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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Nov 2007

Vol. 642 No. 1

Young People: Motion (Resumed).

The following motion was moved by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, today:
That Dáil Éireann:
recognises the many difficulties and challenges which face young people in Ireland today;
notes the important initiatives and ongoing developments in the following areas:
addressing issues pertaining to alcohol-related harm;
preventing drug misuse;
promoting good nutrition and combating obesity;
promotion of healthier lifestyles;
provision of sports facilities;
mental health awareness and suicide prevention programmes;
sexual health awareness;
youth work;
youth justice;
increasing youth participation;
providing opportunities for recreation;
affirms the importance of consulting with young people on matters of public policy which affect them; and welcomes the growth of this practice amongst public bodies in the development of services and facilities for young people.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"calls on the Government to submit to Dáil Éireann, within one month, a comprehensive plan of action which will deal with the many difficulties and challenges faced by young people in Ireland today, set out firm completion dates for action, measurable performance targets and assign responsibility to specific Ministers and Ministers of State."
— (Deputy Alan Shatter).

I call on the Government to show political will to reduce the number of people dying by suicide each year. Social change and increased materialism are bringing about an identity crisis in young people. While the Celtic tiger has undoubtedly brought many benefits, it has also brought many new challenges, particularly for adolescents.

Why, at a time of great prosperity, do so many people feel such despair that each year an average of 500 individuals take their lives and in excess of 10,000 present at accident and emergency departments having attempted to take their lives or engaged in self-harm? Why are so many of our young people in such crisis that they decide to end their lives? Ireland has the fifth highest suicide rate in the European Union among 15 to 24 year olds and suicide is the chief cause of death for those aged under 25 years. This dark side of the Celtic tiger is ignored.

It is increasingly difficult for a young person to find a meaningful identity. Those who are valued are the successful, the winners, those in third level education and high earners. People who are not in these categories struggle to find their identity and may experience despair.

Six times more young males than females take their lives. The critical issue for male adolescents is to derive self-esteem and personal meaning from their identity and position in society. Issues of self and identity are now linked to materialism, consumerism and globalisation. Increased materialism has led to weaker social ties and a decline in neighbourliness. We live in an age of uncertainty, anxiety and narcissism in which the euro isworshipped. We have lost our way and no longer know what is of true value. Who we are has come to be determined by what we can buy. The overwhelming message being broadcast is that one is only as good as that which one can buy.

The constant bombardment with Americanised images and values can be seen daily, while at the same time traditional cultural icons and role models are ridiculed and reviled. Previous generations had a higher dependence on and belief in the pillars of society as sources of advice and guidance. The early part of the 21st century is replete with images of distrust, from clerical abuse to political scandal. Doctors kill, politicians are corrupt and businesses bribe and cheat.

Adolescence is a creation of modern society. In earlier times, individuals moved from being a child to being an adult, with no stage of transition. When resources were scarce and individuals had to contend with daily survival in the basic sense there was no time for adolescents to discover themselves. An individual was either a child and dependent or an adult who provided for himself or herself. The emergence of adolescence has offered psychological time and space for individuals to consider their future when they grow up and offers limitless choices. It has enormous positive advantage in that young people are given an opportunity to choose their career and to decide and influence their own success. The negative aspect is that the adolescent is also free to fail. Adolescence is a dangerous mix, a time of opportunity and pressure to succeed. If we were left in doubt about the impact of such uncertainty and distrust on our young people, the suicide figures for Ireland over the past ten years indicate that something maladaptive and unhealthy is taking place.

Nobody disputes the benefits that have been brought about by the Celtic tiger, but there is a dark side which cannot be ignored. There is an urgent need for comprehensive research into how we can address the complex issues that lead to so many of our young people, especially young men, taking their own lives.

I wish to share time with Deputy Mary O'Rourke.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important issue. I have worked for the past 20 years with young people in Dublin Central and have seen massive changes over those two decades. I was reared in the north inner city. In the 1980s, areas like Sheriff Street, the North Strand and East Wall had high unemployment and suffered badly from the scourge of heroin addiction. Successive Governments had neglected education in these areas, there was a significant deficit in housing and facilities were bottom of the agenda.

Since then much has been done to help young people stay away from drugs and alcohol and to rehabilitate those who are already addicts. We now have better treatment facilities, education, policing and communities, and families and young people have a better understanding of the problems. Our ability to think outside the box and bring together communities, gardaí, public representatives, treatment centres, health services and education has contributed to helping thousands of young people over the years to stay away from crime and substance abuse. If anybody is in doubt about the importance of this approach in reducing crime and drug problems, I would be delighted to bring him or her to visit areas in Dublin Central where a united and co-ordinated effort has made significant difference. Everybody in the community, including schools and colleges, has played a part in helping thousands of young people to turn their backs on crime and drugs and look forward to a bright future.

The way we have met these challenges has changed and we have seen new facilities, methods and skills introduced into disadvantaged areas. A few young people still slip through the net and we must concentrate on helping them. There are programmes in place, such as the youth diversion programme, which have proved successful. I have first-hand experience of clubs and organisations involved in this area. A club for youth service has become a national service, which is popular and effective and offers young people a focal point and meeting place for them to meet and chill out in an environment free from alcohol and drugs. Projects like that have been set up all over the country.

The key to the success of most of these projects is that young people were asked what they wanted and are central to the running of the clubs and organisation. The Base Youth Club in Ballyfermot, which is to open shortly, is another example of such clubs. These clubs help young people to develop. I urge Departments and local authorities to continue to support such initiatives. If these initiatives are to be successful, the agencies involved must be as flexible as the clubs. They must adopt the holistic approach of the clubs and support funding, rather than pigeonhole access to grants and other forms of funding in an old-fashioned way.

The most important factor for success is that the authorities should consult young people and encourage them to take ownership of projects. There is a prime example of this approach in Dáil na nÓg, where young people from all over the country get together on a regular basis and discuss issues of concern to them. We need to put a value on preventing young people from getting involved in drugs and crime and turn that into tangible support.

We must also invest in the thousands of other young people who have no contact with crime or alcohol and drug abuse. I am very concerned by some comments I hear that all young people take alcohol or drugs and are ruining their lives. That is not true. My experience is that the majority of young people work hard to make something of themselves, get a career and improve their lives. Some of these toffee-nosed know-all commentators should stand outside schools and colleges in June and see the quality of the thousands of young people sitting junior and leaving certificate examinations.

Education has always been essential to ensuring that our young people can work in our technology companies, the financial services sector, the service industry and the Civil Service, and it has contributed to the economic boom Ireland has enjoyed in recent years. The Government is committed to continuing to invest in our training and education programmes to ensure our young people have the knowledge and skills to meet our economic needs. For the past ten years Ireland has benefited greatly from our investment in young people. I urge the Minister to continue to invest in this area in future years.

I thank Deputy Brady for sharing his time with me and am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this motion. I wish to pick up on one of the points made by Deputy Brady, namely, consultation with young people. This is a relatively new idea. I was brought up at a time when many households held that young people should be seen but not heard, although our household was one where everybody spoke on everything.

I commend the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, and the young people who participated in her survey which demonstrates that, throughout the provinces, the main concerns of young people are families and care. I found that interesting. Mr. Fergus Finlay is doing excellent work with young people through the organisation Barnardos. There was criticism from some speakers who demand more action from the Minister of State with responsibility for children. He has assembled all the schemes, outlets and ideas relevant to young people and we will have action on those issues.

The main cause of concern for me is that no matter how many good schemes or innovative projects we have, they only reach a certain percentage of the youth population. This means we always have some who do not get involved. This is often because of a lack of parental interest in what is going on or lack of finance to purchase the required gear for something such as sports activities. I suggest to all involved in this area that they should watch out for those who cannot, through no fault of their own, participate fully. These are the people who fall through the cracks and whom we read about some months later when some disaster has befallen them.

Young people are often incorrectly portrayed as know-alls or smart. I noted from the Dáil book that was launched last night that there are 18 second level teachers and 13 primary teachers, 31 in all, in the Houses. Anybody who has ever taught, particularly at second level — I say to Deputy Brady that I am not decrying those who taught at primary level — learns very quickly that children have a facade of being wonderful and smart, but they are not. They want to be like their peers, to appear brave and courageous and give the impression that they understand everything, but behind that facade they are hurting. Often they cannot find someone in whom they can confide and to whom they can tell their story. The business of childhood, growing up and services for young people are hugely complex. Children cannot be put in a box, given A, B, C and D and then emerge as perfect adults.

I commend the Minister of State on what he is doing in the Office of the Minister for Children. It is a very good idea. There were attempts in other Governments to bring together the various Departments but it never actually worked. It is the setting up of the office which is important and the far-seeing role of the Minister of State. I hope you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and I can make an impact in the committee on the rights of children when it is up and running.

I join some of my Fine Gael colleagues in questioning the purpose of the motion. While I welcome the opportunity to debate youth issues I would rather debate them in the context of a clear purpose. We can all offer our views but I would like action. If this is an attempt to reach out to young people I am not persuaded this method will succeed. Clearly there is a lack of legislation coming through the House. Obviously that is one of the reasons for the debate and why we have had so many statements in recent weeks. Our primary purpose is to bring legislation through. If this debate led to that I could see a better purpose in it.

I would like to know whose idea it was to have this debate. Since we have it, I will proceed in that vein. The speech of the Minister of State with responsibility for children was a classic one. It made clear exactly what he thinks his job is because it is difficult to see what it is. It is supposed to co-ordinate Departments but it is not clear that it is doing that. He told the House he had three goals. It is not particularly taxing for him if that is all he has. The three goals are, first, to give young people a voice in accordance with their maturity — that is fair enough; second, to have their lives better understood — to have their lives understood by whom was not clear; and, third, that young people will receive quality supports and services — no one could disagree with that.

The Minister of State went on to tell the House about Dáil na nÓg, the youth councils and so on. I accept they are very valuable, fulfil a need and are of enormous benefit to the children who participate. However, only a limited number of young people get to participate in Dáil na nÓg and in youth councils. I welcome the councils, particularly at second level where they are obviously more inclusive because they are in many schools. Young people have told me they do not always cover the broad range of young people within a particular school. Those who are more pushy and better able to talk get on to these councils while the quieter people, those who may need more assistance, are left behind. I congratulate those young people who participate in these bodies. I congratulate also the Ombudsman for Children on her work in accessing young people, getting them involved and hearing their views. I still have to question how all this informs Government policy and Government decisions and I will return to that issue.

In his speech the Minister of State mentioned a few websites, some of which are up and running, while some are on the way. In regard to the most important aspect of his third goal, quality supports and services, there is no mention of the services, what he means by this, how young people will access them, their cost and where they will be located. It is a broad catch-all woolly concept. It is a meaningless aspiration in some ways; it sounds lovely but what does he mean by it?

I turn to some real issues affecting young people, bearing in mind that yesterday was universal children's day. The Government's concern for children is very selective. An example of this is the failure of the Government which signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, three articles of which we are clearly in breach of. We continue to subject approximately 3,000 young children to the habitual residence condition for child benefit. The effect of this is that approximately 3,000 children go without basic necessities, such as, medicine, food and adequate clothing. The State in general, the Government and the Opposition, have always agreed that child benefit is a plank to remove children from poverty. Everyone in the House would respect the work of Sr. Breege Keenan of the Vincentian Refugee Centre. She said:

We see children all the time whose parents cannot give them the most basic requirements. These include suitable food and dietary supplements, over the counter medicines like Calpol and even simple play things are often way beyond the means of these parents.

If we want to discuss youth and treat all young children in this country the same we cannot continue to enforce a policy which segregates a particular group of children and leaves them with €9.20 per week. I appreciate that food and so on are provided in the hostels in which they live. The schools tell me children are unable to buy books but are not eligible for the free books scheme. They are unable to participate in school tours and where contributions are expected in the schools they are not able to participate. They cannot access basic requirements such as over-the-counter medicines. This is a real issue and one which the Government should go back to the drawing board and reconsider. The groups who got together — the Free Legal Advice Centre, Barnardos, the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, Children's Alliance and so on — called on the Government yesterday to change this commitment. My colleague, Deputy David Stanton, spoke out against it in 2004 when it was introduced. If anything meaningful is to come from the motion I ask the Government to reconsider the imposition of this on children.

There are a few issues that particularly affect young people, be they children or young teenagers, one of which is bullying. The State has failed to provide a national anti-bullying strategy. One project was carried out by Trinity College and piloted in Donegal. The Norwegian Government adopted that model as the best one it could find. Yet we in Ireland have failed to adopt our own pilot project despite the fact that it was successful. It is clear that if a child is bullied the effects last for three years within that child's family, as proved by statistics. This is an issue we have failed to tackle. We can talk about giving them quality of life in other areas but if we do not implement policies such as this we are putting them at a disadvantage.

The Government has failed to roll out the Stay Safe programme to every primary school, despite the fact that it can be of such enormous help to children. It teaches them what is and what is not appropriate in terms of the behaviour of adults and strangers towards them. It is not accessible to every child whose parents want them to access it. My colleague, Deputy Brian Hayes, outlined the clear problems in the area of psychological assessments last night and I have done so in the past. We are failing children from an early age. Deputy Neville touched on the psychiatric services which has been a big issue in recent months and years. I listened to it being debated on the radio yesterday afternoon when a number of parents telephoned to say their children are not able to access basic services. While I do not want to be political, because this is such a sensitive point, a motion such as this should state how we intend to deal with that, how we will fund that and create real change in children's lives.

On the issue of sports and play facilities for children, when I became a member of Offaly County Council in 1999 there was not one playground in County Offaly although there had been when I was a child. That position has changed. I congratulate the Government on the provision of grants for three playgrounds in Birr, Tullamore and Clara. A further two are on the way in Banagher and Ferbane. What happens in the rest of the county? The entire north of Offaly is without a playground because the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who was hardly a day in the office, scrapped the playground grant. We can talk around all these things but if we are serious about children learning socialisation skills, learning how to get on with each other and to play with each other, they must have somewhere to do it. They cannot do it at home on their own. That is one severe criticism I would make.

