2026-04-23

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I thank the Minister of State for being here and Deputies Darren O’Rourke and Jen Cummins for being in the Chamber. As I speak on this legislation for the second time, it is important for me personally and professionally, being a former secondary school teacher, as well as being an epileptic, having been diagnosed at the age of 21. This legislation is personally and professionally significant for me. The Bill would improve access to training and resources for school staff to confidently and competently respond in emergency situations, including the safe administration of prescribed medication, where necessary. My intention in putting forward this legislation is to create a clear framework for first aid and medical emergency training in our schools, promote awareness and enable quicker access to life-saving interventions, where appropriate. Having worked in classrooms across Cork and having experienced epilepsy in my own life, I understand how important it is that schools are prepared for medical emergencies. Awareness is important, but awareness must lead to action. Every student and every staff member deserves to feel safe and supported in their school community. We need to empower those working in school communities to respond to issues when they occur, from epilepsy to allergies, and to make sure those working in schools are fully equipped to provide emergency care when medical assistance is required. It is inevitable that most teachers will face such a moment at some stage in their profession. We must ensure that they are properly trained and supported when they do. There are many steps between introducing legislation and seeing it working effectively in our schools. We must ensure that staff are supported every step of the way. This includes guaranteeing that school personnel are protected from liability, where they act in good faith and in accordance with training, if an adverse medical outcome occurs. Confidence and clarity are crucial if we want this initiative to succeed. As legislators, it is our duty to ensure protections are in place that safeguard our young people and those who care for them every day. This legislation is about preparedness, prevention and peace of mind for students, parents and staff alike. With the right supports, training and legal clarity, we can build a safer school environment for everyone. I also wish to speak about a number of the groups I have met. Obviously, I meet quite frequently with Epilepsy Ireland. I am going to read some of what the group has said, It stated that, given its Seizure Safe Schools campaign, I had engaged with Epilepsy Ireland to update it on my plans to introduce this Bill. Commenting on the news that the Bill would be introduced in the Dáil this week, its advocacy and communications manager, Paddy McGeoghegan said: We are very pleased to see Deputy Kenny bring forward this legislation which further amplifies how epilepsy and other medical emergencies can present in the classroom. Ensuring our teachers and educators are equipped with the information they need from the outset is the whole purpose of our calls for Seizure Safe Schools. The bill obviously expands to other medical conditions and not just epilepsy, but we are delighted to see legislation being introduced that could make Seizure Safe Schools a reality. From our ongoing contact with Oireachtas members on the need for Seizure Safe Schools, we know there is broad support for what we are calling for – and we hope that there will be similar support for this new legislation. In relation to Allergy Action Ireland, it has given me a fantastic briefing note and some very important pieces of information I want to lay before the House. An estimated 160,000 people, 1% to 2% of adults and 5% to 6% of children, live with food allergies. A 2024 study from the University of Galway found that 80% of teachers and special needs assistants in primary schools had not been trained to recognise the signs of a severe allergic reaction, and 77% were not trained to administer an adrenaline auto-injector. Those are quite severe statistics when we think about it. Some 80% of teachers and special needs assistants, the core number of staff we have in our schools, are not trained to recognise the signs of severe allergic reactions, and 77% are not trained to administer auto-injectors. In February 2026, Benedict’s Law was formally introduced in England, committing to introduce mandatory statutory allergy guidance to schools through the Department for Education. In Canada, a similar law was passed in 2005, Sabrina’s Law. These are two laws I can reference in relation to this legislation. Sabrina's Law, introduced in Canada in 2005, 21 years ago, is legislation quite similar to this. In February of this year, not too long ago, as I said, Benedict’s Law was introduced in England. It is very similar to this legislation. There is cross-party support when it comes to this Bill as many of these groups have already met with a number of committees. I am going to read some of the experiences and give figures in relation to this. Some 81 people responded to Allergy Action Ireland on its Instagram page. Some 63% of them said teachers in their child's school did not receive training on using an auto-injector. Some 17% selected “a tell us more” option and shared mostly negative experiences where training and knowledge depended on the individual. They shared that teachers were doing their best but it was not enough. Training was provided by a parent or there was no training provided at all. Just 20% felt the teachers in their child’s school received adequate