Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am next. Let us look at Oberstown and special care in Tulsa.

We heard last week there was an incident in Oberstown where nine staff were injured and four went to hospital. We can look at special care and the number of people on extended leave or sick leave due to injury. I think we are all agreed more therapists are needed for special care and we are failing in that regard but on the security guards who are potentially about to be hired, and Deputy Kerrane spoke about this as well, it is a real cry for help. We will have Tusla in on 10 July and we will all be eager to talk about this, but given the very high turnover and the desperation, what are the witnesses' views on the security guards? I am coming at this as a behaviour support specialist who has a back injury and has had many injuries over the years from dealing with challenging behaviour. I loved my job and would turn up for work every day. People outside maybe do not understand when you come home with an injury and ask how can this happen to you at work. Unfortunately, whether it is in special schools, autism classes or special care we have amazing carers and therapists who are putting themselves at risk for the care of children daily. That is the case in the special care unit I am sure. What would the office's short-term solutions to keeping the staff safe in there if it should not be security guards? Three to six months will be needed to get these therapists in and it might even be a year before we start making progress on reducing challenging behaviour. How do we keep special care units staffed and keep the staff and children safe in the short term?