Eileen Flynn (Independent)

I am privileged to be a member of the infrastructure committee. It is new for me. It gives me an opportunity, as a person who was seen as a one-trick pony, to bring my ideas here and to keep a focus on human rights and equality too. When we think of infrastructure, we rarely look at it through the lens of equality and what that means for communities and for people.

One of my focuses on this committee, along with schools and hospitals, as some of the other members have spoken about, will be playgrounds fit for purpose for disabled children. Another of my focuses will be Traveller accommodation.

I hope I can bring something new to this committee. I look forward to working with my colleagues, especially Senator Davitt. Hopefully, I can bring something new in respect of rural communities and transport, for instance. Mica-affected concrete is a big issue in Donegal and that is an issue I look forward to addressing through the committee. My experience, through the education committee and the disability matters committee previously, was always talking about concrete in that we build from concrete and it is really about those services on that basis.

We can do so much as a committee but we have to be realistic as well. While we have a responsibility around housing and houses being fit for purpose, we should also know that, as a committee, we will not be able to change the whole of Ireland as much as we want to. It is important that we, as a committee, are realistic about the work we can do.

I look forward to our work. Again, I congratulate the Chair. I look forward to working with him and to being a unique voice on this committee.