Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I too offer my condolences to the Naughten family on the loss of John. May he rest in peace. I also offer my condolences to the family of Mary O’Rourke, who lost their mam, their granny and a friend. We buried her yesterday. Mary was a mighty woman and an unapologetic Fianna Fáiler. She supported an awful lot of young women and girls in Fianna Fáil. I was very much supported by her. As a 15-year-old girl, she took me under her wing at an Ard-Fheis when I travelled on my own to the RDS. She sat with me. She was a Minister at the time and I was nobody. She had loads of other people to talk to yet she sat with me and gave me encouragement. I owe an awful lot to Mary.

I welcome that the Cabinet ratified the optional protocol to the UNCRPD. Finally, after a long many years of campaigning, the optional protocol is now ratified. It will establish additional procedures that will strengthen the implementation of the convention. It means that people with disabilities have more rights and more avenues to strengthen the accountability measures. It is absolutely a positive step for people with disabilities. I hope that changes on the back of this will start occurring. Day in and day out, I hear from people with disabilities whose rights are being infringed upon daily.

I also call for a debate on and support my colleagues here with regard to national dyslexia week. I also call for a debate on accommodations and reasonable supports in education for children with additional needs when they are doing exams. I support extra time for students with dyslexia. I raised in a Commencement matter a few months ago students who are visually impaired and blind students. They too need supports. We need an overall debate on what reasonable accommodations are given to students. We have plenty of time until the next leaving certificate and we can make positive changes now.