Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the Order of Business for today. Today is a red letter day in that we know the Moorhead Report and recommendations have been brought to Cabinet so it is a significant day in terms of recognising the importance and value of local government and approximately 1,000 councillors around the country. As we know, this sat on the previous Government's desk but my party made a commitment that it would be delivered within 12 months in government and so it has. Over the past year, the role of local government changed somewhat given the pandemic and the number of lockdowns we had. While recognising the value of local government, it is important that we have another conversation about where local government is going. No more than ourselves as public representatives, many councillors face ongoing issues relating to the GDPR regarding representations they make on behalf of their constituents regarding local authority services and Departments. This is blatantly wrong. If a constituent comes to a public representative with a query or something about which a representation needs to be made, it is important that this word is taken from the public representative as opposed to having to get written confirmation again so I would like to see a debate on the role of local government and councillors.

Last Friday was World Awareness Day for Verbal Dyspraxia. Most of us are able to communicate in a normal fashion, as we call it, and we take that very much for granted but imagine being locked in a world where you think the world around you understands what you are saying and what your wishes and desires are - even something as simple as getting something to eat - but it does not. Many children are locked in this world. There are not enough recognitions and supports for children diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia. Even getting that diagnosis is really difficult. I want to give a big shout out today to seven-year-old Charlie Byrne, who said his sister Sophie's name for the first time over the weekend. People have no idea of the level of work that went into getting Charlie to say Sophie's name. His mother, who is a superhero, and his father Will have done significant work. They have set up a social media page called Finding Charlie's Voice. They have done work not just on behalf of Charlie but all children with verbal dyspraxia and have developed a fantastic communications board that many schools and preschools are now receiving.For the first time, children can communicate using the board in their classroom or in the schoolyard to indicate what they want to do and how they want to play. Again, this is something we need to examine. The issue falls between the Departments of Education and Health and I feel that we need to pay far more attention to it.

This is UN Global Road Safety Week. The theme for this year is Streets for Life and #Love30. The UN calls for a 30 km/h speed limit to be introduced in cities and large towns worldwide in which people and cars mix. As we know, people travelling slower in cars absolutely saves lives. Again, this is a cause that we need to take on board and support.