaiste to imagine he is in a family that already counts every single euro going grocery shopping, maybe filling the car if you have one, only turning on your heating for a small amount of time in the day and then all of a sudden the President of the United States goes to war with Iran and you can no longer afford to do many of those things. This is the reality for families across this country. Already before this war, there were 320,000 househ…

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 Jen Cummins - To discuss the market that is to be restored to Newmarket in Dublin 8. Deputy Martin Daly - To discuss the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the severe cuts to SNA allocations across schools in County Kerry. Deputy Shane Moynihan - To discuss the need for adequate classroom provision for G…

I raise an important issue in my constituency, most particularly in Dublin 8, where I live. For many centuries, there has been a market in Newmarket. There is also the Iveagh Markets. There were markets all over this city but, sadly, we have seen the closure of many of them throughout this city. The Iveagh Markets have been closed for some time and Newmarket has become a place that would not inspire people to go and visit it because it is a bit soulless. There was a market there a number of years ago that brought t…

I thank the Minister of State for that answer but that is not what I was talking about. However, I am glad he has given me that answer because I can go back and let the people know what they already know about the Iveagh Markets. I was asking about the market on Newmarket. Newmarket is an historic part in the Liberties that is not the Iveagh Markets. I am delighted with this answer because I can go back to them but they and I already know this answer. What I am asking the Minister of State about is the market that …

Tá áthas orm labhairt maidir le Seachtain na Gaeilge. Mar a dúirt mé anuraidh, táim fós gnóthach ag foghlaim agus ag súil le feabhas a chur ar mo chuid Gaeilge féin. Ó ráitis na bliana seo caite, tá go leor plé déanta faoin nGaeilge, go háirithe le feachtas uachtaránachta Catherine Connolly. Léirigh an tUachtarán Connolly go bhfuil grá ag a lán daoine sa tír seo don teanga. Cosúil le go leor daoine eile, d'fhoghlaim an tUachtarán an teanga mar dhuine fásta. Spreag a feachtas go leor daoine chun an teanga a fhoghlai…

Special education in this country is decades behind special education other modern countries. In recent weeks and months, we have witnessed the absolute shambles of the SNA cuts and the lack of appropriate school places for children with additional needs. Thankfully, the Government, in a late-night announcement on Monday, conceded to public pressure, and a promise of €19 million, and no cuts, was made. The public accounts committee has representatives from the Department of education before it at the moment. The De…

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 Michael Cahill - To discuss improvement and refurbishment works for older school buildings across County Kerry. Deputy Grace Boland - The national fare structure for train fares and its impact on passengers travelling from Balbriggan and Skerries. Deputy Shane Moynihan - Plé a dhéanamh ar stádas DEIS do Ghaelscoil Lir. Deputy Duncan Smith - To discuss …

I thank my colleague, Deputy Rice, for bringing this motion forward and the huge amount of work he has done in outlining what we should have in this country, that is, free GP care. As already stated, Ireland is an outlier when it comes to free GP care. In Europe, access to adequate GP care, especially in disadvantaged areas like parts of my constituency of Dublin South-Central, is vital in order to have healthy communities. Research from adverse childhood experiences and longitudinal studies like the Irish Longitud…

I speak plainly about the role of SNAs and what they mean to children, families and schools and why the current situation has caused such anguish and confusion. What special needs assistants bring is “S” for security and safety, “N” for nurture and needs and “A”, they are advocates and assistants in our schools for our children who have additional needs. They are not add-ons to schools as somebody already said. They are not an extra that we might like. They are absolutely essential workers in our schools. I know th…

Mary, Miriam, Mary and Maurice should never have had to fight this hard to hear the words they did today. We should never have met outside Leinster House when they were outside on hunger strike, in the cold and dark alone, as they were so many times as children. That should never have happened. They should never have had to endure that. I thank them all for entrusting me with their stories. It broke my heart the first time I met them, and it still breaks my heart today. I am sorry for getting emotional, but it is o…

Considering the level of upset, uncertainty and worry the SNA cuts have caused, and the screeching U-turn that was made very late last night when most education workers were asleep, this matter needs to be on the agenda in the form of a debate as opposed to just statements. It is important that the Ministers responsible give a clear outline of the plans relating to what happened in the past week in order to make sure that trust is replaced and that we can have plans going forward that do not make people uncertain.