Kilkenny councillors pass motion that seeks to provide attack whistles to schoolchildren
Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh (FG) has achieved the required support to pass a motion calling on the Minister for Education to 'provide attack whistles to every school going child'.
The motion, seconded by Cllr Deirdre Cullen (FF), also calls on the Minister to provide 'extra supports to schools to ensure programmes can be provided to further teach and foster awareness amongst students of consent, respect and healthy relationships'.
Cllr Cavanagh, the longest serving, continuously-elected female councillor in Ireland, first raised the idea at last month's full meeting of Kilkenny County Council.
During the meeting, Cllr Cavanagh cited the importance of 'starting a conversation about the safety of schoolchildren' following a number of unprovoked attacks reported across the country in recent times.
Cavanagh argued that providing whistles to schoolchildren follows similar logic to providing safety buttons to elderly people, and that they could be used to draw attention in the event an attack or emergency.
It will now be a matter for the Minister for Education to consider the request.