Seanad debates

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Gavan has beaten me to it as I was about to second Senator Ó Ríordáin's amendment. I support the Senator's practical proposal to amend the Order of Business by adjourning Committee Stage of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 at 6 p.m. to enable more colleagues to participate in the debate on our very important Private Members' Bill. I also commend Senator Ó Ríordáin on introducing this Bill, which I understand the Government is not opposing. If passed, it would do away with the hidden costs of so-called free education that have crept in for many parents. I speak as somebody who has had personal experience of being charged admission fees, enrolment fees and so on. It is an important Bill because these costs create real hardship for many people and undermine the principle of free education.

This morning, Senator Ardagh, Senator Devine and I had the pleasure of attending the opening by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, of a new school building on the site of the Griffith Barracks multidenominational school in Dublin 8. It took the parents, board of management and friends and supporters of the school 19 years to get this wonderful new building in place but it is great to see. There was a large community turnout this morning for the opening, which is a positive good news story. Senator Ó Ríordáin's Bill, if passed, would send out a positive message to parents and school communities and would not preclude genuinely voluntary contributions under particular conditions.

I join others in paying tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Senator Feargal Quinn. This is the first time we have had an opportunity to do so in the Seanad. I would like to say what a gentleman he was and what a pleasure it always was to work with him.

I am proud to be involved in a conference in Trinity College Dublin this weekend, which is being run by a coalition of different organisations supporting survivors of institutional abuse in memory of Ms Christine Buckley. It is a very important and significant event at which we will mark the anniversary of the State's apology to survivors of abuse in industrial schools and other institutions. It is a timely way to remember the many survivors and the injustice done to them by the State and others.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.