training and 52% of the 82 respondents were unhappy with the safety of their children at school. Some 16% selected “a tell us more” option and shared similarly negative experiences, citing the same lack of training and awareness among teachers and school staff. In some cases schools have implemented a “no-nut” policy, but this is undertaken on an ad hoc basis. Some 32% feel that their child is safe in school. That is a very poor statistic when we think about the number of children we have in our school system, and the more than 4,000 schools we have in the country. That statistic is quite stark and at the end of the day, all of us in this House, party politics aside, every single one of us wants to ensure children feel safe in their school environment. A parent and nurse in Dublin states: Passage of this Bill is an important step in giving greater confidence to all involved with the school system that any intervention given to a student in the event of a medical emergency is supported by legislation and appropriate training. First, it gives students suffering from severe conditions the confidence that support is available in the school setting, especially as those students are children. Second, it gives school staff the confidence to engage with training and helps support students in the knowledge that there is legislative backing supported by formal training in any intervention. Third, it gives parents and carers the confidence that there is structure that supports their child in school in the event of an emergency medical incident. I am the parent of two boys in secondary school, both of whom have severe allergies to a number of foods which can result in a medical emergency. The current situation is that in agreement with the school, I attend at the start of each year and carry out training with the school staff. I am lucky that the school is receptive of this, and that I am both a qualified nurse and educator as part of my role. Many other parents and children do not have these advantages. I have always found staff open and receptive to this but my experience is narrow; a particular school and medical issue. I believe formalised training with clear protocols can help improve confidence and outcomes compared to the existing ad hoc arrangements in place. As first responders, there are significant asks of school staff in the event of an emergency, and it is only proper that they are supported in a structured and formal way to help deliver the often life-saving care that may be necessary. In my experience of talking to school staff, the overwhelming theme is that staff, including teachers, SNAs and support staff just want to be able to do the right thing. Keeping children safe as well as providing an education is their priority. I know the priority for all of us across this House is the very same. The person continued: Some of the questions which come up are enlightening. There is a fear of getting things wrong, concern at how exactly to administer the medication and monitor the child, and concern of blame if something goes wrong. One SNA asked me what happened if a child was not given an EpiPen. The answer that they would watch him die in front of their eyes was stark and powerful, but it was not intended to raise fear. There is a risk through the informal nature of these sessions that they could be seen as scaremongering. That is why formal training is so important. Linked with that, it is critical that anyone asked to intervene is supported and knowledgeable about what they are being asked to do. I am also going to read some of what has been said by a parent and teacher in County Kerry: Ten years ago I brought my son to allergy specialists and found out he is allergic to cow’s milk and eggs. The doctor perceived I was very nervous and asked why. I answered that as a primary school teacher I had often found myself wearing two or three crossways bags on a school tour containing emergency medication for students I did not teach or know. It would be for a few minutes while other staff were taking a break. I might have known how to administer the medicine, but there was no certainty that I did. Thankfully, my boy successfully worked through the egg and milk ladders, and he can eat both with no issue since. In January of this year, my daughter who is 13 started carrying EpiPens for a peanut allergy. I was shocked to discover nothing has changed. In my experience, EpiPen training only happens if a parent offers it. This is not a judgement of school staff. In my girl’s school there are two very capable first responders who update their training regularly, but administration of EpiPens is not included in this. I really think it should be compulsory for all staff, including ancillary staff, just like child protection training. As a school principal in County Clare, I can testify from the accounts of many teachers and principals at schools are under-resourced and under-supported to intervene in children's emergency care. The Department of Education and Youth persistently fails to commit the necessary support and resources to training in schools, even when it relates to areas the Department itself has identified as priorities. This I think will need considerable effort and I respectfully suggest that any training would be provided as whole-staff training where possible, rather than a cascade model of training. A teacher in Cork says: Recently I had the opportunity to attend the Allergy Wise informal talk on food allergies and it really opened my eyes. Hearing about the daily struggles a child with allergies faces in school both in terms of safety but also socially, was so impactful. The presentation shed light on both the physical effects of allergies and the emotional toll it can take on a child's confidence. