Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for coming before us. I am a former member of Roscommon County Council. In February 2025, Councillor Laurence Fallon put a motion to the chamber proposing that the council write to the Minister for Education and Youth requesting the introduction of extra time for students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties sitting second level examinations. There was a very positive response - almost unanimous - and quite a number of members opened up about their own experiences and delayed diagnosis. It is only when you start reading into some of these things that things are triggered within yourself and you say ,"I wonder are there similarities there? Are there traits I would be familiar with?" Councillor Fallon mentioned on the day that one in ten people will be diagnosed with dyslexia throughout their lives, and it is a significant condition that affects people in many different ways. The bottom line is that they need assistance and support.

I hear from constituents about the impact on their children's lives in education. The processing time for these students to do the same work as their peers takes a lot out of them, which has a knock-on effect on every other element of their lives. I am for this measure and I will advocate to do something on this to support Dyslexia Ireland, like Roscommon County Council did. I am interested in hearing from Sive. Is she speaking?