Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I concur with every word that an Teachta Nolan has said. It is rather ironic we are having this debate when we are having a vote this coming Friday to erase the words "mother" and "woman" out of the Constitution, and to diminish them in many ways. I take great faith and solace from my late mother, Mary, who was a woman of faith who worked so hard, and the late Breda Laffey, a great woman of prayer who was very good to me. I can mention a number of people, including the iar-Chathaoirleach of the Seanad, the former Senator Tras Honan, who died lately, her sister, Carrie Acheson, the former TD who died just over a year ago, and people like that. There is also Sister Eileen Fahey, who set up Aiséirí in Cahir, a wonderful alcohol and drug treatment centre, and Sister Veronica Mangan, who I was privileged to serve with in setting up the Aislinn project in Ballyragget in Kilkenny, which Deputy McGuinness would know well, for young people who needed it. At that time, almost 20 years ago, it was 14- or 15-year-olds who needed it. Now it is down to eight-year-olds who have problems with substance misuse.

Instead of all the silly legislation we are passing here, and trying to best each other - all the groups and parties here - we should be dealing with the problems Deputy McGuinness mentioned with the CAMHS waiting list and all those waiting lists and the children waiting. Then there is the saga of the national children's hospital being in the wrong place with people unable to access it. It is cheap to come in and have these statements here today, clap ourselves on the back, and never thinking of all the good women. I heard a programme, "Sunday with Miriam", with another sister here in Dublin who did tremendous work with children in the music field. They are the women. They went all of over the world, our nuns, sisters, brothers and priests, and they are being demonised and everything else. It is so sad that it happens, and then we have mock statements like this.

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