Special education and TENI funding
Senator Keogan said the schedule left too little time for special educational needs legislation and then criticised State funding for TENI and its advice on gender care; Senator Buttimer interjected that it was not a lobby group.
I urge the Leader to re-examine the schedule for next week. There is not enough time for the Bill on children with special educational needs. One hour is not enough to debate such an important issue.
Earlier this week it was revealed via documents released through a freedom of information request that multiple senior HSE managers have serious concerns with the medical advice being given to patients, many of whom are teenagers, by Transgender Equality Network Ireland, TENI, and are of the view its receiving of State funding should be reviewed on account of this. Since 2017, €1.24 million in taxpayers' money has gone to the lobby group.
