Why is Pride important and why do we march every year? I was contemplating these questions over the last while. For as long as people are being attacked for who they are, are not able to be who they are and are targeted for their sexuality or identity, we will need to continue marching. That is why. I look forward to Saturday. Verbal abuse of the LGBTQ+ community is a daily, casual occurrence. It is a chipping away of safety, security and belonging. An Garda Síochána said there has been a rise in hate crimes over the last number of years. Not all of these were aimed at LGBTQ+ people but sexual orientation and gender identity are among the monitored motivations. Belong To has recently opened a space for young people in town to make sure they feel welcome, they can be who they are and they can be with people who will accept them for who they are. I commend Belong To and its youth workers on creating that space for those young people. Belong To has found that one in four people has been attacked physically because of their identity. I will talk about teachers since the Minister is here. The INTO's LGBTQ+ teachers group has said that about one in five teachers in primary schools is not out in their school because they know that it would not be accepted. Even though there are protections in the employment equality Act 2015, the reality for so many teachers is that they do not feel they can be themselves when they apply for jobs, when they are in those jobs or when they are delivering the curriculum set out by the Department and the NCCA. The Children and Family Relationships Act did not include all children. I am thinking particularly of the families in my constituency who contacted me and who are looking for that legislation to be fully implemented. It is so important for those families. They love their children as much as everybody else and they need to be recognised like everybody else is.

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