I acknowledge the work of the various sporting organisations around the country. I agree that a great deal of money has been provided through the national lottery to sporting organisations. Most of the time it is for us to sit and watch. I am concerned that greater investment is needed to allow children and young people to participate. We have to get away from the notion that the answer to all young people's problems is sport because there will always be a section of young people who will not engage in sport. Other avenues have been tried such as music schools and dance. What young people want is simple — they want funding for this type of programme throughout the country. There should be greater use of school facilities so these activities can be provided.

I disagree with colleagues anywhere in the House who claim young people do not have values. While that was not necessarily said during this debate, it is an awful statement and one that has been made in the past. Young people may have different values but the ombudsman's report clearly showed the huge percentage for whom the most important issues were family and care, which does not represent any great change in values from the position 30 years ago.

We must realise young people do not pick their habits off the ground but are to a large extent brought upon them by society and advertising. It is not young people but adults who spend huge sums on advertising yet it is often targeted at the young, who are subject to many negative influences that may change their behaviour. Members of the House have a duty to respond and to help families and parents deal with the pressures of life and in so doing to help young people.

The motion refers to obesity. My major concern with the motion is that it is like a slap on the back in that it claims we are doing a great job, which is not the case. Some 200,000 people are affected by eating disorders but there are just three public beds for the entire country, and these are only accessible to people over the age of 18. If we want to help young people, we must examine these issues.

The Minister of State with responsibility for drugs, Deputy Carey, is present. While I do not have time to deal with that issue today, I hope we can discuss it at another time.

We will have an opportunity to comprehensively address the drugs issue next week and I will refer to it in passing in this contribution.

There is probably never a perfect time to discuss young people's issues. The European Youth Parliament was held in the Chamber last week and, while I was not present, I believe it addressed many of these issues. Dáil na nÓg also does good work. We need to learn to listen to young people. We are very good at telling them what to do but we are not always good at listening to their concerns. Very often, they have much to tell us which we should incorporate into the work we are doing.

Like Deputy O'Rourke, I was a teacher in a previous incarnation. In fact, I spent 30 very enjoyable years working in that profession and would like to think I had a reasonably good engagement with young people. I also spent much time involved in youth work. I have seen at first hand the positive effects that can arise from giving young people a chance. Most of my involvement has been working with young people in areas of disadvantage. I have seen the difference it has made to young people in those areas when additional support and encouragement was given to them at an early stage.

I take Deputy Enright's point with regard to playgrounds. Unfortunately, there has been a dearth of playgrounds throughout the country. When I started in youth work, one of the first campaigns waged against young people was that by the adult population of this city to remove playgrounds from their areas. We did not have the term anti-social behaviour in those days but the allegation made was that they would only be drinking around the swings, that one could not get insurance and the devil and all would be happening around the place.

We are coming from a very low base and the situation remains difficult. My Department is associated with both the RAPID and CLÁR programmes. For every area where we manage to persuade the local authority and community to agree to locate a playground, there is another where it will be said "Not in my back yard, thank you very much." There are times when I think it would almost be easier to locate a facility for drug misusers than one for young people to enjoy creative opportunities. It is regrettable this is sometimes the case.

Since I took over responsibility for the national drugs strategy five months ago, I have been struck by the number of youth workers and others involved with young people's initiatives. I have met those who themselves received support that helped in their formative years and who are now willing to put something back. I was in Edenderry in Deputy Enright's constituency some weeks ago to visit a superb drug awareness project.

The Minister of State should have invited me.

I did not do the inviting; I was invited myself. Young people from the local schools were present. They know what they want and made their voices heard. They want a youth centre and I suspect they will keep hounding local representatives until they get it. I encouraged them to keep it up.

I attended a meeting of the regional drugs task force in Athlone yesterday. I was very impressed by the number of initiatives that slowly but surely the task force is rolling out in that region. While I would like to see progress achieved much more quickly, definite progress is being made and solid and well-grounded programmes for young people are being put in place.

Despite so much work going on, problems persist and we continue to struggle to keep up the scale of support which is needed, whether through an ability to respond for a short time at stages when young people might be vulnerable and need a helping hand, or through more long-term interventions which are needed in other circumstances. From my experience on the ground, I believe it is important that young people become involved as much as possible in their communities — to be fair, they do so. We need to educate children and other young people about themselves and the world around them, and empower them to contribute to the development of their community, environment and society. I firmly believe any resources invested in children and young people will be repaid many times over through the future well-being of our communities and society in general.

I was invited to present certificates to a group of transition year students in a school in my constituency last Friday. The school ran a programme based on an American programme concerned with empowering young people and giving them the capacity to make their own decisions and come to the right decisions. Much of the programme concerned the area of drugs. While I am sometimes sceptical about imported programmes, I was very impressed by the way the young people were able to articulate the value they found in these courses. Much work of that type is being done throughout the country.

When people talk about these difficult times for our young people, drugs are never far from their minds. As Minister of State with responsibility in that area, I am acutely aware of the problems and potential problems facing young people today. Through the prevention pillar of the national strategy, including the young people's facilities and services fund, resources are directed into facilities and services aimed at encouraging alternatives to a lifestyle that revolves around drugs and alcohol. One of the most effective strategies to prevent problem drug use is to ensure young people have alternatives in their lives, for example, sport and recreational opportunities. In such settings, combined with the work of those organising the activities, youth has a chance to get involved in alternative pursuits where they can express themselves and their ideas, and be supported generally in a way that can improve their lives.

I take the point that not every person, young or old, is interested in sport, which is why it is important we have facilities such as youth cafés. "Youth café" is a new buzzword but they are a useful intervention, provided we can adapt to changing needs. They provide another outlet and help to include those young people who are interested in, for example, art or playing music or computer games.

I am pleased to note the Department's young people's facilities and services fund is assisting in the development of youth facilities and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group for the fund is ten to 21 year olds who are marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background, environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage, involvement in crime and drugs and so on.

Since 1998 the Government has allocated €132 million to the fund for current capital projects which, broken down roughly, is an allocation of €70 million for current spending and €62 million for capital projects. This year, €12.9 million is being provided to cover current expenditure under the fund, with €6 million for capital expenditure. Approximately 500 facilities and services projects are being supported under the fund and over 350 people are employed directly, with the funding provided under the young people's facilities and services fund.

At present the fund operates in the 14 local drugs task force areas — 12 in Dublin and the others in Bray and Cork — as well as Limerick, Waterford, Carlow and Galway. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the operation of the fund will be extended to other towns, mainly in Leinster. I will probably be in a position to identify those towns before Christmas and am currently assessing the best way towards meeting that commitment. I am meeting the regional drugs task forces, local authorities and sport and recreational organisations to roll out that programme.

Applications for funding under the YPFSF are being made through a relevant local development group. The group generally comprises representatives of the relevant drugs task force, local authority and vocational education committee. The ideas originate in communities and proposers are always encouraged to consult young people about what they would like to have in their areas. I am anxious to get projects that will grow from local communities and which are closely identified with the needs of young people. The proposals are assessed for suitability against priorities identified from the area, not from the Department. I intend to deal with that in more detail next week.

We cannot underestimate the risk of illegal drugs and to this end the Department has started a review of the next phase of the national drugs strategy. I know that Deputy Byrne and others will be actively engaged in that process. The next phase covers a long period from 2009 to 2016, which might appear like an eternity to young people. The year 2016 is a seminal, iconic date in the life of this country. I would like to think that by working together on a cross-party basis we can put in place strategies that will make a difference for young people. By 2016 therefore we will be in a position to treat all the children of the nation equally.

The field work for a second all-island prevalent study on drugs has been done and it will soon give us a good idea of the extent of various drug misuse issues. I will be working closely with Members on both sides of the House to identify the way forward to implement the study's findings.

We live in a different Ireland today from the one in which we grew up. As a parent I recognise the pressures young people face these days as a result of increased levels of prosperity. We live in a society where beauty and image are considered to be very important. The media have a major influence on the lives of young people and go a long way towards projecting this image. Like other parents, I have been told to "get a life" and "come into the real world", but we must listen to our young people and try to understand their world. Elected representatives must legislate on issues that reflect the views of today's youth.

It is well known that the experiences of childhood go a long way towards shaping our future lives. Confidence and self-awareness must be nurtured in those early years and education is the key to achieving this. We should put in place a programme that presents school as a gateway to opportunity and fulfilment regardless of our backgrounds or family circumstances. Last year, in Dublin city alone, 368 children left school before the age of 15. The number of such children has doubled in five years, which is a shocking statistic and one we must act upon now.

At present, there are 83 welfare officers for the entire country, which falls far short of the recommended figure of 360. The Government must act urgently to employ more educational welfare officers to reduce the number of early school leavers.

School programmes are required in which physical education is afforded more priority in the everyday curriculum. There is a lack of PE facilities in schools and in this respect I will cite two examples from my area. The two-hour per week slot for a PE teacher in a local school is inadequate to facilitate the 240 students. Loreto College and Goldenbridge national school have no proper PE facilities. Sports halls have been long awaited so I hope the Minister for Education and Science will consider providing them following the budget.

As the Minister of State said, youth cafés are required. Places such as St. Catherine's in Marrowbone Lane and John Bosco's in Drimnagh have begun to demonstrate their role in the community. Young people turn up to such centres every night of the week to get involved in various activities, including Internet surfing and playing music. In addition, alternative sporting venues are needed such as an all-year ice skating rink and swimming pools. I was delighted to see that Dublin City Council overturned an earlier decision not to introduce the ice skating rink this year. I am amazed by the number of children from my area who are thrilled and excited to use the ice skating rink. We are a prosperous country and it is about time we had such rinks and swimming pools in most parts of the city rather than just in certain areas. We need places where young people can congregate and socialise in a healthy, alcohol-free environment. They should be able to meet their friends in the evening without having to stand on street corners.

Health awareness is another neglected part of the education system. While a mandatory RSE programme is in place, in reality it is not happening on the ground. The programme should be reassessed to reflect the issues that currently affect young people. In addition, the CSPE programme should be reintroduced for the senior cycle year. However unpleasant it may be for parents to contemplate, children as young as 11 years of age are now sexually active. The consequences and risks must be spelt out more visually through media advertising to highlight the emotional dangers and health risks of sexually transmitted diseases.

We can discuss these matters as long as we like, paying lip service to them, but without a willingness by Ministers to accept responsibility and take action, the problems will continue. The Government should act quickly to ensure that children will have an improved role in our society. I urge the Government to accept the amended motion moved by Deputy Shatter.

I welcome the opportunity to speak about some pressing issues for young people. Children are the most vulnerable people in our society. Their well-being must be a fundamental aspect of how the State legislates and governs. If we do right by our children now, they will do right by this country in generations to come. For some time, reservations have been expressed about the manner in which our legal justice system deals with victims of child abuse who attempt to seek justice. A landmark report last week found that the criminal justice system as it stands is not serving victims of child abuse correctly. The report was produced by University College Dublin and the child abuse treatment units at Temple Street hospital and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children. It was presented at the Psychology Society of Ireland's annual conference in Killarney last week.

The report found that the legal system is at best inaccessible and at worst cruel to some of the most vulnerable in our society. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform should take on board the report's findings and implement the necessary changes. Such victims are clearly being let down by the current process, which needs to be altered. We need to act sooner and more sensitively in this regard. An average wait of 15 months for a guilty plea to be heard in child abuse cases means victims and their families are under needless stress for almost two years. That is a long time during which one is unable to rebuild a young life. It is hard to see the justice in this.

I am also concerned at the finding that only one quarter of all victims had availed of specialist support before their cases opened. The trauma suffered by child abuse victims should not be compounded by their efforts to bring child abusers to justice. I hope the Minister will place significant importance on these findings and listen to the experts in the field who are calling for immediate reform.

The Government needs a wake up call regarding the abuse of drugs in the State. Drugs can be bought at every crossroads and the State is doing very little about it. In County Clare only three gardaí are deployed in the drugs unit, which is totally inadequate. More resources and more gardaí dedicated to tackling the drugs problem are needed, together with a genuine commitment from the Government.

The lack of facilities for young people is another issue that needs immediate attention. Many of us met and spoke with hundreds of young people in our constituencies during the recent general election campaign. The issue they raised repeatedly was the lack of facilities for them. The building boom has not been kind to our sports or recreational infrastructure which has fallen behind best European standards. Voluntary bodies are left to make up for the lack of direction or investment. This needs to be addressed. Sociologists have long outlined the benefits of better recreational and sports infrastructure in our communities and it is time the Government prioritised investment in this area and brought forward a new community development scheme to give communities access to funding.

How can we have faith in a Government which has demonstrated such little regard for our children in the area of education? The situation in Ballyea national school in my constituency, where funding has been withdrawn, is deplorable. A total of 159 children attend a school built for 80. A sum of €200,000 has been expended on the development of a temporary site but the funding has been suspended. It is difficult for us to ask our children to respect their environment as they grow, when the Government has such little respect for the daily environment of thousands of schoolchildren. It needs to cop on to the fact that an investment in our children is an investment in our future but that is not the case.

I would also like the Government to work on the issue of road safety as it pertains to our youth. Our schools are the best places to begin the dialogue with children about this issue. A programme entitled the Irish School of Excellence is used in schools in County Clare and elsewhere in Munster. However, it is not funded by the State. The Government should support this initiative and treat road safety with the importance it deserves.

I wish to share time with Deputy Margaret Conlon.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. It is an opportune time for us to reflect on and review our policies on young people and to outline positive policy initiatives for the future. In particular, it is an opportunity for someone like me, who represents one of the fastest growing communities in the country, to highlight the specific challenges young people face in areas such as Kildare North. It is almost a cliché to say young people have contributed to our economic success. However, one of the key reasons Ireland been successful in attracting foreign direct investment is the young, educated and skilled workforce on offer. While we should never look on our youth merely as a financial resource, it is important to recognise the contribution of our young people and educational infrastructure, which helped transform the country which was previously bedevilled by high unemployment and poor economic outlook to a modern vibrant and successful economy.

