Senator Rónán Mullen's Policies

The needs and wellbeing of children must be given priority in all policy relating to the family. Much comment has been passed on the shifting sands of Irish family life – increased marriage breakdown, the decline of the traditional two-parent family model, the increase in single parent families, the claims of people with same-sex attractions to rights and privileges traditionally reserved to marriage, the behavioural and adjustment problems faced by many children, teenage binge drinking etc.

An education policy that supports teachers is good for everybody. Key to educational excellence is the recognition that teaching is more than just a job. If the Government pays teachers a salary that reflects their qualifications and their contribution to society, while providing decent facilities, sensible legal guidelines and opportunities for career development...

An effective policy on crime prevention should tackle the worse excesses of human greed and selfishness across the social divide. To understand the rising levels of crime in our society, we need to acknowledge that our highly individualistic, competitive culture is part of the reason why many violent and non-violent offenders feel no sense of responsibility to other people and their property...

Ireland cannot provide an effective example of global solidarity on the world stage if we are not doing a good job within our country.

Many children are not in a position to avail of the educational opportunities afforded to them, due to their situation of disadvantage which is often cross-generational. A child going to school in a disadvantaged area of Dublin has a 30% chance of leaving primary school with a serious literacy problem. He/she has a 50% chance of doing the Leaving. It is 90% likely that that child will not go to a third-level institution. Compare that with the figures for children ...

The Irish language is a part of our heritage that should be cherished and celebrated. I welcome the decision to make Irish an official language of the European Union. If elected to the Seanad I will endeavour to speak and promote the Irish language in the House, and not just when the language itself, or issues relating to the Gaeltacht, are being discussed...

very society should be judged on how it treats its most vulnerable members. In a just society there can be no second-class citizens. Public policy should be geared towards helping disadvantaged members of society to survive and thrive, to flourish and reach their potential. This can only happen if in our schools, our public advertising campaigns, in the shaping of legislation and the delivery of public services, we emphasise the dignity of each person and the importance of solidarity across the community.

People cannot have confidence in a Chamber whose Members they have no part in electing.