Laura Harmon (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask what is being done to amend and improve assault leave for teachers and SNAs. With her consent, I will talk about the experience of a special education teacher, Sophie Cole. I had the privilege of meeting Sophie and her husband, Shane O'Brien, last November in their home in Carrigaline, County Cork. They are a young couple very much in love and starting out on their married life together. Their world was turned upside down and inside out when Sophie, a special education teacher with a clear passion, love and deep understanding of her profession and the children she teaches, was assaulted in the classroom in November 2022. Sophie's left hand was slammed into a steel reinforced table while at work. As a result, she has complex regional pain syndrome, one of the most painful conditions in the world. She has undergone many surgeries at great expense to try to get any relief she can from the debilitating and excruciating pain that she feels on a daily basis and the endless sleepless nights.

She has said that sometimes she has to look at her hand to make sure it is still there because it feels like the flesh is burning off it. She has had to become a full-time campaigner, when she can, for herself and many others who have experienced assault in the classroom. Three months after Sophie experienced this assault, her assault leave entitlement ended and she had to use up all of her sick leave. One day, without any warning, she received a letter through the door telling her she would receive no more pay. Sophie has lost her career and her wage and has incurred large medical bills. Her world has been turned upside down by this.

Her husband Shane sometimes has to take leave to take care of her. The couple has feared on many occasions that they would not be able to keep up their mortgage repayments on their home because of the financial pressure this has resulted in for them. Meanwhile, the State and Department of Education have completely let Sophie, and hundreds like her, down. The previous Minister ignored Sophie and I implore the new Minister to make time to listen and act. It feels like it is a case of, "Knock, knock, is anybody there? Knock, Knock, does anybody care?" when people like Sophie are trying to communicate how they are being affected by this.

We need to amend the circular relating to assault leave to ensure that financial assistance covers medical bills and therapy and to ensure that teachers and SNAs are covered for the duration of their medically certified leave so that there is information and adequate support available put in place for all teachers and SNAs. When will we properly value teachers and SNAs?

Sophie's social media page, Special Education Muinteoir, has hundreds of stories of people in similar situations, some with broken backs, damaged eyes, PTSD or facial paralysis, all because they were assaulted in the classroom. Many do not share their stories because they feel shame due to what has happened. I would argue that the shame is on the State for the lack of support. Our classrooms must be safe for teachers and children. We need multidisciplinary teams. As we know, there is a teacher shortage in this country because we are not looking after them properly in terms of their workplace conditions and pay. Unfortunately, we are exporting many of our teachers to places like Dubai.

The Labour Party was the only party to have this in our general election manifesto. A lot of people are not aware of the number of people who are suffering because of this. It is not anything that any aspiring teacher setting out on their career thinks about. They do not think it is something that will happen to them. I commend Sophie on her campaign and look forward to the Minister of State's reply.