As we reflect on that success and put policies in place to harness the best from our young people, areas that have experienced considerable residential development, without matching community and social infrastructure, must be considered to assess how best we can retrofit these facilities. Kildare North, with towns such as Maynooth, Naas, Celbridge, Clane and Kilcock, has experienced significant population growth in recent years. Many young people live in these towns and have or are about to have young families. A significant proportion have families of teenage age and require fit for purpose community facilities to ensure they will have a positive focal point for engagement through sports, music, drama, art or social interaction in café bars. We are expected to set policy guidelines that will offer the best chance of extracting what is most positive from our youth.

This is the main issue I would like to address in my contribution, as it is specific to Kildare North which has witnessed rapid growth without matching community facilities. It is important to put this issue in context. In recent years significant funds have been invested in sports facilities in County Kildare. Almost every sports club has benefited in one form or another from the sports capitation grant allocations or the Kildare sports partnership. Significant investment in school extensions or new schools to match the increasing demand for places has taken place. In addition, progress has been made in reducing the pupil-teacher ratio which was helped by the introduction of the developing schools status. However, in constituencies such as Kildare North the challenge is to ensure new development is strengthened and complements existing or new communities. We all accept that new developments need to comprise more than houses. It is essential that schools, community facilities, employment, transport and amenities are integrated with the housing development process in a timely, cost effective and sustainable manner. Joined-up government across the local and national spectrum can facilitate the emergence of sustainable, integrated communities as we continue to expand.

I welcome the Government's commitment to allocate €150 million to a community development fund in the next five years to build the infrastructure required to sustain communities. I will press the Government to ensure County Kildare obtains its fair share of this funding.

The development fund is an opportunity to retrofit community facilities, in particular, for our young people. I call on the Government to introduce schemes to implement this agenda of retrofitting community facilities in conurbations. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs administers schemes such as RAPID and CLÁR which have been tremendously successful in dealing with specific needs. The needs of our communities could be addressed through such specific schemes, where funding would be ring-fenced for the provision of facilities. Large residential areas need a focused approach to build communities around the bricks and mortar of our housing estates. We have a successful model for the disbursement of such funding to tackle specific needs in our communities.

It is also important to point to a facility in my constituency which is a model for future development. The Leixlip Amenities Centre which recently received funding to improve and expand its facilities provides a large number of services for the community. It has become a positive focus for the community and, particularly, young people. The population in Kildare North has increased rapidly with significant growth in residential development. The success of our economy has led to a rapid increase in the population in recent times. While this success is welcome, it brings challenges that must be addressed. Now is the time to invest in our communities in order that our young people can be attracted to sport, music, drama, art, community activities and education. I look forward to working with my colleagues and all other stakeholders, including our local authorities, to provide improved facilities to ensure our youth have a positive focus for the future.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this useful debate. Contrary to Opposition claims, this is not a talking shop because our young people are very important.

They are our future and deserve to have their issues debated by us.

Ireland has changed beyond recognition in the past 15 years. The Celtic tiger has led to increased opportunities and with opportunities come challenges. While we have become more affluent, we have also found ourselves dealing with the many societal issues that come with increased wealth.

The majority of our young people have a very comfortable lifestyle and while I agree that we, as legislators, have a role to play in ensuring problems are dealt with and that our schools continue to educate in a holistic manner, I welcome the many new programmes introduced in our schools to deal with the challenges facing our young people. However, let us be clear, parents also have a duty to parent and they need to be supported by us in this role.

For me, health promotion is hugely important. Statistics show that good habits formed early on in life are maintained. The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, referred a number of years ago to the new generation of "screen-agers" who spend every spare minute moving from one screen to another, from PlayStation to Game Boy to the computer screen to the TV screen. They see this as their pastime but it is a sedentary pastime and we need to encourage these young people to participate in sport and to become much more active. Unfortunately, it is the exception rather than the norm that children would walk to and from school. This is not always related to road safety but a habit formed early in life.

I agree that not every child is a gifted footballer or a talented athlete. We need to take account of the pressure placed on young people to win and to stress the importance of participation rather than winning. In this respect, I commend the work of Community Games which provide many different opportunities for young people to participate in a broad range of artistic, sporting and cultural activities. These activities are of huge benefit from a physical perspective but they also enable our young people to develop team building skills which they will need as they progress through life. Every community has an active GAA, soccer or other sport club and huge resources have been invested in the juvenile sports structure, and the Government continues to invest in sporting facilities through the sports capital programme. We must give due recognition to the many volunteers involved in these clubs but it is important for parents to become more involved because clubs will not survive if it is left to the few to keep the momentum going.

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and our schools play a major role in health promotion by encouraging nutritious lunches and banning fizzy drinks and junk food. In responding to the issue of childhood obesity, we need to deal with the complex causes including diet, lifestyle and environmental issues. While it is important to tackle childhood obesity it is also imperative that our young people do not become obsessed with the fashion, food and slimming adverts which, either directly or by implication, link positive, emotional or psychological well-being with reduced food intake or a particular body shape.

As a teacher I understand the pressures facing our young people. Many are stressed but many also put themselves under increased pressure. They have a very active social life. Many have part-time jobs and they try to juggle work with school work and study to ensure they get the course of their dreams. Unfortunately, some students spend equally as much or more time in active employment as they do in school. Their increased disposable income is some cases is spent on alcohol, cigarettes or other illicit substances.

Our young people seem to live for the present and the notion of saving for the rainy day is a concept with which they are not familiar. It is not uncommon for teachers to have classes on a Monday morning which are not well attended or if students are present their attention span is poor as they recover from the excesses of the weekend. This dependence on alcohol is worrying. While many young people do not drink or drink responsibly, unfortunately there are some whose idea of a good night out is when they cannot remember it the next day. We have all witnessed the scenes of young people, drunk and disoriented lying on the street and in clubs and that brings its own problems. Alcohol should contain the same health warning as cigarettes so the user is clear that it can have serious health effects.

We need to work to promote a healthy mind and positive mental health. I welcome the developments of the SPHE programme at primary and secondary level where children become more confident in discussing their problems because for too long we have lived with the notion that children should be seen and not heard. I reiterate my commitment to promoting the issues and concerns of the young people I represent. I welcome the debate and look forward to continued investment and commitment in this area.

I wish to share time with Deputy Wall.

In speaking to this motion one wonders what is the Government's primary motivation in putting it before the House. It is not a legislative proposal. It contains no concrete provisions. It is short on detail and long on aspiration and therein lies the rub. The Government is high on aspiration but low on delivery. The motion is so broad that one senses there is a clear agenda by the Government to pay lip service to the idea of addressing the young people's issues throughout this island. What young people want are concrete legislative proposals that will speak directly to their concerns. These concerns are well documented and have been brought to Government through representative bodies such as the National Youth Council of Ireland, NYCI. The NYCI is a social partner and the genuineness of this motion will be measured by the Government's response to concerns outlined by groups such as the NYCI. I fear, however, that this motion is meaningless and full of platitudes and that young people have become used to hearing from a Government about the provision of services.

In the limited time afforded to me I wish to address a number of specific areas. The first relates to the health of children and our young people. The NYCI, in its budget submission, calls on the Government to deliver on its promise to double the income threshold for full medical card entitlements for parents of children under six years of age in this year's budget. I believe this is attainable. The Government must look positively on this proposal. Approximately 1.1 million children and young people under the age of 18 live in Ireland. According to the NYCI, only 305,000 of them are covered under the medical card scheme. Access to a GP is vital to ensure that a young person can avail of services to assist him or her through these difficult years. A young person needs to be able to do this without incurring a financial cost. This service would serve as a positive move that would give young people the confidence and independence to avail of vital services but in a way that would ensure confidentiality. Young people living in rural areas in particular where counselling and other services are not readily available would benefit in particular. The Government must also look favourably on families with children over the age of seven and under the age of 18 with a view to ensuring that income thresholds are raised to allow more children to avail of primary and secondary health care.

The second issue that needs to be addressed is the lack of adequate facilities and services for young people who are in need of counselling and require access to mental health facilities. In my constituency of Cork East the organisation Lets Get Together was set up to help others affected by suicide and to examine ways of preventing it. In 2005 the Lets Get Together Foundation linked up with a number of similar organisations throughout the country to set up an all-Ireland suicide prevention strategy, thereby raising awareness of the issue and speaking to local and national media. If this motion is to mean anything, the Government must assist organisations of this nature. The highest rate of suicide is found among young men aged under 35 — this age group accounts for 40% of all Irish suicides. There is a clear lack of a coherent Government policy to encourage young people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives to talk to others about it. The lack of available facts on a range of health and lifestyle issues linking potential users to relevant help services throughout the country is exacerbating the travesty of suicide which has reached epidemic proportions throughout this land. We have the fifth highest suicide rate in Europe among the 15 to 25 year age group and death by suicide is the number one cause of death among young Irish men. The Government, if it is serious about this motion, needs to fund more campaigns of representative organisations such as the NYCI, through the primary care strategy, to reduce the large number of deaths by suicide. Awareness must be raised. Young people need options and to be able to access them in a safe and non-judgmental manner. We have all experienced tough times. Many of us have been fortunate in that we had family and friends to support us. Not every young person has that luxury. Issues such as coming out to parents, unexpected pregnancy, low self-esteem and depression need to be tackled in a non-judgmental way.

On the issue of unwanted pregnancies, now that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, has admitted that VAT on condoms can be cut to as low as 5%, will she not bring a proposal to Cabinet that the Minister for Finance should cut the tax from 21% to 5%, as was done in the UK and other EU member states? The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has stated that 32% of people have indicated that the cost of contraception is a major factor in the decision not to use condoms, resulting in a rising incidence of sexually transmitted disease and unintended pregnancies. I could go on as there are many issues. However, since I am sharing with my colleague, Deputy Wall, I am happy to do so and will leave it at that.

I thank my colleague, Deputy Sherlock, for allowing me a number of minutes of his time to speak on this very important motion. It is disappointing, however, that it is just a motion and no action is promised in relation to it.

As the Labour Party's spokesman on community and rural affairs, I want to back the call by the National Youth Council of Ireland, which appeals to all parties to commit to the setting up and funding of a national youth participation programme. The objective is to support and promote greater participation, active citizenship and volunteering among young people, with specific emphasis on those aged 18 to 25. Recently, in reply to a parliamentary question submitted to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I was told that according to the most recent report from the ESRI, volunteering was up from 17.1% in 2002 to 23.1% in 2006. Active community involvement, according to the same report, was up from 21.7% to 29% in the same period.

As one who lives in a rural constituency, while I welcome these figures I doubt their authenticity. It is not apparent to me on the ground that the figures are relevant to rural Ireland. While I welcome the trends indicated, the figures leave much to be desired for the ordinary person on the street who comes to me on a regular basis with their problems. Thus, while welcoming the figures, with reservations, we must recognise the call from the NYCI to set up a programme to support active citizenship and volunteering among the younger population. The youth are our future volunteers and although one cannot force any individual to become actively involved, we must ensure every effort is made to create the conditions for young people to participate in community life. In talking to local youth groups I know they experience problems in getting young people to become youth leaders, especially in the 18 to 30 age bracket. The pace of life in modern Ireland is not helping. Young people have to travel long distances for work or college and find it difficult to get the time, resources and energy to commit to youth leadership. This is unfortunate, and very serious. If we cannot get persons in the 18 to 30 age group to commit in large numbers to become leaders, we are widening the age gap between leaders and those in the age bracket 12 to 18.

The time has come to act, bearing this in mind. I agree with the NYCI that a sustained effort is crucial to attract young people as volunteers. We must look at how people who volunteer are treated and question why they become involved. Hopefully, this will lead to a programme to encourage others. The time to act is now. We cannot any longer do without such a programme. I ask that the potential for a programme of this type be investigated by the relevant Minister and that initiatives are put in place to address this vital issue.

Another major concern is mental health and suicide prevention. A major concern among the entire population is the rate of suicide among the young. Ireland has the fifth highest rate of suicide in Europe for the 14 to 24 age group, a frightening statistic. The highest frequency is to be found among young men in the 20 to 29 year old age group. Mental health problems and disorders such as depression and substance misuse are associated with 90% of all suicide cases. This is one of the issues I have argued with relevant Ministers as regards the provision of facilities. We have seen wonderful work done through the capital sports programme in relation to arts, sport and tourism, but we must move the goalposts and ensure such facilities have permanent staff that can engage with the major housing developments. We must ensure they know and are involved in what is going on and we should not cherrypick in terms of those big estates. Rather, we should pick the best people from them to become involved in the sports area because that is one of the major problems we have. We must go right across the spectrum towards ensuring that every child in these enormous estates, without facilities, is cared for.

I want to highlight the situation whereby planning authorities allow developers to minimise the green areas on such estates without maximising their efficiency or ability to provide for the youngsters who must live there. Developers give the local authority the worst land in the estate, situated in the most awkward place possible, and nothing can be done to turn it into a facility that is usable, presentable and of benefit to the people living there. I ask the Minister of State, through his offices and those of the mover of the motion, to ensure something is done in this regard. Thought and dedication must be put into ensuring green spaces are not located in the wrong places in estates and of no benefit to the young for whom they should be of major significance as regards the provision of user-friendly facilities as a buffer against anti-social behaviour.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this very important debate on young people. I am delighted we have the opportunity to discuss issues regarding children and young people. This is a very important debate and we are at a crossroads in our wider society as regards young people and in comparison to what their peers were like 20 years ago.

Young people represent the future of the country and as such, are a major asset. We need to listen to young people and develop and plan around what they require and need for the future. I warmly welcome the magnificent efforts of Ms Emily Logan, the Ombudsman for Children, who has done great work, particularly in recent weeks, in serving the needs of young people and children. She is playing a fantastic role as regards this issue.