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of awareness, inclusion and support. It is a talk that should be given in every school in the country. At the end of the day, this legislation is positive, forward-thinking and relatively fair in terms of the asking of school staff to engage in proper, adequate training to make sure our school environments across this country are safe environments for our children to enter every day of the school week. All children across this country want is a safe, efficient environment to be able to progress in their academia. All parents across this country want, and I am not speaking as a parent but I know from speaking to parents, if they have a child who has a long-term illness, disability or perhaps allergy is to know if the child suffers a medical emergency in their school environment they are safe and the staff within that school environment are trained to deal with medical emergencies. As a member of the Association of Secondary Teachers, ASTI, myself and having spoken to the teaching unions about this, there is general consensus among teachers and school staff across the country that this would be appropriate and they would welcome it from the Department of Education and Youth. We must ensure in the steps we take in making this legislation law, that teachers are protected and indemnified if something was to go wrong in the administering of prescribed medication. It is important legislation and we can work together on it. It is for the benefit of children across the country, and not just children. I taught in schools. Only for the fact that I was able to inform my colleagues of what to do if I was to receive an epileptic seizure, they probably would not have known what to do. They probably would not have known only for the fact that there was another colleague in the school who was also an epileptic. It just so happened that was the case. Thankfully I did not receive an epileptic seizure in the school. I do not speak from experience but I fear if I had it in the time when I was in primary or secondary school what the consequences would have been had I received an epileptic seizure and if there had been no staff member there to prescribe any medication they might have deemed necessary. I am hoping there will be cross-party support in the House and I commend the Bill.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026 be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for consideration of all relevant matters at an inter-departmental level and the development of comprehensive proposals, noting that it may be necessary to consider settings other than schools, to obtain comprehensive legal advice, to allow for engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including the education partners, management bodies and parent and student representatives, and to consider registration, training and budgetary matters." I am pleased to be afforded the opportunity to speak today about the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026 on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Deputy Kenny for bringing forward this important Bill. I am reminded of progress made in other jurisdictions. I remember speaking in favour of Sabrina's law when I was in the Seanad quite some time ago. I will take the opportunity to outline the engagement that is under way between the Department of Education and Youth and other relevant stakeholders in regard to progressing how we deal with medical emergencies in our schools. I would also like to outline to the House the current practice that is happening in our schools to safeguard children and young people, as well as staff members, when such instances occur. I recognise the importance of this Bill, in proposing to make provision for promoting participation by a greater number of school staff in approved courses of training in first aid for medical emergencies and for a greater number of schools to be listed as organisations whose staff are authorised to administer certain prescription-only medicinal products without a prescription for the purpose of saving life or reducing severe distress in medical emergencies. I wish to assure the House that the safety and well-being of all children and young people in our schools is a priority for Government. While the board of management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all pupils, the Department of Education and Youth consistently seeks to support them in that role. Therefore, while the Government is not opposing the Bill l am asking for a timed amendment to allow for consideration of all relevant matters at an interdepartmental level and to allow for the development of comprehensive proposals. I note that it may also be necessary to consider settings other than schools, to obtain comprehensive legal advice, to allow for engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including the education partners, management bodies and parent and student representatives, and to consider registration, training and budgetary matters. I ask the House to note that initial discussions already are under way on this matter between the Department of Education and Youth and the Department of Health. In addition, discussions are also under way with the Health Service Executive and the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council on how best to further develop policy in this area. These discussions are at an early stage, and significant further engagement is required with a wide range of stakeholders before further progress can be made on this important