Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leat agus tú tofa mar Chathaoirleach. I congratulate you, Senator Daly, on your appointment as Cathaoirleach, a position that you have held before. I know that you were very fair and impartial and I trust that you will continue to work in that vein. I also congratulate all Seanadóirí, whether elected or nominated. It is a great privilege to be a Member of this House. Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí, na Teachtaí Dála agus na comhairleoirí contae go léir a thug tacaíocht dom i dtoghchán an tSeanaid. I thank all of the outgoing Senators, TDs and county councillors for their support for me during the election to the educational and cultural panel.

I served in the last term as a TD in the Lower House and as a representative for Cavan-Monaghan, and I am one of those Cavan representatives whom Senator Wilson was referring to. While in the Dáil, I was Sinn Féin spokesperson on disability and carers. I continue to have a very keen interest in those areas and I know it is an interest I share with many Members of this House. I was a member of the Committee on Disability Matters and the Committee on Autism. I heard regularly about the barriers and inequality faced by people with disabilities or people who are autistic, whether it concerned community supports for children with additional needs, respite services, residential services, community support or our employment record for disabled people, given we have the worst record in the whole of the EU for the employment of disabled people. It is an area where we need to do a lot of work to ensure we bring equality to all people who have a disability, whether born or acquired, particularly children with additional needs.When I was my party's spokesperson for carers, I worked closely with Family Carers Ireland and others who shared an interest in the removal of the means test for carer's allowance. Sinn Féin was the first political party to announce it would remove the means test for carer's allowance. I know it is included in the programme for Government and I hope it will be addressed in this Government term. It is vital because it is a sector in our country that does valuable work but has been forgotten about.

I come from an educational background so I have a keen interest in education as well. The two areas cross in respect of children with additional needs and their education. Every September, many of our children do not have a school place or do not have an appropriate school place. That needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. I look forward to working with others in this House to ensure that happens.

I congratulate the new Cathaoirleach and look forward to working with him and all of my colleagues in the House.