Children's Disability Network and Farmers Are Priorities For The New Dail Term - Ó Súilleabháin

Tackling the staff shortages in the Gorey Childrens' Disability Network Team needs to be a priority for this Dail term.

That's according to Sinn Fein's Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin as our TDs got back to work this week.

We're seeing gradual progress on a Primary Care Centre for the North Wexford town as contracts on its construction will be signed this month.

Local TD Ó Súilleabháin says the building needs to be staffed with professionals that can help the area's children:

"The Senior Dietician and Senior Physiotherapist positions have been vacant for 55 months, Senior Occupational Therapist is empty for 31 months, Speech and Language Therapist has been vacant for 50 months as they've all been attracted away from Ireland.

"Staffing the Childrens' Disability Network Team has to be priority for the next few months."

Sinn Fein will also bring forward proposals to help farmers in the new Dail term according to Deputy Ó Súilleabháin.

Research from Agriland found nearly 30 per cent of farmers under 45 are considering leaving the sector within the next five years.

Farmers have been hit hard this year with rising fuel prices, poor crop yields and fodder shortages.

Deputy Ó Súilleabháin says they want to provide relief for a beaten down sector:

"We'll bring forward legislation this week to bring down the price of home heating oil by bringing down the carbon tax on it.

"A baseline income for farmers is also needed as is the price of fuel."

The former Wexford County Councillor also says anger on social media is spilling out into real life attacks on politicians.

Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae is recovering after being the victim of a suspected assault in Dublin yesterday.

Another man was arrested at the National Ploughing Championships this week after an alleged attempt to attack the Taoiseach.

Deputy Ó Súilleabháin says our phones have a lot to answer for in this regard:

"I'd put a lot of it down the social media algorithms that we've seen since Covid.

"People do have justifiable reasons to be angry but social media is just playing on it.

"No politician, no matter what party they're from, should have to deal with that and hopefully that person will be arrested and will be given a long stretch away from their phone."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.