Looking at the wider debate, when she was consulting children over the last few weeks, it was possible to see what they thought about the wider society and what was going on in their minds. For example, 31% of children prioritise family and care as their first option, 24% regard play and recreation as a very important issue and 16% say that having a voice is very important. That is why today's debate is significant from the viewpoint of the Dáil reflecting the plea for children to have a voice, as indicated in that survey. Also 16% of the children express an interest in health, wealth and material well-being, while some 12% regard education as a major issue. The first priority is to zoom in and see what children need and require for the future. As someone who worked in the primary education sector for more than 25 years, I have some experience as regards these issues and believe all schools, in particular primary and pre-school institutions, should ensure they are listening to children. Much abuse and neglect can be caught if there is early intervention. There are many listening and progressive schools in disadvantaged areas which can assist children at a very young age for the future, and also help those who are at risk.

I raised these issues in my talks with the Taoiseach during the summer, particularly in my agreement with him. I put the issues on the agenda, particularly as regards children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This needs to be included in a broader debate. When we talk about children, we need to ensure we are referring to all children, particularly those with disabilities as well as young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over the next five years I am confident we will see a major investment in those areas and this is to be welcomed. Anybody who says the opposite is not telling the truth to voters. Major investments in the areas of disability, educational disadvantage and child care are planned for the next four or five years. We must accept the issues I have raised as a reality.

When discussing children, one must touch upon alcohol and drug abuse because one cannot accept a three year old or four year old child as normal in a home where there is cocaine abuse or excessive violence taking place. Sadly, this is the case in some homes. I totally reject the views of the smart-alec journalist who turned up on "The Late Late Show" and dismissed these facts in respect of cocaine. Cocaine presents a serious problem and has led to major violence. Drug feuds have resulted in many women becoming widows and young children being placed in very bad circumstances. I challenge those in the media who believe it is a matter for oneself what one puts in one's body. It is disgraceful for a person to spout such a message on a national television programme and I will not accept it in any way. One should think of the widows of those massacred in cocaine-fuelled feuds. That is the reality of Ireland in 2007 and I will not accept any oldguff from those who make assertions to the contrary.

Twelve years ago, while I was working in my previous day job, I attended three funerals of past pupils within a ten-day period and all the deaths were drugs-related. These are the issues with which we must deal and that is why this debate is very important.

On a positive note, we must listen to young people in respect of sport. Sport, regardless of whether it involves Gaelic games or soccer, is very important to one's development. I commend my local club, St. Vincent's, for its excellent win in the Dublin county championship recently. It is doing magnificent work for young people in Dublin North-Central and many other clubs are doing such work also.

We must broaden the debate on sports for young people and assist them to become more involved in the arts and music. I refer in particular to those who are not particularly talented at sport. Exposure to the arts, including music, at an early age is very important. In many disadvantaged schools, particularly on the north side of Dublin, there are excellent projects pertaining to the arts and music. One can use the arts to assist children from dysfunctional or very violent families. Some excellent projects in my area offer art therapy for children in such circumstances. A trained artist and therapist work with the children from Monday to Friday and do substantial preventative work. This is where we need to invest as investment in this area will deliver. I am confident that in the coming years such services will be rolled out in the most needy areas. Priority should always be accorded to the most disadvantaged in addition to children with disabilities in all sectors, irrespective of whether the disabilities are physical or intellectual.

I welcome some of the positive developments of recent weeks, particularly in Dublin North-Central. For example, an additional €108,000 was invested in north-side schools, and housing projects for the disabled have been launched in Coolock. The Greendale school is being planned and staff are being recruited to provide services for autistic children. Educational services in the Marino area have been improved and, as the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey will know, the Donnycarney Community & Youth Centre is doing an excellent job for the people of Donnycarney. It is a beautiful centre that needs to be supported and developed. Some €850,000 was allocated to the beautiful day centre of the Central Remedial Clinic in Clontarf. In the past ten days, €88,000 has been provided for ICT grants for 18 Dublin North-Central schools. These measures comprise part of the development of services for young people.

I recognise the many difficulties and challenges that face young people today. We need to address the issues of alcohol and drugs, promote good nutrition and healthier lifestyles and combat obesity. We must also develop sports facilities and address issues pertaining to youth work and youth justice. Young people are the future and we need to invest in them.

I urge more investment in services for young people and all adults should listen to and pay more attention to them. Then and only then will we have a bright future for all our children.

I wish to share time with Deputy Joe McHugh.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome this debate. The Minister of State responsible for youth work, Deputy Seán Haughey, should note that I introduced the Youth Services Bill in 1990. There is a total lack of joined-up thinking. I wonder how many times the Ministers of State who were present this afternoon have met to ensure an integrated, cross-departmental approach to youth services. There are programmes emanating from each of the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Education and Science, and Health and Children, and there is major confusion among some youth organisations as to the source of their funding. There is a major need for joined-up thinking. The Youth Services Bill 1990 recommended this approach specifically but, unfortunately, as it was a Private Members' Bill, it was not considered, despite the fact that it received very good support from the Government benches. We are still talking about having joined-up thinking and a cross-departmental approachto youth services, but they have not yet materialised.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, outlined how young people now have a voice. It is great that young people participate in organisations such as Dáil na nÓg, Comhairle na nÓg, local youth fora and students' fora, but in some ways these are as exclusive as this House. In no way do they represent the rank and file of young people. They are a great idea but if we are really serious about including young people, we should allow them to become involved in local partnerships, such as local area partnerships, county enterprise boards and county development boards. We have the opportunity to do so but are not availing of it.

Considering that I represent a generally rural constituency, I note that services for young people in rural areas are non-existent in most of the country. Nobody seems to care or bother to address this problem. While there are good and effective programmes such as the Garda diversion programme in urban areas, which programmes are linked to the RAPID areas, large rural regions have none. In north Kerry, for example, there is just one youth worker.

On the issue of Teenspace, the national social and recreational policy of the Department of Health and Children recommends what we all, including Deputy Finian McGrath, know already. It is something of a cliché to state there is less crime if recreational facilities are provided for young people. We all know this but we are not acting upon it.

The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, should convey to his ministerial colleagues my view that the budget should ring-fence a specific fund for the development of youth cafés. Young people, irrespective of whether they are surveyed locally or nationally, say they want them. Perhaps if they get them, they will want something else but at this moment, they seem to be what is required.

I have just mentioned the advantages of youth cafés. They are alcohol-free and drug-free spaces that are properly supervised. This is what young people need. Hopefully, this point can be responded to but that is critical.

It is easy to say this when one is in Opposition but despite this country's wealth, our Government and establishment have failed young people in many areas. Orthodontic treatment is very important for young people for cosmetic reasons. Young people are now very conscious of how they look and appear. In Kerry, the HSE will only treat people who applied before 2 June 2002. I am sure this is a microcosm of what is happening across the country. If one has to pay for orthodontic treatment, one faces a wait of more than five years. One can understand the damage that is done in the meantime.

I am delighted that we have the opportunity to discuss youth service provision in this country. As Deputy Shatter noted, it is a bit of an empty debate in one sense because we have in many ways abandoned and let down our youngpeople in so many different areas despite our wealth.

I take this opportunity to convey my sentiments on behalf of many young people in this country. This debate smacks of the usual tokenism we afford our young people. We are talking about young people but are not talking about doing anything for them. We are not bringing forward any proposals. We are giving ourselves a self-congratulatory slap on the back about ongoing work with young people, some of which I acknowledge. However, it means nothing in terms of this motion and is a pure charade.

According to the report released yesterday by the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, young people are not taken seriously and this debate is an example of this. Although some young people in this country might know that a debate is taking place tonight, others do not. I am sure there are very few people listening to www.oireachtas.ie live on worldwide web. If the Fianna Fáil, Green Party and Independent Deputies supporting this Government were serious about this debate and believed it had value, representative youth groups would be here. If one looks around the Gallery, one can see that not even one group representing young people is here. This smacks of tokenism and means nothing.

We are engaged in filibustering when we could be doing something serious in terms of legislation. Maybe we could have used this as an opportunity to look at the Youth Work Act 2001 to see where it is at, where it is going and what resources are needed and to evaluate the work, progress and proposals of people appointed to the various VECs. That is what we should do in terms of using time valuably. We talk about efficiency, value for money and cost efficiency. This is a complete waste of time. If every young person in this country knew this debate was happening, which they do not, it would qualify their thinking in terms of realising they are not being represented and nobody is listening to them.

What we do on an annual basis in this House is talk about young people, scratch our heads, have a wee charade and pretend that we are representing them when we are not. A very famous person in my parish came out with a very famous statement one night, one in which the Acting Chairman might be interested and which he might use again. He maintained that when all is said and done, there is a hell of a lot more said than done. This sums up what is going on this evening.

The image of young people hanging around on street corners with nothing to do is no stereotype. It is a reality which we must address. As my colleague, Deputy Deenihan, noted in respect of youth cafés, we need facilities where young people can hang out with their peers in an environment that is supervised, not necessarily by adults but by youth workers.

Let us roll out a proper programme where we employ full-time youth workers and a proper educational programme where we have proper degrees for youth and community workers in this country and let us be serious about where we are going with respect to young people. Let us not kid ourselves about the good work that is ongoing. A considerable amount of work is ongoing in different youth projects and there is no generic model for youth work. Different models of youth work exist in Cork and the entire way up through Kerry — which is Deputy Deenihan's backyard — Clare, Mayo, Donegal and Dublin. Different types of projects exist. We should utilise the confidence of our young generation, have proper premises and supply them with proper telecommunications systems, including proper broadband and digital communications systems. If we do this, we will be serious about youth work because tonight we are not serious about it. The debate smacks of tokenism; nothing will be done and we are just making a mockery of the representation of young people here tonight.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this motion tonight and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I applaud the efforts he and other Ministers and Departments have made in respect of this issue. I would not be as negative as the previous speaker, for whom I have great respect and with whom I served in the Seanad. Deputy McHugh always used the opportunity there to set out the concerns of young people and was and is a great defender of young people's rights. I am slightly disappointed by the negative stance he has taken tonight because he talks about filibustering and charade. In fairness to him, he did an admirable job in adding to that charade.

Notwithstanding that, it is most important for us to have regular and ongoing discussions in this House about youth and young people. During the era in which I grew up, which is not totally different from the era in which Deputy McHugh grew up, the approach to children was that they should be seen and not heard. Thankfully, this approach has changed in a very real way. I suppose it has changed because of changes in the culture and society in which we live and because there is more assertiveness among young people. There is greater interest among young people in taking a stake in society from a much younger age. There is a great depth of understanding, knowledge and interest in taking a role in society among them. As guardians and legislators, it is incumbent on us to recognise that and identify clear ways to involve young people in a real way in the decision-making process.

I believe that a discussion in this House, regardless of whether the Gallery is packed with various interest or lobby groups, has the capacity to change the thinking of the Minister of State and his Cabinet colleagues who will, ultimately, be responsible for providing the funding and developing the strategies and mechanisms by which the concerns of young people are addressed.

I was very taken by Deputy Finian McGrath's contribution where he talked about the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, and what she has done over the past number of weeks in respect of the big ballot. Deputy Joe Carey and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a school in north Clare where we had an opportunity to discuss at first hand the concerns of young people as part of that big ballot. Over and above the importance of the family, the importance of play and recreation was made very clear to us. It is in discussions like this that we can bring about the kind of policies that will ensure the needs of young people are met in that regard.

There has been a great movement in terms of the facilities that are available. It is not that long ago since those who have just spoken were growing up. There was certainly a great lack of facilities during this time. The kind of investment that has been put in place through the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, and the Ceann Comhairle would have been very much to the fore of that during his tenure in that Department. There is an old saying that one can take a horse to water but cannot make it drink. In respect of sporting facilities, the Government has certainly provided the well from which children can drink. One has only to travel around the country to see that, which is a very welcome development. We should not rest on our laurels and believe that this is the only input we can make because we can make many others. I agree with Deputy Deenihan regarding the establishment of Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg. While they are important, they apply to an elite group associated more with the debating societies than the real needs of young people. The challenge for us is to continue to promote Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle nanÓg while identifying the needs of youngchildren.

The establishment of the Office of the Minister for Children under the Minister of State with responsibility for children in 2005 demonstrated the Government's commitment to addressing the issues facing young people. The continued debate in this House and the effort to identify the needs of young people through that office is the mechanism for delivery of services.

At the younger end of the scale there has been recognition of the importance of playgrounds. Local authorities have received resources to address this, a welcome development. Young people must be seen as stakeholders in society. In doing that we must identify the root cause of their issues rather than dealing with symptoms. Many of these debates refer to administering ASBOs and preventing young people from drinking too much, smoking and taking drugs. We must look deeper and identify a set of policies with a greater level of participation. Children are becoming active in society and flying the nest at an earlier stage. We must educate them about life issues at an earlier stage and this is where we are falling down. We treat nine to 12 year olds as young children even though they have advanced more than I did at the same age. They have a greater understanding of what happens in society but do not have the pillars to protect them from the ravages of society. We have examined the provision of play facilities for younger children.

There was a time when we referred to providing facilities for teenagers but it is too late when they get to their teens and this should be examined for children aged nine to 13 years. The health promotion unit at the Department of Health and Children is doing good work and is developing practices and procedures for dealing with young children. Those areas include sexual health, mental health, suicide prevention, which is prevalent, alcohol and drug abuse andobesity.

The latter is part of a changing culture. When I went to school very few, if any, children suffered from obesity. Diet was very different before the advent of fast food. The advent of both parents working changed matters and children had a better and more balanced diet because of the better level of parental input. We could examine our tax code in this respect. Tax individualisation has created a greater acceptance of both parents working and has perhaps encouraged it. I am not sure this is a policy we should push on parents. We should reward those who make the sacrifice to remain at home to rear children in the formative years, allowing children the best opportunity and to develop to live and deal with difficult issues.

