Dáil debates

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements

 

3:55 pm

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 crisis has had a very negative effect on young people. The closure of schools, colleges, sporting clubs, arts organisations, including dance and music groups, and so on has left a huge void in the lives of young people. Not being able to socialise with their friends, classmates and teammates as well as with their extended families, particularly their grandparents, has had a highly negative effect on them.

Young people have not been given the support they need to get through this crisis. We know the crisis is going to continue and will not go away in the short term. Has the Government put a strategy or plan together, along with funding, for a vision of how we will engage with young people? I have been involved with young people through coaching and training teams at my local GAA club, St. Vincent's, for over 35 years, as well as through my work with youth clubs and community groups. Our pitches are locked and our complexes are closed. All of our facilities are closed to young people. We would love to get young people back in but because of social distancing and the rules around that, we cannot do so. What we are seeing now, however, is more and more young people hanging around on street corners and other areas. My worry, both as a parent and as a person who works with young people, is that some of them will get involved with alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour. Many children are going to have serious issues with their mental health and there is a big job of work to be done by the Department in that context. I ask the Minister to give us some insight into what the Government is planning to do in that regard.

Unfortunately, young people with disabilities or additional needs are the forgotten victims of this crisis. The nature of the virus necessitates social distancing, which has led to the withdrawal of supports and the closure of schools.

I speak to parents who are under tremendous pressure in trying to mind their children and maintain social distancing while getting them through every day. Many of these children do not understand what we are going through. Will the Minister update me on the Government's plan to give these families support, which they need now?

I note the provision of such education comes under the headings of both education and disabilities, which come under different Departments. My problem is that parents are contacting me because their children cannot get into pre-school, primary school or secondary school if they have disabilities or additional needs. The question they are asking me is why the Government is not ensuring that every child is equal. We see in the Proclamation that every child should be equal. However, in this country, if a parent has a child with a disability or with additional needs, they are not equal in the current circumstances.

I am a new Deputy and the Minister is the old regime. Nonetheless, I respect her and the work she has done in her role and I hope that, before she departs, she could do some work on this issue because these families need support at this time. My fear is that the Covid-19 crisis and the provisions we have put in will hurt the families of children with disabilities, special needs and additional needs.

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