Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will begin by addressing the remarks regarding the Leader and her interview this morning. I utterly reject the suggestion that any veiled threat was made and any suggestion that the Leader was doing anything of that kind. The fact is that the NWCI is a national body to represent the views, and advance the cause, of women throughout our country. It is not a partisan body or political party. It should conduct itself in a manner that respects the work of women of all political views, not just some. I resent the suggestion that the Leader said anything otherwise. She drew equivalence between Government's funding of that body and its funding of many others throughout this country that stand up and criticise Government. That is part of our democratic State and our desire as a Government and State to be absolutely transparent. We sponsor bodies that critique Government but for the council to turn women's issues into a partisan issue and not to respect the women of this House in the three Government parties, including the Deputy Leader, who do remarkable work every day, is a disgrace, to be perfectly honest.

I have 30 seconds left and will now say what I was actually going to say. I congratulate Our Lady of Hope School in Drimnagh, which opened this morning. It is a special school. A great amount of work was done, most particularly by Margaret Jane Lowndes and Helen Holmes of the Dublin 12 campaign for a special autism school. It was fantastic to see the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, open that school this morning. The work continues. The constituency of Dublin South-Central still needs more schools. The Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, is working on that. Next week, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is hosting a meeting with representatives of community healthcare organisation, CHO, 7 and me to discuss the lack of services in Dublin 12 for children with autism. The fight continues. Here are more women in government doing more work to support mothers who are calling out issues. We are doing that all of the time.