The abuse of drugs and alcohol is putting our society off kilter. It has the capacity to damage children irreparably. We have heard of unruly children and perhaps we were a part of that group at one stage. Children are at risk of losing their path in life through drug and alcohol abuse and this may prove difficult to regain.

We need early intervention programmes for those at risk. Society, and the Government through its agencies, must identify children at risk. In many cases it is a parental issue, perhaps involving the grandparents. There may be instability and a lack of understanding of how to resolve problems. The State has a role in intervening.

I agree with calls for greater funding for youth cafés. Teenagers put forward this as a solution to the notion that they have nowhere to go. This applies particularly to those not interested in playing hurling, football or camogie. In mentioning these sports I should recognise the tremendous efforts of my club Tulla in advancing to the Munster club hurling final. The club encourages young people to participate in sport. Youth cafés are expensive because they are needed in areas of towns where property is expensive. The drink and drug free environment allows them to congregate, or hang out as they now say, in an environment without the pressure to consume alcohol or drugs.

I compliment the Government and the Ministers with responsibility for health, sport and justice for tabling a comprehensive motion. While it is not overly expansive on projects under way, it clearly sets out a framework for the delivery of the services required to ensure our young people grow into mature adults in a changing environment.

I wish to share time with Deputy O'Mahony. I thank Deputy Shatter for tabling the amendment and I call on the Government to submit a comprehensive action plan within one month to deal with the many difficulties and challenges faced by young people. Society is awash with drugs and alcohol. The rate of suicide among young people, particularly teenage boys, is increasing. I demand young people receive education on alcohol, drugs, relationships and sexual health awareness. I call for widespread availability of sports facilities and youth clubs, as other speakers have outlined.

Young people from the age of ten years are using drink and drugs freely. The situation must be addressed urgently. Early intervention is needed to cover adolescence and early adulthood. I commend the work of the health promotion unit, which provides informative leaflets on alcohol, drugs, relationships and healthy eating. Schools can access the leaflets freely and they are useful for teenagers.

In secondary schools, students have access to one class of social, personal and health education. Topics such as alcohol, drugs and relationships should be addressed in this class but, in reality, not enough time is devoted to these subjects. Demand exists from disciplines such as career guidance. Career guidance teachers wish to use this time to advise students on future careers, which is also important. Teachers providing advice do not have the experience or the confidence to deliver information on these topics. An outside body could provide people to deliver these social, personal and health education classes, which are important for our young people.

Facilities for our young people are badly needed. In Dublin North-East, people are fighting an uphill battle for facilities and battling developers who look to take over every green space in the city. However, developers are not willing to provide facilities. We have a major problem with communities expanding where there is a great demand for youth facilities because of the number of young people.

Non-profit organisations are also working to serve our communities, although they are forced to pay huge rates to rent rooms in premises because the requisite facilities are not available to them. Community groups in Dublin North-East have contacted my office to inform me that they cannot afford to pay fees or rent and cannot find rooms big enough to serve the needs of their members. The sports and leisure centre in Portmarnock is in serious danger of closing if badly needed funding is not provided. I am campaigning for this funding to be provided because if the club closes, young people will suffer as a result of losing access to badly needed facilities. The latter would not be good for their future development.

Another organisation in Kilbarrack, which is located in my constituency, is campaigning to build a new community centre for the youth of the area. The proposed centre will include a youth café which will provide an urgently needed facility for young people. I commend the work carried out to date by the residents association in Kilbarrack and the Kilbarrack Coast Community Programme, KCCP, which provides assistance and courses for recovering drug addicts. I wish those involved well as they pursue their campaign for a new community centre.

Young people must be encouraged to reach their full potential. A comprehensive psychological service needs to be put in place in schools. I will only briefly mention the need for additional psychologists because this week's Private Members' motion tabled by Fine Gael relates to the inadequacies of the psychological service in secondary schools. If one examines the NEPS budget for next year, it is apparent that what is proposed represents a cut of 6%. That is not a welcome development. I spoke to many school principals and guidance counsellors in Dublin North-East who informed me that huge numbers of children were on waiting lists. The provision of two psychological assessments per year per school is not adequate. How many children has the Government failed?

There is an urgent need for a suicide prevention scheme because suicide rates are increasing on a daily basis. We must devote time to educating young people in schools in respect of this issue. In government my party would introduce a youth mental health initiative aimed at teachers and other adults who have frequent contact with young people; introduce a suicide prevention strategy, the fundamental aim of which would be to prevent suicide and self-harm and reduce the level of suicide in the general population; increase the budget to the National Office for Suicide Prevention to €10 million per year, which would rise to €20 million by year five; and provide a comprehensive package for all primary and secondary schools, which would include mental health programmes and comprehensive counselling services.

I am seeking the provision of further sports facilities and youth cafés in my constituency and throughout the country, as they are badly needed. Large-scale developments should not be allowed to proceed, unless proper facilities are put in place for young people. The latter must be looked after because they are the future of the country. Catering for their needs will reduce anti-social behaviour, a plague upon old and young people alike.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on young people. Like previous speakers, I am somewhat puzzled as to the effect it will have. Deputy Dooley stated those of us on this side of the House should not be overly negative. I will try to respect his wishes. However, I would like to give those on the Government benches a few opportunities to reduce the negativity coming from this side.

I am completely in favour of consulting, engaging with and supporting young people at all times. There is a danger, however, that as they watch these proceedings later in the evening, they may wish to know what action will follow. We should focus more on action, the provision of facilities and the delivery of services. Consultation is pointless if action does not follow.

Deputy Terence Flanagan referred to children with special needs. If young people listened to the Minister for Education and Science's contribution to Private Members' business as it related to the NEPS, perhaps they might be willing to give their views on being refused the help they require.

I refer to a further example of young people and their parents being deprived of services for which they are crying out. Applied behaviour analysis, ABA, is the scientifically proven method of treating autistic children. A total of 12 schools have been approved for funding in respect of this method. I congratulate the Government in this regard. However, a further 12 schools submitted applications which, to date, have been turned down. I am familiar with one of these schools which is located in County Mayo and desperate to set up an ABA facility. It has collected €100,000 in the past nine months from fund-raising efforts alone. The Government has spent millions of euro on court cases in which it was obliged to defend itself for not providing some of the services to which particular children are entitled.

I would love Ministers to have heard the impassioned plea of one of the parents of an autistic child at one of the school's meetings in recent months. It would have brought tears to a glass eye. The father was paying tribute to his wife for looking after their autistic son. He referred to it being a life sentence on her because she was obliged to care for the boy 24 hours a day. The parents at the school were informed that if psychological assessments relating to their children were carried out, the position would be considered. They had them carried out on a private basis because it would have taken two years for this to happen under the normal system. The assessments were sent to the relevant Department but, as yet, no acknowledgement has been received in respect of them. Those involved in the project to which I refer might have something to contribute to this debate regarding the way in which their young people are being treated.

I could speak for hours about the importance of providing facilities for young people in towns and villages. This issue keeps arising when one engages with, talks to or consults young people. Many voluntary organisations are doing a fantastic job but they must continue to receive the support and funding they require. Again, I congratulate the Government in respect of the funding it is providing. I could also refer to the facilities provided in schools but which are not available after 5 p.m. However, I do not have time to do so.

Organisations such as the No Name Club should benefit from positive discrimination when it comes to funding for premises. This should particularly be the case on foot of the great work they do in promoting a positive outlook and a healthy, responsible lifestyle.

Young people who live on the fringes must be frustrated at the way they are treated. I am aware of a group of young people who could be described as boy racers. These individuals recently approached some adult leaders and requested assistance in respect of establishing an organisation for their members. They want to be seen to be acting in a responsible way and to complete a driving course that will assist them in obtaining cheaper insurance and becoming better drivers. They approached the Garda and received its support and are now working with members of the force and building a sense of trust with all members of their community. The name of the group, Ballyhaunis Automaniacs, might sound contradictory but I am aware of the great work its members are doing. We need more work of this nature and greater support for it.

I support the Fine Gael amendment to the motion, which is seeking a plan of action and a timeframe for delivery. As well as consultation, we should also be seeking action.

I wish to share time with Deputy O'Connor.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I am delighted to contribute to this debate. The motion is particularly appropriate, given that the General Assembly of the European Youth Parliament met in this Chamber on Friday and Saturday last.

As a parent, an uncle and a public representative, I meet young people who are friendly, articulate and very knowledgeable on a daily basis. They are not slow to point out that we have an enormous responsibility to ensure the legacy of our time here as public representatives will be that we hand down to them a society that is at least no more damaged than that which we inherited.

How we go about this is the crucial question. Like other TDs, I refer back to my constituency of Cork South-West to gauge matters. The conclusion I came to on this is that in many ways we have left down our young people. Opportunities in education which were not available to previous generations have opened many doors for young people and as a society we should be rightly proud of this. However, many do not achieve their educational potential and we must continue to work to improve their situation.

We must ensure the schools they attend are worthy of modern Ireland and have the facilities to cater for life in Ireland today. It is right to commend the Minister for Education and Science on her ongoing commitment to pupils and schools. While she accepts we still have a distance to travel in this regard, what we need to tackle are facilities outside the educational setting. We must invest more in our young people by making available extra funding for youth cafés, youth clubs, sports facilities, swimming pools, cinemas and other leisure activities if we are not to be judged harshly by those who come after us.

In Cork South-West, which is a large constituency geographically, the major towns of Kinsale, Bandon, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Bantry and Castletownbere and the large hinterland have only two cinemas and one public swimming pool between them. The battle continues to find a room or a building which will allow young people to have a place to meet or organise their youth clubs or activities.

Young people walk around the streets aimlessly because they have no place to go and little to do. Their problem is that they have few positive activities in which to get involved. This in turn makes them easy prey for those who seek to sell drugs, alcohol or get them involved in various forms of anti-social behaviour. One does not need to be on the streets of Dublin, Cork, Limerick or other major cities for this to happen.

We hear a great deal about young drivers. They are mentioned every time we pick up a newspaper, listen to the radio or watch television. Thought should be given to expanding the driving tuition done by schools in transition year. Time and energy must be devoted to helping young people gain proficient driving skills if they so wish. Serious thought must be given to making funding available for practical sessions of driving tuition in designated spaces. These spaces could be provided by local authorities and driving tuition carried out by qualified driving instructors. Students who complete the course should be acknowledged, perhaps with cheaper insurance or a fast-tracked driving test.

During recent years, we ensured our senior citizens benefited from our increased prosperity. We must give young people the same priority. I am aware of the funds available for youth projects throughout the country. However, I urge the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Cowen, to consider increasing the moneys available for young people. We must not forget those who come after us and do our best for young people. I am delighted to speak on this motion. I hope the outcome of this debate will be of benefit to future generations.

This is an important debate. I am sorry to hear Members state we should not have it, particularly in the week when the Ceann Comhairle welcomed the President, Mary McAleese, and young people to the Dáil Chamber last Friday and Saturday. I heard reference to the empty Gallery and it is not the first time we have had this. I am glad my young son, Niall, on his own volition, came to hear the debate. At least somebody is watching me.

I often state that I bring my life experience to politics and I feel confident about this debate. Apart from the youth work I did when I was quite young I was also involved in the Community Games organisations which I heard mentioned previously. I was the Dublin and national PRO for ten years. My last real job was as communications director with the National Youth Federation. I was also nominated by the then Government to be involved with Gaisce when former President Hillery was in office. I was the first chairman of the County Dublin youth committee. I am competent to deal with this matter.

Many people mentioned various matters and my colleague mentioned almost every town in Cork. I could mention almost every street in Tallaght but I will resist. Tallaght is the third largest population centre in the country with an extremely young population. It is estimated that 25,000 young people in Tallaght are still in school and this poses particular challenges. It is important that I discuss the need for more resources and facilities. I am not afraid to speak with young people and the positive message I hear from them is that Tallaght has experienced major progress in recent years.

The economy has been buoyant in recent years and many colleagues make the point that it has been difficult for community and youth groups to find volunteers. Despite this, the National Youth Council stated that so far this year, 8,000 people have sought Garda vetting to join youth services as volunteers. This is a positive sign and an upward trend. As somebody who worked in youth services, I was always impressed by the relationship between paid staff and volunteers. It has always been an easy relationship and I am glad this is the case.

Since 1982, Foróige has had a presence in Tallaght through the Tallaght youth service and much progress has been made in this regard. We now have ten Foróige groups throughout the constituency. I understand the Tallaght youth forum conducted a consultation process with young people. Matters raised by young people as part of that process and with me and other TDs include the need for more information on racism and discrimination. They are also anxious to know about alternatives to drugs and alcohol and they are concerned about security in the area. They are also concerned about their relationship with local gardaí and this is an important point. Young people want to be listened to and they want us to respond as opposed to listen and do nothing. Public representatives have a role to play in this regard and we should reach out.

I wish to pay tribute to the MC Teens group in Tallaght west which last week won a Foróige youth citizenship award. Its project was to examine the concerns of the local community with regard to Tallaght Hospital. This is a good example of young people responding to community needs as they see them.

We must continue to understand the need for facilities and resources. The other side is that we must invest money in Garda diversion projects. While it is money well spent, we should be more positive. The more positive youth work we have the less reliance we will have on Garda diversion projects. With regard to what Deputy Finian McGrath stated, I had a happy healthy childhood and we should aspire to everyone having the same.

I wonder what the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Sargent, would have stated on this motion if he were in Opposition.

I will tell the Deputy later.

He would be just as positive.

I genuinely believe that young people are ill-served by this so-called debate. It is staged by the Government as a time-filler because it has not got its act together and it has no legislation to process today. This is the sum total of the entire matter. We were presented by this generalised motion last Friday and asked to come back by 10.30 a.m. on Monday with any amendments. The motion is hardly meritorious of amendment because it is of little consequence or substance. It is an invitation for statements rather than real debate. The Fine Gael amendment is essentially a different motion but it is worthy of support because it at least calls on the Government to come up with a plan of action. I will be supporting it for that reason alone.

