Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Session 1 will be a round-table discussion on the education needs of visually impaired students in primary and post-primary education. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Ms Eithne Walsh, who is the head of communication and advocacy in Féach; Dr. Patricia McCarthy, who is an associate research fellow in Trinity College Dublin; Ms Derval Healy, who is director of children and learning with ChildVision; Ms Toni O'Dwyer, who is the national children and young person's services manager with Vision Ireland; and Ms Rafiat Agbona, who is a law and criminology student at Maynooth University. The witnesses are here to discuss the education needs of visually impaired students in primary and post-primary education. I will ask each witness to make a brief opening statement lasting five minutes in the following order: Ms Eithne Walsh, Dr. Patricia McCarthy, Ms Derval Healy, Ms Toni O'Dwyer and Ms Rafiat Agbona. The statements will be followed by questions from the committee members. I invite Ms Walsh to begin.