Dr. Donal de Buitléir:

The older I get, the better I think it is.

I do not believe we have done enough to address the issue. One does not have to do anything about it today because nothing much changes, but if it is not addressed it will be a problem. It is one of the most strategically important questions.

On Deputy Cannon's question on whose system works well, I agree with Professor FitzGerald that ours does. We have put a lot of emphasis on the tax and transfer system. The solution to this problem may require other measures, such as tackling the number of households that do not have work. That is a complicated issue. Is it a question of providing better child care, training and education? There is a real problem of social exclusion and social disadvantage among the group in question, and this comprises a real problem that we need to do something about.

Senator D'Arcy asked whether taxing the rich would solve the problem and Deputy Cannon alluded to an untapped source of wealth. According to my judgment, there is no real pot of gold. I spent two terms in the Revenue Commissioners and noted that we were certainly very good at finding where money was. Therefore, I do not believe there is any simple answer to the question. I wish there were.