matter. Officials are committed to continuing this engagement with a view to progressing these important matters as a priority. As the House may be aware, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, is the statutory authority for medicines in Ireland. Under the regulations, employees or those engaged by listed organisations - who have completed specified training - can, under conditions outlined in the regulations, administer medication in an emergency. The list of organisations that can register with the HPRA includes educational establishments and childcare facilities and I understand that five schools have registered. Registration is a matter for school boards of management if they consider it necessary to do so. However, it is understood that schools also have local arrangements in place, including parents attending to administer medication on-site. Where a school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a medical condition suffered by one or more pupils, it may be possible for the management authorities, working in conjunction with parents, teachers and children, to put preventative measures in place. These measures would be designed to lessen the possibility of any difficulties arising or to ensure that if a pupil suffers from an illness which requires the administration of medication, that appropriate treatment is available. Where a child requires adult assistance to assist in the administration of medicine and where the extent of assistance required would overly disrupt normal teaching time, special needs assistant, SNA, support may be allocated for this purpose. The role of the SNA, as set out in Circular 30/2014 - a circular which will be updated in the near future - is to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs to facilitate their attendance at school. SNAs support the non-teaching care needs of students with additional needs, fostering inclusion and attendance. Primary care needs covered include the administration of medication, in addition to assistance with feeding, assistance with mobility and toilet hygiene. When appointing a SNA, it is a matter for the board of management to ensure they are in a position to effectively meet the care needs of pupils for whom SNA support has been allocated. There are many different training and upskilling opportunities currently available for school staff in the area of first aid and medical training. These include the education support centres located in regions nationwide who provide professional development to teachers, school management and parents. Many of these education support centres, which are funded by the Department of Education and Youth, provide accredited courses in first aid response and medical care for school staff. Children's Health Ireland also provides an education day specifically for SNAs on clean intermittent catheterisation, CIC. The SNA national training programme, which is fully funded by the Department of Education and Youth for serving SNAs, provides practical training and a module on supporting students with primary care needs, including medical and complex needs. To date, approximately 3,774 SNAs have completed the national training programme. Where specific targeted training is required, the board of management can also liaise with the HSE in order to ensure that the HSE provides guidance and training that enables the SNA to meet the care needs of the pupil in an appropriate manner. It is a matter for individual school authorities to make such arrangements locally. The SNA information hub that was set up for SNAs and schools as a result of feedback on the plan also includes links to accredited training. In addition, the Department of Education and Youth is currently advancing work on the first SNA workforce development plan, which is intended for publication shortly. Proposals for the plan have been developed in consultation with key stakeholders, including SNAs, school management bodies, unions, schools, parents and students. The learning and development programme to be established under the plan will strengthen SNA service delivery by providing access to appropriate and legitimate opportunities for upskilling and reskilling to ensure that SNAs are equipped to meet the complex needs of children in their care in an evolving educational environment. In conclusion, I ask Members to note that discussions and policy development arising, in regard to dealing with medical emergencies in schools, are currently at an early stage. There is a need for co-ordination across several Departments and agencies. There is a requirement to obtain comprehensive legal advice and ensure its thorough review, to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including the education partners, in particular staffing unions, management bodies and parent and student representatives, and to consider registration, training and budgetary matters before proposals can be developed. These may or may not require legislative change. A timed amendment provides sufficient opportunity to explore the relevant matters at an interdepartmental level and develop comprehensive proposals that may impact settings other than schools. I thank the House for affording me the opportunity to speak about the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026 on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I trust that the House recognises the current practice that is happening in our schools to safeguard children and young people, and that while we support the provisions of this important Bill in strengthening this work, I am asking for a timed amendment to allow for consideration and progression of all relevant matters.

