Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will start by complimenting my colleague, Senator Marshall, on the presentation of the film "Lost Lives" last night. The Leader, as an educator, would agree that this film should be shown in every school in the country from the furthest southern point through to the North of Ireland and, indeed, across the UK. It is the most deeply emotional film I have seen and the most balanced report on the deaths of 3,700 people during the Troubles in this country. I thank the Members who were able to attend last night, particularly as Wednesdays can be fairly busy.

I did not wish to talk about what I will raise next because I am tired of doing it. I first mentioned the income of county councillors in 2014.In the five years since, nothing has been done. They are still on the same income. They have been promised this time and again. The news was coming at Halloween, then it was coming in January, then it was coming in February, then it was coming at the next AILG meeting and then it was coming at the next LAMA meeting. Nothing has happened, however. I am an Independent Senator. I will not be looking for anybody to put canvassing teams together for me at the next general election. I firmly believe that there is not one parliamentary party in this House willing to put its neck on the line and actually do the right thing by those who represent us at local level. Something needs to be done as a matter of urgency.

I would appreciate the Leader's thoughts on one final matter. I have had a number of calls from parents regarding climate action strikes in involving national school children. Some parents are deeply concerned that some of their fellow parents are putting pressure on the schools to take children attending national schools out onto the streets for climate action strikes. The national schools do a very good job in the context of various climate action programmes. The parents I have been speaking to are concerned about two things. The first is the anxiety levels their children are experiencing regarding the world coming to an end and the second is the feeling among them that they are not doing enough. I am all for secondary school students venting their anger at politicians and the like, but when national children are brought onto the streets, and 200 of them and 30 staff are mixed in with secondary school students and God knows who else, a serious liability issue arises. There needs to be clear direction from the Department of Education and Skills in order to ensure that everybody is protected. The most vulnerable of all our citizens are the little kids going to national schools. They can do plenty on climate action in the safe, controlled area of their schools. I do not think being out on the streets is the place for them, neither should they be mixing with 18 and 19 year old secondary school students.