Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This morning we learned of a very tragic incident in Castleblayney where a young man in his 40s was killed while sitting in a stationary vehicle. A garda has been injured. It is not fatal but he had very serious injuries to his head and limbs. I convey my sympathies and those of the Fianna Fáil group to the family of the victim who was fatally injured and to the garda in question. It is a serious, crazy tragedy. The details are unbelievable. The second issue I wish to raise concerns a Barnardos report, according to which 37,000 children are on waiting lists across the country for various treatments, including mental health treatment, disability treatments, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy. I met an alliance of DEIS school principals from the Ballyfermot area. They stated categorically that such treatments needed to be provided in schools if they were to benefit children directly. I call for a debate on DEIS school funding. The DEIS model was introduced by a Fianna Fáil Government, specifically by my colleague, former Deputy Mary Hanafin. The model has been successful. In the 1980s the primary school retention rate in disadvantaged areas was only 80%. It is now over 90%. Despite its success, the model is outdated. Funding for DEIS schools has not increased and their pupil-teacher ratios have not improved, even though they have in mainstream schools. Alongside the debate about the DEIS model, we should discuss providing treatments such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychological support in mainstream schools in order that children can have direct access to them, instead of the system relying on their parents to bring them to appointments.

I congratulate our colleague, Senator Ruane, on winning the non-fiction book of the year award at the An Post Irish Book Awards last night. It was a major achievement. More than 100,000 people cast their votes for her book. I congratulate her on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group.