Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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I am currently in Leinster House. My thanks to everyone for coming in, for sharing their world with us and for their comments. I was struck by the frustration and anger in LilyRose's comment that she is not a vector. Some of us in here were talking about how we need to be careful with our language around this. I would call out Deputy Whitmore for leading that and if I did it, it was only because I was copying her. Some of us in here were saying we need to be careful with our language and to avoid exactly the stuff LilyRose talked about.

I have two questions. One picks up on Conor's comment about the community supports that came in and were good. We have heard from our guests what annoyed them and what was frustrating. What worked? What were the community supports that worked, as Conor said? What were the things that people did that were actually helpful in the face of the pandemic? What were the positive things among all the negative changes? Is there something our guests found was so good that they would like to see it continue as we move away from the pandemic?

My other question is around our guests' experience of the children's council. It sounds like a positive initiative. I have been a scout leader in the past and perhaps I was a leader to some of Olga's leaders. That is how old I am. Scouting talks a lot about youth participation. Where else would our guests like to see a children's council? How can schools do it better? How can we in the Oireachtas do it better?

I have a similar question for Ms Howard. I ask her to share her learning and experience of the children's council. Who is receptive to it and who is not? Is there anything we can do to help spread that learning? Those are my questions.