I welcome this Bill. Sinn Féin supports it and I thank Deputy Kenny for bringing it forward and outlining how personal it is to him. No child or member of staff should die or come to serious harm in a school because those around them did not have the training, equipment or permission to act. Every day, parents across Ireland drop their children to school trusting that they will be safe but the hard truth, backed by evidence, is that too many of our schools are not fully prepared for a medical emergency. In 2024 a report from Medical Emergency Response Ireland asked how prepared are Irish schools for a medical emergency and the answer was very concerning. Most primary school staff have not been trained to use life-saving equipment like adrenaline autoinjectors. We are not talking about rare hypothetical events. We are talking about the child with a severe nut allergy who suffers anaphylaxis, the student with type 1 diabetes whose continuous glucose monitor alarms requiring an insulin injection or the staff member who collapses from sudden cardiac arrest. In those moments, seconds count. In those moments, the difference between life and death can be whether a trained person is nearby with the right equipment. This Bill is about creating a system of preparedness that covers first aid training, medical awareness and the availability of critical emergency medicines. Section 1 empowers the Minister to make regulations requiring schools to promote the training of sufficient staff in first aid for medical emergencies including the use of equipment like defibrillators. The Bill also pushes schools to join the list held by the HPRA, the list of organisations whose trained and authorised staff can administer prescription-only medicines such as emergency asthma inhalers or adrenaline autoinjectors without a prescription to save a life or reduce severe distress. That list exists but too few schools are on it. This Bill aims to change that. We should also be clear about what this Bill is not. It is not a mandate to pile yet another unmanageable responsibility onto already overworked teachers. This Bill does not require every teacher to become a medical expert. Where a child requires additional, ongoing medical support, such as insulin monitoring or regular glucose checks, that is the role of an SNA. That is a clear line. Medical emergency preparedness is a whole-school responsibility, not an individual teacher's burden, and where extra help is needed with ongoing medical support, the State must fund extra SNA hours. Right now, there is no statutory requirement for consistent, high-quality emergency medical training in our schools. We rely on the goodwill of individual principals and passionate staff. Goodwill is not enough, though. We need a legal framework. We need every school to have a sufficient number of staff trained in emergency first aid, a maintained defibrillator that people know how to use, and a clear pathway to access and administer life-saving medicines without fear of legal repercussion. This Bill provides that framework. It is proportionate and necessary, and Sinn Féin supports it. In the wider context, the Bill deals specifically with the Education Act, but the principle applies across all health issues, from allergies to epilepsy, from asthma to diabetes. A medical emergency does not ask for a timetable. It does not wait for the HSE to arrive. It happens in the classroom, on the playing pitch, in the playground. Parents deserve peace of mind. Students with medical vulnerabilities deserve safety, and staff deserve clear guidance, proper training and the knowledge that they are supported, not abandoned, when a crisis hits. This Bill provides the basis to give our schools the tools, training and legal clarity they need to protect the lives in their care, and I am happy to support its progress to Committee Stage.

I commend Deputy Kenny on this Bill. It is practical and timely. A plethora of things go on in schools. They are really busy environments where many things happen. Medical emergencies happen at times when people are not expecting it. They happen when the trained individual is not there. They happen when it is busy, there is going to be a trip, or whatever it is in the yard. It is really important that we have as many staff as possible in our school settings who are able to support those children in an appropriate way. I have been an occupational first aider for many years. There is the Good Samaritan protection for anybody who, in good faith, is going to support somebody in a medical emergency. To be that person, you have to be very brave. Sadly, I have witnessed many medical emergencies in my time in and out of schools and other education facilities. I remember a man who came back to work after years of being off. It was his first day back at work, working as a youth worker at the time, and he sadly had a massive heart attack on his first day back. The staff in that centre had just done first aid training but were terrified of touching him and did not know what to do. I was not trained at that time, so I was on the phone to 999, as it was at the time, and I administered CPR for a very long time. Sadly, he died. He was probably already dead when I was doing the CPR. The fact is that people were nervous. They had just done their training. They had never seen this happen. Huge panic sets in. I was probably 32 weeks pregnant, so it was not that easy to administer. He was a big man. I made it my business to become very trained straight after that, as soon as I had the baby, in case that ever happened again. Thankfully, it did not, but I would be able to support whoever that is. The training needed to be constant, over the years in schools and in occupational therapy, so that we were able to do it in schools, at the after-school projects that we worked in, or in holiday time. That was important. Three years later, people might say that they remember all of it, but they do not, so the training that happens needs to be updated and practical, and it needs to be fun as well. The worst-case scenario is that someone dies when you are giving them CPR, but that is life and emergencies like that happen in all settings. It could be a seizure or allergic reaction. With the best will in the world, school principals can write letters home to parents asking them not to send things in, but allergies and reactions happen, and asthma, too. How many inhalers are forgotten? What is needed as an adult in that situation is a calm demeanour, someone who is not going to panic, someone who has appropriate training to make sure that they know what they are doing, and other people around them who are also trained and know what to do so that there is support for one another doing it. We cannot hope that the trained person is the one who is there on the day when there is a medical emergency. The more people who are trained, the better. I know when it comes to special schools and special classes that there is a whole other level of need. If nurses are involved in those special schools and special classes, that is fantastic. I am sure it must be a great relief for the staff that the medical professional is there. I commend Deputy Kenny. Well done. I hope this goes forward. I should say before I finish that it is not just children who may have emergencies, but also adults. We can all have a medical emergency at any time, if we are healthy or not or if we have a condition or not. I thank Deputy Kenny. Congratulations.

