Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I condemn the protests and attacks on gardaí in the city centre at the weekend. As my colleagues said, it is devastating for front-line workers everywhere. I understand debate around approaches to Covid-19, which we have in this House. However, I do not understand how anyone can justify an erosion of trust in democracy or attack the media and gardaí as part of that. We need to call out this behaviour when we see it, including those who engage in double speak on it or are gaining from it.

I very much look forward to getting back to canvassing. I miss that one-to-one, door-to-door engagement with people. When we are not as visible in our communities and when people are so withdrawn, things fester. That one-on-one connection with people will help allay their fears.

As Senator Clifford-Lee mentioned, it is a happy day in that children are getting back to school. I dropped my two little ones off to school this morning and the special schools are 100% open. I know people will do their best to follow the guidelines. It will be tricky for the first few days, especially since first class finishes an hour later than junior and senior infants which means one is hanging around with children. People will have to get used to that but it will be tricky.

People will watch the positivity rates very closely but a cross-party message needs to go out that special schools and special classes will not close again. We have to find a way to work with special schools and special classes.

The Bank of Ireland closures are very upsetting for rural areas.If any of those 103 branches are in areas marked for growth within Project Ireland 2040, we should consider them for use as buildings for co-working hubs.