Seanad debates

Wednesday, 22 June 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:00 am

Photo of Rónán MullenRónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I heard what Senator Moynihan had to say about the latest British abortion statistics and the number of women giving Irish addresses. What she did not mention, of course, is that the vast majority of abortions are now taking place in Ireland and that the figures for abortions taking place have vastly increased since abortion was legalised. Thousands more innocent lives have been lost. This is something we should think about. There are children who would be alive today who are not because we legalised abortion in Ireland.

The other aspect worth mentioning is that, as far as I am aware, of those British statistics concerning the couple of hundred Irish women giving Irish addresses, the biggest single reason in the context of disability was Down's syndrome. This is something that proponents of abortion do not mention and it is something that should make us all think.

The principal issue I raise with the Leader is the recent out-of-court settlement for €70,000 which arose out of a child having had an accident in a playground. It caused an injury, a scar, that Mr. Justice Simons said was just about noticeable. Nobody begrudges anybody a settlement that they manage to get in the context of a personal injuries action. The maximum award under the personal injuries guidelines agreed by the Judicial Council for an accident like this, however, is €30,000. When we think about this, that is €40,000 less of Dublin ratepayers' money that is available for library services, housing, health, road repairs and all the other things the public and councils must fund. It raises the question of liability and the consequences for schools if awards like this keep getting paid out. Will playgrounds have to close?

The Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs heard a few years ago that one of the causes of childhood obesity may well be the new conservative approach being taken by schools towards play and playgrounds precisely because of the fear of litigation. Some years ago, I placed the Civil Liability (Schools) Bill 2019 on the Order Paper. It would have given added protection to schools and teachers, particularly in circumstances where school grounds were being adequately supervised, protecting them from large payouts. I ask the Leader whether she agrees with me that in the light of the danger of excessive settlements, which ultimately cost the taxpayers, it is time to consider giving Government time to my Bill and to put it back on the Order Paper in order to afford some greater measure of protection to schools that are supervising play and playgrounds properly, protect them from excessive payouts and thereby facilitate play, which is a very important aspect of children’s lives.

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