Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to acknowledge some proud Kerry people today. I want to acknowledge Jacqui Harteveld and Mary Ellen Browne, the community development and social prescribing co-ordinators in Listowel Family Resource Centre; Toni Clarke, the family support co-ordinator; and Jackie Landers, who runs the show there. They are building communities and supporting families in north Kerry. I want to acknowledge Sheila O’Donnell in Knockglossmore in Camp who is a driving force in every local event and a pioneer in providing a defibrillator to her local community. I also mention Patricia Sheahan and her team in palliative care in Kerry. Karen Lovett works with families who have a child with a life-limiting condition. I acknowledge all the women in Bud’s in Ballyduff. Catherine Casey, who runs Adapt in Kerry, helps to combat the scourge of domestic violence. I want to acknowledge women in so many clubs who are responsible for the welcome explosion in the number of women participating in sport in Kerry. I refer to women like Laura Falvey in Tralee Dynamos and the Parkrun team. Thousands of extra women and girls are involved in sports now compared to a decade ago. I want to salute Bridie Buckley, who recently retired from the south Kerry local employment service. She trained thousands of people from south Kerry, especially after the crash, and rightly fought against the privatisation of her service. I want to acknowledge Marian McCabe who gives her time to organising summer camps, homework clubs and projects in Ballyspillane in Killarney. Last but not least, I would like to mention Sr. Eileen Keating from the Corner House in Cahersiveen and Sr. Anne Marie Buckley from Farrandoyle in Kanturk, who are now in the Presentation Convent in Matlock in Derbyshire. Sr. Eileen went into estates where taxis would not go. She worked with addicts, the poor, the elderly, refugees and the vulnerable.

Sister Anne Marie worked in Cranleigh, Chesterfield and Ashby and in mining communities such as that in Scunthorpe. They, and proud Irishwomen in their community in Matlock, had their own struggles like everyone else, but they made and continue to make a difference to the lives of many. I thank them this week.

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