Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Mullins's call to the Leader for a meaningful debate on disability issues early in the autumn. I agree with him and I fully support the restoration of the rates for disability payments and the respite care grant.

From 25 July to 2 August, 6,500 athletes, 2,000 coaches, 30,000 volunteers, representing 165 countries, will gather in Los Angeles for the largest sport and humanitarian event in 2015, at the World Special Olympics Games, competing in 25 Olympic-style sports. This is the culmination of four years of hard work and training on the part of all the athletes, volunteers and participants. Ireland will be represented at the games by 88 athletes, a 40-strong management team and 250 volunteers. Team Ireland will compete in 13 different Olympic sports. I wish our Special Olympians the best of luck as they depart early tomorrow morning for Los Angeles.

We all like to get behind our athletes when they compete on the world stage. I do not play golf, but everybody in the country this morning has heard of Paul Dunne. I wish him well as he continues his efforts towards victory today. In the same end-of-term spirit, I take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt good wishes to Dundalk FC as it takes on FC BATE Borisov on Wednesday night in the third round of the Champions League. Dundalk FC has a realistic chance of getting through to the next round, which would be a great thing for the FAI, the SSE Airtricity League and Irish sport generally. It is great to see our home town competing against the big boys. If the will is behind Dundalk FC, it will not just qualify but win the whole thing.