A Day at the Dáil: Education, Prevention, and Party Collaboration

I recently spent a full and inspiring day at the Dáil, engaging with critical issues and connecting with colleagues. The day began with a thought-provoking talk in the AV Room, hosted by Educate Together and organised by Social Democrats TD, Jen Cummins. This event was held in preparation for the Dáil's debate on a Social Democrats motion urging the government to honour its commitment to provide 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030.

As it stands, parents in Ireland have a constitutional right to choose how their children are educated. However, with 94% of primary schools still under religious patronage, real choice is severely limited in many parts of the country. Locally, both Educate Together primary and secondary schools in Bray are heavily oversubscribed. North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School continues to operate from temporary accommodation, with students having completed an entire school cycle without ever stepping into a permanent building. This lack of facilities stifles the school’s ability to expand and meet the growing community demand.

Later in the day, I attended another valuable session, again in the AV Room, organised by Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson. This talk, delivered by Haven Horizons—a national research and education centre—focused on their mission to end relationship abuse. The emphasis was on the pressing need for prevention work. Currently, the vast majority of funding is allocated to responding to cases of abuse, but for real change, we need long-term funding streams dedicated to prevention, in addition to sustaining existing services.

We also discussed how we, as public representatives, can deepen our understanding of domestic abuse and ensure we know the appropriate referral pathways if disclosures arise in our constituency work. It was an important reminder of the role we can play in supporting people and advocating for systemic change.

The day wrapped up with an evening meeting where councillors and TDs came together to discuss the committees our party will be chairing. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen connections, and build a shared vision for the work ahead.