2026-02-11

I move: That leave be granted to introduce Bill entitled an Act to enable the Minister for Education and Youth, by regulations, to make provision for promoting participation by a greater number of school staff in approved courses of training in first aid for medical emergencies, 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; and to provide for related matters. I am very proud to introduce my first legislation in the House. This Bill is about ensuring we can strengthen our schools to be safe environments for our children and for our school staff. This Bill is both personally and professionally significant to me. In 2021, at 21 years of age, I got my first epileptic seizure. As Deputies can imagine, it was very much a life-changing moment. Over the course of the next four years, I got regular seizures and, with that, an increase in anti-seizure medication each time. Not to get too personal, but I now take daily medication to prevent epileptic seizures, so my early 20s have been life changing. I turn now to why this Bill is professionally significant to me. I am a former secondary school teacher and was very privileged to teach in two wonderful schools, Coachford College and Mayfield Community School. I am proud to say I taught fantastic students and worked with dedicated and caring colleagues in both schools. However, I have huge concerns as to how well prepared all school communities in this country are and how equipped and trained staff are to deal with medical emergencies. This brings me to the main focus of the Bill. The Bill will ensure that the Minister for Education will have the power to introduce regulations to promote the participation of sufficient staff in approved training courses in first aid for medical emergencies. This will cover the giving of prescribed medication to children and their own colleagues if they were presented with a medical emergency. I certainly believe all school staff over the lifetime of their careers will be presented with a medical emergency. I have consulted closely with Epilepsy Ireland on the wording of this Bill. It stated: 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. I am proud to have close links to Epilepsy Ireland. It, like other organisations, is fantastic in providing and promoting how we as a society can inform ourselves on how to deal with medical emergencies. Other Deputies will be aware that on Monday, we marked International Epilepsy Day. Epilepsy Ireland has a very clear message: "Time. Stay. Safe". Time the seizure, stay with the person and make sure the person is safe. It is very clear, and I encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with this message. However, epilepsy is just one medical condition. There are many others that affect many students and staff in our schools. In drafting this Bill, I have also closely engaged with the three teaching unions. Naturally, as with all legislation, there will be teething problems. However, I truly believe that, as a Parliament, we can work through the issues that may arise, particularly around workload and liability. For the benefit of our children and school communities, I am sure we can work together to enact this legislation. This is positive legislation. It is about making sure our children and school staff who have medical conditions feel safe going into their school environment each day. It is about ensuring parents in this country know that if their child has a medical emergency, there are school staff who can manage the emergency quickly and in an appropriate manner. Schools are wonderful environments. Our school staff work extremely hard, day in and day out. They are valued members of our communities. Our children are really fantastic. They have such talent across so many fields. I am proud to say I have worked with so many of them and, as the Taoiseach will agree, any person who stands inside in a classroom for a day will learn a lot more from these children than they thought they already knew. However, we must ensure that, as a House and as policymakers, all school environments are safe, secure and welcoming environments. I commend this Bill to the House.

Is the Bill being opposed?

It is not opposed. I compliment the Deputy on the timeliness of the Bill, after International Epilepsy Day on 9 February. Well done.

I ask the Deputy to move that Second Stage be taken in Private Members' time.

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."