Even with such a generalised subject matter, the Government has still managed to make a hash of the motion. Instead of setting out a rounded and comprehensive view of the place of young people in Ireland, it chose to focus on problems and feed into stereotypes. We were presented with a list of problems such as alcohol related harm, drug misuse and obesity, as if these were the exclusive preserve of young people. They do not only affect young people and certainly do not affect all of them. Alcohol abuse is endemic in Irish society. We have a culture which sees alcohol as part of the coming of age of young people. This is ruthlessly exploited by drugs manufacturers through advertising and the portrayal of drink as an essential element of a modern lifestyle. The blame should be put on the elders, where it firmly belongs. Those involved in the drinks industry and the Government who refuse to combat this glamorisation of alcohol or restrict advertising must bear much of the responsibility for the growing abuse of alcohol among young people.

A recent study has indicated that social differentiation between boys and girls is on the increase. The gap between genders is widening at a young age because of the exposure of children to relentless commercial pressures through advertising. Advertisers target mass audiences of boys and girls and the wider the diversity, the greater the number of products that can be pushed on young and impressionable minds. This has links with the sexualisation of young children which has damaging consequences. Children and young people are constantly presented with images of so-called perfect people whom they are encouraged to emulate. They face increasing pressure to conform to such images, with widespread implications for issues such as bullying and eating disorders. These are real issues for young people. Our ruthlessly commercialised society is robbing children of their childhood.

We should be debating the rights of children rather than the problems they confront if we really want to do some good. Their first is the right to a childhood. It was pleasant to hear one of the previous contributors describe a happy childhood but such should be the right of every child. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many children in Ireland. They have the right to be regarded as people rather than the most lucrative of consumers, which is the reality they often face. They have the right to the best possible care and an education which allows them to reach their full potential. It is an indictment of us all that the aforementioned rights are curtailed for many children in Ireland. I do not level the accusation only at the Government because there is collective responsibility.

Our child care infrastructure is inadequate to cater for the needs of children and their parents. The Government's mishandling of the community child care subvention scheme illustrates the flawed approach to child care in the State. The inadequate provisions for children with special needs are another example of rights denied. The lack of proper planning means that vast housing estates are being developed without provision for schools and other amenities for young people. Further problems are thereby being stored up for the future.

The Government motion makes much of the importance of consulting young people on matters of public policy which affect them. It welcomes the growth of this practice among public bodies in the development of facilities and services for young people. However, the reality is far from the picture presented in the motion. Improvements may have been made in consulting some young people but the vast majority are ignored. No substantial consultation is taking place. They are not considered a party to the determination of what is to be done in their interest. This must change and, if the motion is to have any meaning, there must be a resolute commitment on the part of the Government to translate it into practice.

On Monday I spoke at an engagement with Cavan County Council attended by my constituency colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brendan Smith. Scouting Ireland's Castle Saunderson project on the Cavan-Fermanagh border exemplifies the importance of taking imaginative and far-seeing initiatives that can impact on the lives of young people. Sadly, its ambitions have not been thus far realisable. A number of years ago I worked with colleagues to arrange a meeting attended by representatives of all the scouting organisations on the island. This unique occasion, held in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, was facilitated by Sinn Féin. The Castle Saunderson project would have established a facility that could have been enjoyed by some 60,000 young Irish boys and girls who would have had the opportunity to participate in healthy pursuits and learn from others from a variety of backgrounds and with disparate opinions and experiences. Years later, however, we are trying to argue for a contracted version of the original proposal and there is still not a sufficient commitment throughout the island, either in terms of governance or independent funding support, to ensure this project's realisation. It needs a Minister at Cabinet to properly champion it and put the interests of such a large number of young people first. I urge that this be taken on board to ensure this wonderful idea is realised. I commend it to the Ministers concerned and thank the Ceann Comhairle for his patience.

I wish to share time with Deputy Chris Andrews.

I do not intend to malign young people. On the contrary, society and elected Members must understand the pressures and anxieties young people experience and try to alleviate them through effective local and national policies. It is an important job of Government and public representatives to make and implement policies about young people on their behalf and in their best interests. Young people have never been so privileged or had so much, materially at least. However, in too many cases material success has been accompanied by pressure to succeed, depression and alcohol or drug problems. Thankfully, the number of registered suicides has declined in recent years. However, it is a matter of concern that more than one quarter of all deaths by suicide occur among young males aged in their 20s. The recent national campaign encouraging people to talk about their mental health is a step in the right direction in removing the stigma many men have about openly discussing their feelings.

Some 45 child and adolescent mental health teams are in place. The mental health strategy, A Vision for Change, requires the recruitment of 40 additional child adolescent mental health teams. This will be a difficult challenge. I do not want anyone to die on our roads and the Road Safety Authority's current campaign on carnage on our roads is important. However, the number of people who die each year as a result of self-harm is almost as high as the number who die on our roads, yet it generates minimal comment.

Although all urgent cases of depression are seen immediately, the waiting list for treatment remains too long. The young lives of many of those languishing on waiting lists are on hold and in many cases those involved do not share the experiences of their peers, whether in terms of socialising with friends, playing sport after school or generally enjoying their childhood and adolescence. Good work is being carried out by the young social innovators programme on a social awareness education and action programme for 15 to 18 year olds. More than 5,000 people participated in the annual programme, with a showcase event of more than 200 projects, many of which relate to mental health promotion and-or suicide prevention.

The link between physical exercise and good mental health has long been established. It is vital for young people's mental and physical well-being that they have an opportunity to engage in sport and other recreational activities. In this digital age, many young people spend their time texting friends or communicating with others on Bebo, Myspace or other Internet chat rooms. This activity appears to have replaced traditional methods of socialising, such as playing a game of football after school. Last week, PlayStation launched hurling and Gaelic football games. However, like all good Tipperary men, I prefer live action to playing sport on a video game. To this end, we must ensure young people have the resources and facilities they need to play sport. The value and importance of being a member of a club or team cannot be underestimated. It teaches young people responsibility, social skills and the importance of teamwork and fair play, values which cannot be gleaned from PlayStation.

Last July, a youth programme in Fethard in my constituency was discontinued, despite the community having invested a great deal of work in establishing the project, which employed a youth care worker. Unfortunately, as in many other areas, funding for the project was discontinued. Investment in our youth, particularly in programmes of this nature, is vital if we are to keep young people on the right track, show them attractive options and ensure they do not follow the wrong path.

All young people are citizens in their own right and it is vital the Government recognises their concerns and encourages their participation when it implements legislation of concern to young people. Many youth bodies and forums allow young people to become involved in their communities. As the nation's leaders, we should encourage young people to participate in local communities and at national level. We should continue to encourage the use of the National Youth Council of Ireland as a framework for involvement.

I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for sharing time. I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on this important issue. It is safe to point out that we were all young once, even if some people got older quicker. In recent years, Fianna Fáil-led Governments have placed great emphasis on the role of young people in society, as evidenced in the establishment of the first Ombudsman for Children in 2004 and the Office of the Minister for Children in 2005 as well as the development and implementation of the national children's strategy. That a motion on young people is being discussed in the House is testament to the priority the Government attaches to the issue.

One cannot deny that we have experienced major economic and sociological changes. The society in which my two young daughters are growing up differs greatly from that in which I grew up. Although it offers many more opportunities, it also presents greater challenges. On a recent international flight I encountered a team of young Irish basketball players travelling to Hungary. At 15 or 16 years of age, my peers and I were fortunate to travel to County Kerry. While it is good that young people have greater opportunities and more freedom, they also face greater dangers and must shoulder much more responsibility. Helping them to cope with this sense of responsibility is the biggest challenge we face.

Society will always face challenges. Deputies referred to issues such as obesity, bullying, drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse and mental health problems. I urge the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Jimmy Devins, to continue to take a proactive approach in the area of mental health. I am particularly concerned with the difficulties we are experiencing in addressing eating disorders, which affect young people most. All Members have a responsibility to raise awareness of this problem and strive to address it.

Sexual health is another problem, as is the need to address the effects of technology such as the Internet and mobile telephones. While these can have positive impacts in terms of education, for example, the use of search engines such as Google, they can also have negative impacts, as is evident in the phenomenon of cyber-bullying.

One of the best ways to deal with many of the challenges facing young people is through physical activity and sports promotion. Being involved in sport helps young people to be physically and mentally healthy, while being on a team gives them a sense of belonging. It makes a big difference to take part in sport and be part of a team. They flower through the activity and relax and enjoy themselves. I know the Minister of State was hugely supportive of sport in his previous role. This must continue. Investment in sport is an investment in society and health. We must ensure we continue to develop sports facilities to meet the ever increasing need for them.

The biggest consultation of children, which took place through a ballot organised by the Ombudsman for Children, found that family and care emerged as the most important issues for them. Society may have changed in some ways since I was a child, but the importance of family and care remains central to both young people and society.

I wish to share time with Deputy Ring.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I am glad we are discussing issues relating to young people, but I question the value of general statements on such a broad topic, as they do not challenge the Government to do something on the issues raised. In this debate we have statements on alcohol related harm, the prevention of drug misuse, combating obesity, promoting healthier lifestyles, the provision of sports facilities, mental health awareness, sexual health awareness, youth work, youth justice and so on. We could have a three or four hour debate on any one of those issues.

It is out of concern that we call on the Government to set targets that will challenge us to try to find solutions to many of the problems and difficulties for young people. It is for that reason that Fine Gael has tabled an amendment to the motion. Our amendment is raised in a proactive manner to point out clearly that we are not happy just to chat here about issues that affect young people. We want the Government to set ambitious targets and will support achieving those targets in areas of real concern.

I wish to concentrate on two specific issues that affect young people. The first concerns a matter currently prominent in the media, namely, drug abuse. The headline in the Evening Echo in Cork today reads: “Cork heroin seizures are up by 250%”. The chief superintendent in Cork has said needles are now being found on the streets of Cork city. While heroin has been a problem in Cork for a number of years, people were, predominantly, smoking it. Now, however, they are starting to inject it.

Is it not time we admitted that most of the objectives of the national drugs strategy entitled, Building on Experience, which began in 2001 have failed? There has been some positive progress in terms of treatment and we have some fantastic people working in organisations and schemes funded under the strategy. However, the overall measure of the strategy should be whether more or fewer people are using illegal, harmful drugs than in 2001. The fact is that more people have a drugs problem now than last year when the number had increased on that for the previous year and so on back to the start of the strategy.

Cocaine and heroin which were predominantly a Dublin problem when the national drugs strategy began are now a national problem. I attended the launch of the strategy when there was much genuine interest and support for what the Government was trying to do. We were promised we would have an annual review of the strategy, but that has not happened. We do not have performance indicators to demonstrate whether it is working because the news would be too bad if we did.

We need to take a more scientific approach towards what we are trying to achieve and how we will get there. Funding treatment programmes is important and we must ensure they are available for everyone who seeks help for an addiction problem, regardless of age, but that is not enough. On the issue of drug abuse, we must target areas, whether it is in prisons, schools, universities or among homeless people on the streets. The reality is that the Government is failing in its responsibility to combat drug misuse and addiction. Reports in the media, reliable and unreliable, have reminded us of this in recent weeks. In this regard, the supplement to the Irish Examiner yesterday made gruesome reading.

Community courts are a proactive way of looking in a new way at anti-social behaviour. I urge the Minister of State to consider this concept which was outlined in detail in a recent National Crime Council report.

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the motion. We have had statements from the Government, but there has not been much action proposed, which shows us how out of touch it is with regard to what is happening to young people. I heard Mr. Fergus Finlay speak recently on RTE about a report produced by Barnardos on young children. He mentioned that most young children now had a television set in their bedroom and spent more time in front of the television than they did talking to their parents. That is not good for children or family life.

Parents are under more pressure today, as they must work harder than before. They spend more time in their cars commuting and have less time to spend with their families because of the pressure. This affects children and society. The Government should consider how it can help such parents, particularly women who must go out to work. We should provide more flexible working conditions in order that they can spend more time at home with their children.

The greatest evil in terms of the harm it does in the home and society is drink. We are always afraid to condemn drinking because we are afraid of the vested interests, the publicans and drinks companies, which are a powerful lobby group. I have said this previously, but will repeat it now. Sports organisations should not accept sponsorship from drinks companies or promote them by displaying their names or advertisements at sports events. There is enough grant aid from the Government and enough support from the public to make it unnecessary for sports organisations to accept money from drinks companies. Drink has the country destroyed. It has been destroying it since the foundation of the State, but the situation is even worse now.

Drugs, the new phenomenon, are even more dangerous than drink. At least, we know the effect drink has on people. It affects the person drinking, families and family life. However, with drugs we find that people are out of their heads on the streets. As a result, there is a new type of violence. We talk about the national drugs strategy, on which I will have more to say in the debate next week, but I cannot understand how such quantities of drugs are being brought into the country, considering how we were able to track down those who had been operating offshore accounts for over 20 years. Drugs are being brought in daily. The Garda knows who the crime bosses are and the wealth they are earning from their businesses, but we have not targeted these criminals in the we should.

When Nora Owen was Minister for Justice there was a serious problem in regard to crime. We saw what happened in regard to the journalist who was murdered and we responded. We dealt with criminals. It is time a task force was set up and that criminals who are bringing in drugs and selling them to young people were targeted. Why do we let them away with it? Why is CAB not used to deal with these people? The problem is evident in all our communities. People who never worked a day in their life are driving around in BMWs, have the best of houses and some draw social welfare. Why are these people not targeted? Why are they not being looked at? Why do they not show the taxman where they are creating their wealth? They ruin children, society and the county and nothing is done about it.

The same applies to the drinks industry, which we are afraid to take on. We are afraid to take on the vested interests but it has to be done.

The Government has a job to do in getting more people involved in sport and in the community. In my town of Westport, for the past 30 years a young Independent councillor, Martin Keane, takes a group of young people every Saturday and Sunday and does great work for the voluntary sector. People like him are not honoured enough. He does not ask for anything, all he wants is that the young people are kept busy and out of trouble.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

There have been welcome developments in mental health in Ireland in recent years with the launch of A Vision for Change, the report of the expert group on mental health policy in January 2006, the launch of Reach Out, a national strategy for action on suicide prevention and the full implementation of the Mental Health Act 2001 from 1 November 2006.

