Seanad debates

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Gerard CraughwellGerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday evening on the six o'clock news we heard a report from a secondary school in Carlow. The people behind the story need to be given an opportunity to explain themselves. I was absolutely horrified as a former teacher to think anybody would go into a room of young women and talk to them about their dress and sexualise them on the basis of their dress. The principal of the school involved has issued a statement, and the Department of Education needs to provide a full report on exactly what was said. I cannot imagine how a young girl in that school is feeling today, questioning herself on her dress. This goes back to the likes of young women being told they were raped because they were wearing a particular type of clothing. It is just wrong. It should not have happened, if it did, so we need a full report on it.

I support Senator Wall in his comments this morning on the Defence Forces and Defence Forces pay. As a former president of an ICTU-affiliated union, we need to hear ICTU come out and support the special status of the Defence Forces. I recall from my time in trade unionism that pay differentials were a huge issue. While the Defence Forces are currently prevented from being members of ICTU, ICTU needs to come out and formally support them, and I am making that call today. It is vitally important that the lowest paid workers in the public service are given an opportunity. We should not have heard at the weekend that pay talks were ongoing. The Leader has tried to contact me on this already and we can talk about it later today.

I second Senator Mullen's amendment to the Order of Business.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.