Danny Healy-Rae urges swift school returns for vulnerable children
Danny Healy-Rae spoke on 3 Feb 2021 about the impact of the virus on children and called for urgent steps to reopen schools and care settings. He argued that children are vulnerable, that schools and creches provide vital meals and routines, and that prolonged uncertainty must end.
Main concerns
He described the period of virus restrictions as a very worrying and upsetting time for many children, emphasising loss of school, friends, hobbies and sports and the strain of being confined at home.
Special needs and routines
He highlighted particular concern for special needs children, saying they need special attention and consistent routines and that their progress could reverse if denied school and creche access.
Schools' role in welfare
He noted that many teachers and schools are entrusted with feeding and caring for pupils and expressed hope that children are not going hungry while away from school and creches.
Vaccine and reopening call
He urged that the vaccine rollout should enable children and teachers to return to schools and called for an end to uncertainty so no cohort of children faces prolonged disruption to education and care.
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Thank you very much, John Cole. I'm glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important matter because when we talk about children, children are vulnerable and we as elected representatives must do everything to ensure that they're properly seen after. And this has been, this time of virus has been a very worrying time for many children, very upsetting. They're away from their schools and hobbies and friends and I know that many teachers in many schools are entrusted with the job of seeing that children are fed properly and give them meals and say after them. In certain ways, I worry that they're missing all this for the most of last year and again this year. And I sincerely hope that these children aren't hungry and I suppose it's the one reason that I hope the schools will be open very soon, especially the special needs school, these special children that need special attention. They have been denied that and we know that they're going to reverse very quickly if their routine isn't continued. And I look forward and hope that there'll be no other blockage in preventing them, special needs schools, children from going back to their schools and to their creches and places of care that they were used to getting. Again, I say it has been a very trying time for all children of school going age because they're away from their friends and their hobbies and their sports and we must recognize that and hope they'll be back doing the things that they want to do because, you know, children get tired of being in the one place or being at home inside the room if the day is wait or whatever. So we need to and hope that this vaccine is rolled out and that the children and the teachers can get back to school. In my view, the current uncertainty cannot continue and cannot be allowed to happen again in relation to any cohorts of children. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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