The Government is firmly committed to the further development of mental health services. The current level of expenditure in this area has trebled since 1997 and this year approximately €1 billion will be spent on mental health services, which includes an additional €51 million allocated since 2006 for the development of services in line with A Vision for Change and the implementation of the national strategy for action on suicide prevention.

Many factors affect the mental health of young people. While the changes which have taken place in society in recent years have brought considerable benefits to individuals and the community, social problems continue to exist which affect young people and their families. The vast majority of young people do not develop mental health problems but at any time approximately 2% will require specialist mental health expertise. These young people experience distress in emotional, behavioural or relationship problems that can hinder learning and social development. We are all aware of the pressures on young people such as bullying, emotional distress, addiction, peer pressure and exam pressure. The stresses and pressures associated with everyday life combine in many cases with difficulties in coping with significant life events, such as bereavement and interpersonal relationship problems.

The promotion of positive mental health along with early detection of mental illness is key to the personal development of our young people. The publication of the two important strategy documents, Reach Out, a national strategy for action on suicide prevention, published in 2005, and Protect Life, a strategy for Northern Ireland, published in 2006, are testament to the determination to address these areas on an all-island basis. Both strategies set out milestones, ranging from general approaches, intended to approve awareness and education to specific plans for specifically targeted at risk groups.

The establishment in 2005 of the National Office for Suicide Prevention provides a centre for developing and progressing suicide prevention policies. In light of the information available around suicide and self harm, it has been agreed with the national office that an interim target for a 10% reduction in suicide will be achieved by 2010. In addition, a target of a 5% reduction in repeated self harm will be achieved by 2010 and a further 5% by 2016.

Since 2006, significant additional funding of €3 million has been provided which brings total funding available to support suicide prevention initiatives in 2007 to more than €8 million. This funding is being used to develop and implement national training programmes, complete the availability of self-harm services through accident and emergency departments, implement recommendations arising from a review of the bereavement services and support voluntary organisations working in the field of suicide prevention.

The overall Irish rate of suicide is below the EU average and is the seventh lowest of the 27 OECD countries. Of particular concern in Ireland, as elsewhere, is the high rate of deaths by suicide among young adults. Based on current official statistics, Ireland has the fifth highest rate of youth suicide in Europe with men under 35 years accounting for approximately 40% of all Irish suicides. Deliberate self-harm is also a significant problem with more than 11,000 cases presenting to accident and emergency departments each year. Reducing suicide rates requires a collective concerted effort from all groups in society, health, social services, other professionals, communities and community leaders, voluntary and statutory agencies and organisations, parents, friends, neighbours and individuals. It also requires the careful nurturing of a culture in which people, particularly the young, in psychological distress will not hesitate to seek help from family or friends, a culture that is willing to help and that focuses early in life on developing good coping skills and avoiding harmful practices.

In October 2007 I had the pleasure of launching the National Office on Suicide Prevention's mental health awareness campaign. The main aim of the campaign is to influence public attitudes to mental health. The campaign is specifically designed to change negative attitudes and to promote positive attitudes to mental health. This campaign involves television and radio advertisements and an information booklet is available through the HSE information line.

I assure the House that the Government is committed to the provision of quality care in the area of mental health and to encouraging all measures aimed at preventing the further tragic loss of life.

Given that much discussion has taken place on the provision of sports facilities it would be remiss of me not to congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on what he did for young people across the country in his time as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.

This debate can lead on to a huge range of issues for young people. However, there are three or four specific issues with which I wish to deal. Clubs and organisations throughout the country have done much voluntary work to provide facilities for young people. Having been at the coalface for the past ten years in trying to ensure funding was delivered to these clubs and organisations I have seen a huge amount of work being done on a voluntary basis. I pay tribute to them and thank them for the time and effort they have put in to running youth facilities, clubs and organisations on behalf of various bodies.

The issue of suicide particularly among young people is major. We all know people and families who have been affected by suicide and its aftermath. The devastation affects not only for the families but the wider community and friends. There are many "what ifs" in its wake. I have been speaking with people who have been directly affected and it has a huge and devastating effect. Much good work is being done on suicide prevention and the rationale and understanding of the whole issue. I encourage the Government and the Minister of State, Deputy Devins, to ensure funding is made available from his Department because it is a serious issue. There should be a wider debate across the country on the issue of suicide.

Many speakers have mentioned the participation of young people in schools. There is much emphasis in favour of sport and sporting recreation within schools but sport also encourages young people to participate in society. On any occasion we discussed CSP classes, I have noted that the most important aim is to get young people to understand their society. They should become involved and try to effect change, and take ownership of their community or neighbourhood. It is only by beginning this framework in schools that progress will be made.

I wish to refer to the issue of young people with disabilities. Organisations such as St. Joseph's Foundation in Charleville do excellent work for people with intellectual disabilities. Those who work in such organisations should be commended in this House and elsewhere and we should support them in any way we can.

Many Members referred to the difficulty in getting youth clubs off the ground in communities. In the main, a committee will establish a youth club but it will then fall by the wayside. It is an ongoing and difficult process to ensure these youth clubs continue in operation in both rural and urban areas.

In the short time available to me, it is difficult to deal with all the areas I want to. The issue of suicide, facilities for young people and issues arising for people with physical and intellectual disabilities should be considered.

I wish to share time with Deputy Durkan.

I am pleased to speak on the motion. Earlier this year, I attended the launch of a report, Where Do you Go When You Go Out — Young People's Thoughts and Views on Promoting Youth Friendly Facilities in East Cork. It was a longitudinal project where transition year students in all the schools in the area plus youth clubs and organisations were involved in a consultation process over a prolonged period. The project began in 2004 and was three years in the making, with the report being launched this year. It involved in-depth quantitative and qualitative research which sought the views, needs and hopes of young people on society and youth facilities in the area. East Cork Area Development and the HSE worked together with youth organisations and visited young people to compile the report.

A common priority clearly emerged at the beginning of consultations, namely, the need for a place where young people, mainly early teenagers, could meet and participate in a range of activities. The report highlights the reality, to which many Members made reference, that there are few social outlets and recreational facilities available to young people in many parts of the country. In the words of young people themselves, they want a place to go with their friends to have fun where they will not get kicked out. Throughout the country there are many State buildings and facilities lying idle that could, with a little imagination and flexibility, be used for youth work purposes. This could be done almost immediately and at little cost if the will existed.

It is not surprising young people are unhappy with the facilities available to them. While the Youth Work Act was passed six years ago in 2001, much of it has not been fully implemented, as is the case with the national youth work development plan. Progress is very slow. In response to a question I tabled earlier this year, the Minister for Education and Science stated many sections of the Youth Work Act have not yet been commenced. At the time of the passing of the Act, in which I was involved, the VECs were to be involved through sections 8 and 12, the youth work development plans were to be put together, the assessor of youth work was to be appointed, youth work committees and voluntary youth councils were to be established and so on. It was exciting, innovative and agreed by all sides but progress has been very slow.

An impetus and sense of urgency is needed to get the process moving. I accept work is ongoing in a number of areas of the youth work development plan and there is a national youth work development unit in Maynooth, which is welcome, but more speed is required. It is no wonder young people are disillusioned when they feel their needs are being ignored. Many are disheartened at the lack of action in the area of youth facilities.

All Ministers should read the report Where Do you Go When You Go Out. It is obvious there is a huge need, not just in the area covered by the report but throughout the country. In the compilation of the report, groups of children from each school in the area came together and were questioned about the adequacy of youth facilities. Only 5% were satisfied whereas 79% said facilities were not adequate. The report contained the following quotes from the young people questioned:

‘No! There are no recreational facilities at all for young people in this area. People that live here get so bored because there is nothing to do ever!!'

‘No! Young people have nowhere to go or nothing to do so they turn to underage drinking.'

‘No, because most young people hang in the same spot and usually get into trouble because of boredom. They also get depressed because of no facilities and end up in a lot of danger like vandalism, getting drunk or dealing with drugs.'

‘No, because if there was, less people would be going drinking in bushes every weekend thinking that it does not get much better than this.'

‘No. There is no proper youth centre or anything. Everywhere we go we get told to move.'

‘No, the guards and the council are constantly giving out about the amount of underage drinking but realistically there is not much else to do.'

‘No, I'm either too young or too old for any facilities around here. There are facilities for children i.e. primary school children but none for teenagers.'

So it continues. The young people themselves recognise the problems and the needs. They have asked for facilities but none is forthcoming.

The report makes a number of worthwhile recommendations, including a call to meet the needs of young people for recreational facilities such as youth cafés in all towns, as well as other outlets such as swimming pools and cinemas. Youth cafés in particular would provide young people with a safe, warm place to go but action is needed at local and national level to achieve this. Professional youth workers are needed on the ground. I could continue but the same message has come from all colleagues during the debate.

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak. I am not sure the motion does anything other than put on record a series of statements as to our aspirations in this area. That may be a good thing in some ways but it does not go far enough. I support the amendment put down by Deputy Alan Shatter of Fine Gael.

I wish to discuss what is really happening with regard to young people nowadays. How many challenges face them in the high street on a daily basis? For example, there is the threat and challenge of alternative activities, including the use of drugs, to which reference was made by other speakers. The problem is that if a young person has nothing else to do and no place to go, he or she will automatically be propelled into the areas where the drug vultures operate. It is a multi-million euro business. These people are living onshore and offshore, constantly promoting their goods and wares. They sell to vulnerable people and have operatives well placed in the community to press their case effectively.

Society must compete. It must provide alternatives for young people to move towards, which they will. Cynics will suggest that if facilities were available, young people would not use them. That is not an excuse. If facilities are not available, we cannot blame young people for not using them. Having been young once myself——

A long time ago.

It is a while ago. Having been young once myself and having reared teenagers, I know one comes to a stage in one's life where one begins to learn it all, or at least one has gone through first and second stage.

I pay particular tribute to the Naas youth services section in my constituency, which has done tremendous work, as the Acting Chairman will know. For the past 20 years it has provided facilities for young people which compete with those who have destruction in mind for the young. The degree to which we can expand such services to areas where the population is burgeoning is crucial. It must happen because if not we will lose the next battle. We should recall what young people have been subjected to both at primary and second level, having had to attend classes in prefabricated buildings. That provides us with an indication of how we consider ourselves. If they manage to survive schooling they will be qualified, but if they do not have a trade and are unqualified they will be vulnerable and may fall by the wayside. This is before we consider the issues of child care, children's health and all the other pressures currently facing society.

Over the years, as public representatives, we have dealt with child psychiatric services many times. As we speak, in the constituency of Kildare North those services are poor due to a lack of investment, personnel, upgrading or any facility to deal with queries as they arise. People complain afterwards when tragedies occur and ask why nothing was done, so we must invest in these services that are required by young people now. We must act for the future because we need such services. If we do not start somewhere we will not succeed. Departments are involved in providing grant aid for various facilities but we need to accentuate that programme. We should examine areas of rapid population expansion and recognise that more investment is required there. We must respond to voluntary agencies that are already providing services and are utilising grant aid well, but we must add more.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. Having listened to earlier contributors, I note that while many of us in the House are not that young we have much experience in dealing with young people directly through our families and having made our way into politics through our involvement with youth organisations. In my case, I would never have been a Member of this House had I not been introduced to politics through youth clubs. Even though that era has long passed for me, we still have hands-on experience of youth matters as public representatives. That is relevant to many of the contributions in this debate. Things have changed enormously since I was a teenager, and for the better. Before you took the Chair, sir, it was occupied by the Ceann Comhairle, a former Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. He had a particular responsibility for sports, an area in which we have witnessed major changes. That should be recognised and I am sure the previous speaker would acknowledge that is the case. When I was growing up and playing football there were no changing facilities. We changed on the side of the road, in the back of a car or in the ditch. Deputy Durkan is smiling so I am sure he agrees that was so. Nowadays, however, such conditions are unacceptable. Society has changed because resources have been invested in the sporting sector. Over the last decade we have seen significant changes in that regard.

It has been acknowledged for some time that we need to change the direction of available resources. We have put resources into a wide range of sporting activities, which is good up to a point. Those who are participating in sports are doing well. Studies indicate that young girls or boys involved in soccer, Gaelic games or other sporting activities are less likely to become involved in anti-social behaviour. There is a cohort of young people, however, who do not engage in sporting activities for one reason or another. The primary reason is not that they are unfit or unhealthy, but that they are not competitive enough. By its nature sporting activity is competitive so in future we should also invest in youth activities that are not necessarily based on sporting competitiveness. In that context, I wish specifically to mention youth cafés. A couple of months ago I was invited to the opening of the Ronanstown youth café, which is both interesting and well run. I spoke to the teenagers who were there and said I would bring back my son for a longer discussion. Those who attended the café were really enjoying it. Subsequently I met with those involved in establishing the youth café who were from the VEC and other organisations. They told me about the difficulties involved. If a soccer or GAA club wants to build a dressing room for local children, it must go through a recognised structure or procedure. However, if one wants to establish a youth café in Maynooth——

I am familiar with it.

——Cavan, Clondalkin or Lucan we do not have a simple application procedure, which is the case with soccer or GAA clubs. In the past decade, the resources we have invested in young people have been targeted at sporting activities, with which I do not disagree. We have made huge inroads investing in such activities for young people but in the coming decade we should examine other recreational and social activities in which teenagers want to get involved. We do not have a simplified structure to provide such facilities, however. The Ronanstown youth café was established through the VEC, South Dublin County Council and others. If it is appropriate for soccer, GAA and rugby clubs to provide dressing rooms for children, the social role model is of equal significance. We should put in place a simplified programme whereby one organisation — be it based in Clondalkin, Lucan, Tallaght or elsewhere — can roll out such facilities. No such programme currently exists, however, so we should examine that matter.

