Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to extend the time for the climate action Bill to 8.30 p.m.

I was glad to see the vaccine roll-out extended to people from the age of 18 years because our children and young people have had a hard time of it lately. I was thinking of that when I read the annual report of the Ombudsman for Children entitled 2020 Childhood Paused. At the launch of this report, the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon, said that when we are on the other side of this pandemic, we cannot go back to normal. What he meant by that was that we cannot go back to two-year waiting lists for children seeking psychological help for mental health issues. We cannot go back to long waiting lists for children with disabilities who are awaiting assessment of needs. Our normal should not be direct provision and emergency homeless accommodation where families are stuck in one room. It should not be appalling living conditions at Traveller halting sites. We have to consider the new normal. We hope to learn from this experience.

The Ombudsman for Children's office dealt with more than 1,180 complaints in 2020. While the number of calls was slightly down on the previous year, it is hearing from more children directly. More often, it hears about the new issues affecting children in the pandemic, including the digital divide, the lack of clarity around State examinations, disproportionate effects the pandemic is having on children with disabilities, and children in high risk households who were not able to access remote learning. Dr. Muldoon said that we need to look at ending homelessness and reducing poverty so that children and families are safe and secure. Who could disagree with that?

I know we had an important debate in this House recently on young people and their needs, and ensuring their voices are heard. I would like us to continue to keep the focus on the future and what our new normal will look like. What is the future for Ireland's children? This is a conversation we need to have. I am talking about young people such as my little girl, Billie. What will the future hold for her? What will the future hold for the next generation of children who are growing up in this era? I know it is something that we cannot address in this House today, but I would love to see our young people invested in and valued, treated with dignity and respect, and that there are no more inequalities for young people in Ireland.