I also commend Deputy Kenny on bringing this forward. It goes without saying that on some level, there should not actually be a need for a conversation in here. Everyone is always worried when they see we are kicking the can down the road. I hope there will be a proper attempt to address this issue. Forget the politics, which can occur from time to time in here. Obviously, I never partake in that and am always very constructive. In reality, this is about saving lives. It could be anybody's life. It is that idea. We have all seen it with regard to defibrillators. I have seen it in Louth. I have met people whose lives were saved on the basis of having a defibrillator and staff who were able to access and operate it. Deputy Cummins made a really coherent point about making sure that people are properly trained, including about the panic that can happen, because we are dealing with medical emergencies, people going into anaphylactic shock, people having heart attacks, and issues such as diabetes, which requires an insulin injection. It can be much more difficult when dealing with children, particularly young children. A number of Deputies mentioned that this was a follow-on from Sabrina's law in 2006 in Canada. It seems this has been well tried and tested. It is straightforward. Deputy O'Rourke put it simply, in that it is making sure there are the correct resources, the correct training and, most importantly of all, given the issues that exist with insurance and so on, permission to act. We would also have the correct element of registration with the HPRA and so on. We are all aware of children or adults who have been in difficult circumstances or medical emergencies. There will often be situations where it is an allergy to something that everybody is aware of, but kids are kids and adults are adults. You are not always necessarily sure of the thing that you get from somebody else's lunchbox, not that I would ever have taken anything that I was not offered in the first place, just in case the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, were to make some sort of crass accusation later. This is an incredibly serious topic. The legislation has been presented by Deputy Kenny and is properly packaged and ready to go. We just need to make sure, as much as I have a difficulty with this being kicked down the road, that adequate planning and resourcing is put in place and we do not end up, in a year, having not dealt with it, which has happened from time to time. It cannot be another Bill that just withers on the vine. It is an absolute necessity that we have the autoinjectors, correct medicine, defibrillators, and people able to operate them. I also want to follow on from what Deputy O'Rourke said from the point of view of putting more pressure on teachers who are obviously under severe pressure at the moment. He spoke about some of the delineation points, particularly in regard to children with diabetes. At times, this falls directly into the sphere of SNAs, which shows the importance of SNAs to the school population. I like to think we would eventually get to a position whereby we have a sufficient number of SNAs in schools from the point of view of ensuring children get the best opportunity to be all that they can be and to benefit from and flourish in the educational setting. As I have said before, in an awful lot of cases there is a very simple solution to issues. It does not deal with every issue across the board, but the sense is that we should just make it happen as soon as possible. I ask the Government to make sure that it would happen. This is a lot more fundamental in the sense that we have already spoken about situations we have come across where people have been saved because the correct equipment or the correctly trained person was there and they were able and willing to do whatever was necessary with regard to using an autoinjector or defibrillator. It is just about making sure that happens within schools. We are talking about the entire school population. Something could happen to any of us at any time. I do not know how many times in the last while we have seen paramedics within the campus. There are people with medical training as well who have put that to use. I spoke earlier about GAA clubs. We have seen it in all sorts of sporting organisations and community centres that have access to defibrillators. Sometimes the issue is not related to a particular campus but it happens in an adjacent organisation or premises. It is important that where there is an issue that at least somebody can get access. That happens. In fairness, schools play a fundamental role in many communities. In real terms, it could be a facility that operates even beyond the school. First and foremost, parents need to feel their child will be safe, in particular if they have a kid with an added ailment or an added worry, for example, an allergy or some underlying condition that is understood. We must make sure that we have the facility there to ensure their safety as much as possible. We cannot make this an absolutely safe and perfect world, but we can definitely make it a bit safer. If this was done across the board I would like to think we would have fewer tragic circumstances. Nobody wants to be in a situation where they are saying "what if" or "if only". I commend Deputy Kenny. I request that the Minister and the Government would take action to assuage my fears about the can being kicked down the road.