While we have discussed many issues regarding young people, it has come to my attention that Irish obesity levels are not the EU norm but rather on a par with the US. That is partly because of our economic growth and the consequent wealth and affluence that we have never seen before. In addition, it has happened so quickly that people were unprepared for it. If children are involved in sporting activities it is easy to look after them.

An initiative undertaken by South Dublin County Council will provide a children's activity club on the site of the old swimming pool in Clondalkin which was decommissioned because we have a new swimming pool. The old pool is being filled in to allow the county council to provide that fitness club facility for children. It is an activity club for young children who are not competitive by nature. It will not be like playing Gaelic football, soccer, rugby or any other sport. The establishment of such a centre recognises that some children are suffering from higher obesity levels than we have hitherto seen. In rolling out initiatives such as youth cafés and fitness clubs, we need to be aware of the changing nature of society. While acknowledging what we have done in the past, it is insufficient simply to repeat that in the future.

I thank all those who contributed to the debate. A number of themes have emerged, particularly the need for consultation with young people and increased participation by them in sports and other recreational activities. Deputy Curran referred to the proposal to develop youth cafés throughout the State. I was informed by him previously about the very positive and progressive programme run in Ronanstown in his constituency, which includes a youth café. I launched the national recreation policy last September, as part of which youth cafés will be rolled out throughout the country. A youth café is generally a relaxed meeting space for young people, which is safe, friendly, inclusive, tolerant and free of set rules. Young people from all backgrounds can engage in social interaction with their peers in a safe, drug free environment. Deputy Curran has validly pointed out that sports clubs work within specific parameters and, thankfully, in the past few years most of them have drawn down substantial funding through the sports capital programme. The GAA is the organisation with which I am most familiar. The Acting Chairman, Deputy Wall, served as chairman of the Kildare County Board for a number of years. We are all aware of the outstanding work done by the GAA and other sports and voluntary organisations. However, Deputy Curran is correct that a framework is needed for the development of youth cafés.

Since September departmental officials have surveyed existing youth cafés to establish vision, objectives, structures, governance, funding, staffing, accessibility and overall usage. I have also requested the national children's advisory council's support in the production of a toolkit and guide to setting up a youth café. Consideration is being given to how best to develop a coherent, structured programme for the development of youth cafés, as well as the most appropriate lead agency for the management and administration of a funding scheme. I am anxious to develop that proposal because some cafés such as those in Letterkenny, Waterford, Galway and Naas are organised and funded through Foróige and the local vocational education committee. The Health Service Executive has also been active in supporting projects but a formal flexible structure is required within which people will have set parameters to work.

I thank all Deputies for their contributions to the debate and wide-ranging views on issues that impact on young people. During the debate we have heard details of the difficulties and challenges faced by young people. However, we should not underestimate their resilience or the many positive aspects of young people's lives. I reaffirm the Government's commitment to the ongoing development of initiatives to support young people in their journey towards adulthood.

In my opening contribution I outlined in detail the Government's commitment to support the national children's strategy which sets out a series of key objectives to guide policy in respect of issues affecting children and young people over its implementation period. In particular, I emphasised how the actions of my office supported the achievement of the strategy's national goals in giving young people a voice in matters that affected them, in supporting research in order that their lives would be better understood and in providing quality supports and services. In the fora I attended at which young people put forward ideas, I was heartened by their enthusiasm and participation. Comhairle na nÓg and Dáil na nÓg must be better publicised among a larger cohort of young people, an issue the Department has addressed. Representatives of both bodies have engaged with the national media, through which it is hoped they will contribute articles. One or two journalists have offered assistance to them in drafting appropriate articles in order that they can get their views across and highlight the structures in place for them to be heard.

We are all keenly aware of the necessity of ensuring the views of young people are heard, their contribution to society is valued and their role as citizens fully recognised. The national children's strategy supported by the Government and its agencies leads the way in fully recognising the value of young people and in preparing them for adulthood. The ten-year framework social partnership agreement 2006-15 fully recognises the importance of children and young people and sets out a framework within which key social challenges that impact on them can be addressed. Provision has been made for the establishment of a national children's strategy implementation group chaired by the Office of the Minister for Children and comprising representatives of key Departments, agencies and organisations involved in the provision of services for children and young people. One of the main functions of the group is to promote the establishment of committees at local level to drive forward and oversee implementation of policies that will impact on young people. The group will also provide leadership and support in the implementation of integrated services and interventions for young people. Its work is ongoing and will positively influence developments and initiatives that impact on young people, including the development of a second ten-year national children's strategy for the period 2011 and beyond.

Young people identified the development of youth cafés in their areas during consultations with them on the development of a national recreation policy. I reiterate the Government's commitment in the programme for Government to the structured development of youth cafés, the establishment of which was identified by young people as their single greatest need during the consultations relating to the drafting of the national recreation policy, Teenspace, which recognises that youth cafés offer great potential for providing a wide range of developmental, educational and information programmes for young people. However, their development requires a cross-departmental and inter-agency collaborative approach. The launch of the national recreation policy last September provided the strategic impetus for the development of that approach and the delivery of youth cafés countrywide.

A small survey of 20 of the existing youth cafés has been undertaken by my office to establish their vision, objectives, structure, governance, funding, staffing, accessibility and overall usage. In addition, I formally requested the national children's advisory council's support in the production of a toolkit and guide to setting up youth cafés. Both of these processes will support the development of a coherent, structured programme for youth cafés which will be rolled out next year.

The promotion of positive recreational opportunities, as enunciated in the national recreation policy, can make an important contribution to young people's development and help to counteract the risks and harm associated with sedentary lifestyles. The World Health Organisation recognises the importance of leisure time activities for young people which can foster the adoption of other healthy behaviour, including the avoidance of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and aggression. In addition, aspects of young people's leisure time activities have given rise to social concerns in recent years. These include, for example, binge drinking, illicit drug use, juvenile crime and youth suicide. The national recreation policy will not in itself solve these problems. However, when combined with the policies and preventive interventions implemented by the Government, many of which have been mentioned, this policy could help minimise the risk of young people engaging in criminal or anti-social behaviour and avoid negative outcomes for their well-being in adolescence and adulthood.

Many issues relating to young people have been raised. We have amply demonstrated the ongoing and critical work being progressed across Departments to comprehensively address the issues that impact on their welfare and well-being. The Government is fully conscious of the needs of young people and committed to ensuring they are met through the series of measures outlined during the debate. I appreciate the varied and valuable contributions of all Members.

A recent Barnardos survey and a recent poll taken by the Office of the Ombudsman for Children points us in certain directions, namely, that young people need to be listened to. They have identified their priorities. It is up to us in government and as legislators to deal with the issues that the young people have identified. In the short time I have been in the Office of the Minister for Children those of us there are determined to ensure that we expand on the consultation process and the dialogue we already have in place with that age group.

I commend the motion to the House.

Question put: "That the words proposed to be deleted stand part of the main question."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 70; Níl, 62.

  • Andrews, Barry.
  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Ardagh, Seán.
  • Aylward, Bobby.
  • Behan, Joe.
  • Brady, Áine.
  • Brady, Cyprian.
  • Brady, Johnny.
  • Byrne, Thomas.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Carey, Pat.
  • Collins, Niall.
  • Conlon, Margaret.
  • Connick, Seán.
  • Coughlan, Mary.
  • Cowen, Brian.
  • Cregan, John.
  • Cuffe, Ciarán.
  • Cullen, Martin.
  • Curran, John.
  • Devins, Jimmy.
  • Dooley, Timmy.
  • Fahey, Frank.
  • Finneran, Michael.
  • Fitzpatrick, Michael.
  • Fleming, Seán.
  • Flynn, Beverley.
  • Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
  • Gogarty, Paul.
  • Grealish, Noel.
  • Hanafin, Mary.
  • Harney, Mary.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Healy-Rae, Jackie.
  • Hoctor, Máire.
  • Kelleher, Billy.
  • Kelly, Peter.
  • Kenneally, Brendan.
  • Kennedy, Michael.
  • Killeen, Tony.
  • Kirk, Seamus.
  • Kitt, Michael P.
  • Kitt, Tom.
  • Lenihan, Brian.
  • Lenihan, Conor.
  • Martin, Micheál.
  • McGrath, Finian.
  • McGrath, Mattie.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Mulcahy, Michael.
  • Nolan, M. J.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
  • O’Brien, Darragh.
  • O’Connor, Charlie.
  • O’Flynn, Noel.
  • O’Hanlon, Rory.
  • O’Keeffe, Batt.
  • O’Rourke, Mary.
  • O’Sullivan, Christy.
  • Power, Peter.
  • Power, Seán.
  • Sargent, Trevor.
  • Scanlon, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Treacy, Noel.
  • Wallace, Mary.
  • White, Mary Alexandra.
  • Woods, Michael.

Níl

  • Allen, Bernard.
  • Bannon, James.
  • Barrett, Seán.
  • Breen, Pat.
  • Broughan, Thomas P.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Ulick.
  • Burton, Joan.
  • Byrne, Catherine.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Clune, Deirdre.
  • Connaughton, Paul.
  • Costello, Joe.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Creed, Michael.
  • Creighton, Lucinda.
  • D’Arcy, Michael.
  • Deasy, John.
  • Deenihan, Jimmy.
  • Doyle, Andrew.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • Enright, Olwyn.
  • Feighan, Frank.
  • Ferris, Martin.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Flanagan, Terence.
  • Gilmore, Eamon.
  • Gregory, Tony.
  • Hayes, Brian.
  • Hayes, Tom.
  • Higgins, Michael D.
  • Hogan, Phil.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kenny, Enda.
  • Lynch, Ciarán.
  • McCormack, Pádraic.
  • McEntee, Shane.
  • McGinley, Dinny.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Neville, Dan.
  • Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
  • Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
  • O’Donnell, Kieran.
  • O’Keeffe, Jim.
  • O’Mahony, John.
  • O’Shea, Brian.
  • O’Sullivan, Jan.
  • Penrose, Willie.
  • Rabbitte, Pat.
  • Reilly, James.
  • Shatter, Alan.
  • Sheahan, Tom.
  • Sheehan, P. J.
  • Sherlock, Seán.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Stagg, Emmet.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Timmins, Billy.
  • Tuffy, Joanna.
  • Upton, Mary.
  • Varadkar, Leo.
  • Wall, Jack.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Tom Kitt and John Curran; Níl, Deputies David Stanton and Emmet Stagg.
Question declared carried.
Amendment declared lost.
Question put: "That the motion be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 69; Níl, 61.

  • Andrews, Barry.
  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Ardagh, Seán.
  • Aylward, Bobby.
  • Behan, Joe.
  • Brady, Áine.
  • Brady, Cyprian.
  • Brady, Johnny.
  • Byrne, Thomas.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Carey, Pat.
  • Collins, Niall.
  • Conlon, Margaret.
  • Connick, Seán.
  • Coughlan, Mary.
  • Cowen, Brian.
  • Cregan, John.
  • Cuffe, Ciarán.
  • Cullen, Martin.
  • Curran, John.
  • Devins, Jimmy.
  • Dooley, Timmy.
  • Fahey, Frank.
  • Finneran, Michael.
  • Fitzpatrick, Michael.
  • Fleming, Seán.
  • Flynn, Beverley.
  • Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
  • Gogarty, Paul.
  • Grealish, Noel.
  • Hanafin, Mary.
  • Harney, Mary.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Healy-Rae, Jackie.
  • Hoctor, Máire.
  • Kelleher, Billy.
  • Kelly, Peter.
  • Kenneally, Brendan.
  • Kennedy, Michael.
  • Killeen, Tony.
  • Kirk, Seamus.
  • Kitt, Michael P.
  • Kitt, Tom.
  • Lenihan, Brian.
  • Lenihan, Conor.
  • McGrath, Finian.
  • McGrath, Mattie.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Mulcahy, Michael.
  • Nolan, M.J.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
  • O’Brien, Darragh.
  • O’Connor, Charlie.
  • O’Flynn, Noel.
  • O’Hanlon, Rory.
  • O’Keeffe, Batt.
  • O’Rourke, Mary.
  • O’Sullivan, Christy.
  • Power, Peter.
  • Power, Seán.
  • Sargent, Trevor.
  • Scanlon, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Treacy, Noel.
  • Wallace, Mary.
  • White, Mary Alexandra.
  • Woods, Michael.

Níl

  • Allen, Bernard.
  • Bannon, James.
  • Barrett, Seán.
  • Breen, Pat.
  • Broughan, Thomas P.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Ulick.
  • Burton, Joan.
  • Byrne, Catherine.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Clune, Deirdre.
  • Connaughton, Paul.
  • Costello, Joe.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Creed, Michael.
  • Creighton, Lucinda.
  • D’Arcy, Michael.
  • Deasy, John.
  • Deenihan, Jimmy.
  • Doyle, Andrew.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • Enright, Olwyn.
  • Feighan, Frank.
  • Ferris, Martin.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Flanagan, Terence.
  • Gilmore, Eamon.
  • Gregory, Tony.
  • Hayes, Brian.
  • Hayes, Tom.
  • Higgins, Michael D.
  • Hogan, Phil.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kenny, Enda.
  • Lynch, Ciarán.
  • McCormack, Pádraic.
  • McEntee, Shane.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Neville, Dan.
  • Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
  • Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
  • O’Donnell, Kieran.
  • O’Keeffe, Jim.
  • O’Mahony, John.
  • O’Shea, Brian.
  • O’Sullivan, Jan.
  • Penrose, Willie.
  • Rabbitte, Pat.
  • Reilly, James.
  • Shatter, Alan.
  • Sheahan, Tom.
  • Sheehan, P.J.
  • Sherlock, Seán.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Stagg, Emmet.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Timmins, Billy.
  • Tuffy, Joanna.
  • Upton, Mary.
  • Varadkar, Leo.
  • Wall, Jack.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Tom Kitt and John Curran; Níl, Deputies David Stanton and Emmet Stagg.
Question declared carried.
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