A war of words has erupted in the Dáil between Cavan-Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys and the leader of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald. It was all about the lack of services and facilities for children with special needs in Monaghan. Minister for Rural Affairs, Heather Humphreys, was taking leader questions in the absence of the Taoiseach who is currently in Washington DC. Mary Lou McDonald tabled a strongly-worded question which took aim at the local TD.
The Sinn Féin leader asked if and when Monaghan would get its own special school and how long would Monaghan parents have to lobby politicians by using their children's personal and private stories to get what they should be entitled to.
Deputy Humphreys responded by saying that she was talking to a parent as recently as last night and explained that the various departments involved in providing a special school have procedures to follow before they could make a commitment and that is what is happening right now. Heather Humphreys acknowledged that Mary Lou McDonald and the leader of Aontú, Peadar Toibín, were in Monaghan to meet with parents last week. Heather Humphreys responded by saying "You all want to come to Monaghan":