As I outlined earlier, there is absolutely no objection to Deputy Kenny's Bill, but the Government is asking for the timed amendment of 12 months to be agreed to allow for sufficient time to develop the legislative proposals in line with the principles of the Bill. I assure Deputy Ó Murchú, and all those who contributed in the House, that the Government will proceed with this Bill as quickly as is possible. There is a very clear bit of work that is needed to be done. The safety and well-being of all children and young people in schools is a priority for this Government. While the board of management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of pupils, it is the Department of education that consistently seeks to support them. While I welcome the provisions of this Bill, work has already started in the area, and that is why I asked Deputies to note that initial discussions are already under way between the Department of education and the Department of Health. In addition, there are additional discussions under way between the HSE and the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council. While these discussions are at an early stage, significant further engagement is required in this area with a wide range of stakeholders before further progress can be made. That includes the Health Products Regulatory Authority engaging with employees and those listed by organisations who have completed specific training on the conditions. I understand that a number of people have started this. I do not want to repeat the debate. I do not for an instant disagree with one comment that was made here in the Chamber by any Deputy. I agree with them. I appreciate the very real human and emotive need to get this done quickly. The fact that we are essentially 21 years behind the Canadians is something that does stick in my craw. The fact that something significant has been moved so recently in the far more similar jurisdiction of Great Britain just this year will provide an added level of motivation for officials to work across everything to make sure that this timed amendment provides a sufficient opportunity to explore the relevant matters. They must develop the comprehensive proposals that might impact on it in order to provide peace of mind so that when this Bill is enacted, which I very much hope will be the case, in 12 months' time that not only will it be fit for purpose - it clearly is already in its format here - but it will provide the overall surety and guarantee so that it is something that everyone can stand over, be it a teacher, parent, legislator or whoever else. Once again, I commend Deputy Kenny for his work on this Bill, and for introducing it here. I beg the House to pass this timed amendment to come back to it in 12 months.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, and the other Deputies. The Minister of State is here longer than me, but this is probably my first time to agree with everything that has been said in the Chamber, from both this side of the House and the other side of the House. A timed amendment is appropriate and necessary. I thank the Government for engaging me on this crucial legislation. The Minister of State referred in his opening statement to engaging with stakeholders. It is extremely important that there would be engagement with stakeholders. I warmly welcome the fact that discussions have already begun between the Department of education and the Department of Health. The Minister of State mentioned legal advice. The indemnity of staff is something that has come up regularly with the three teaching unions. Seeking legal advice as part of the preparatory work is absolutely essential. We must ensure that no extra pressure is added to school staff. As the Minister of State mentioned, we are 21 years behind Canada and Great Britain passed a Bill this year. We can be a flag-bearer across Europe if the legislation is enacted here. I do appreciate that the preparatory work has to be done. I want to state clearly on the record that there are many schools already among the 4,000 schools in the country doing very good work. Some schools have trained personnel on site to deal with medical emergencies. I am not putting every single school into the same bracket. This legislation would ensure that there would be school staff in all schools across the country who are prepared to deal with a medical emergency, be it for a colleague or a student. I want to quickly touch on the keeping of prescribed medication in schools. The Minister of State referenced already that very few schools across the country are able to act as locations for the keeping of prescribed medication. This is about empowering school communities to respond to issues when they occur, from epilepsy to allergies, and to make sure that those working in schools are fully equipped to provide emergency care when medical assistance is required. Once again, I thank the Government for engaging with me on this crucial legislation. I offer to work constructively to see this crucial legislation become law. With the right supports, the right training and the right legal clarity, we can build a safer school environment for all children and school staff.