Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne, in calling for the full implementation of the Irish Sign Language Act and the introduction of Irish Sign Language as a second-level subject. Senator Fitzpatrick was able to give us a lovely presentation on one of the reports done by her constituents who are studying politics and society, which was not available when I did my leaving certificate. We need to move with the times and having the Irish Sign Language as a key subject in the leaving certificate should be made a priority by the Department of Education.

I also join with colleagues in this House - Senators Horkan and Dooley raised this issue and I raised it previously - in asking for a dedicated transport police. Our colleague in the Lower House, Deputy Alan Farrell, witnessed a group chanting "Let's rape her" at a woman on the DART. He has also managed to get statistics indicating that since January, up to €500,000 worth of damage has been done to DART trains. We all know of, and have heard anecdotal stories and witnessed, so much antisocial behaviour and violence on the DART and Luas that a dedicated transport police is required. At one stage, we saw a lot of conductors on buses, when we did not have the Luas, and they were a major deterrent to people acting in an antisocial manner. Perhaps, introducing Luas conductors in some sort of official capacity would be an appropriate first step.

I congratulate Barbados on becoming a republic yesterday.