Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

Unfortunately, if young people were watching this debate, they could be forgiven for wondering whether we want to do anything at all for them. We are debating a motion that does not include action. It does not propose doing anything for young people or speeding up the process of providing them with facilities, supports or help for problems. Instead, the motion is all about recognising, noting, affirming and welcoming the growth of practices.

What young people want to hear from their legislators is that we are doing something about their lives, addressing their needs, listening to them and acting on what they say when consulted. With respect to the Minister of State and to all who have spoken or intend to speak in this debate, we will not achieve anything by dealing with the motion. Rather, we should be discussing the specifics of what we will do under the various departmental heads that deal with the interests of young people.

I will try to make some positive proposals for action rather than waffle on about noting this, that and the other thing. I agree with Deputy Shatter that to be honest, we are having this debate because there is no legislation ready to be presented to the House. Again tomorrow we will have another such debate or statements on an issue of importance. We should instead be talking about what is being done, rather than talking broadly about motions that cross all sorts of areas and that do not propose any conclusive action that will help achieve a better world for our young people.

In all honesty, there is no legislation prepared for us to deal with. I have been pressing hard for legislation we were told would be implemented by the beginning of 2008, although it may not specifically relate to young people. However, I support Deputy Shatter with regard to the legislation to which he referred. I was told last year that the student support Bill would be enacted and implemented by the start of the school year, September 2007. Not only is it not debated, passed and enacted but it is not even published. That is an example of legislation that directly affects young people that simply has not been progressed by Government. Reference was made to the adoption Bill. I came into the Dáil in 1998 and was spokesperson on equality. That legislation, which was supposed to be imminent, was being dealt with at the time by the then Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Frank Fahey. Yet, almost ten years later, it has not been published.

The All-Party Committee on the Constitution recommended that the rights of children be inserted in the Constitution. That recommendation which would be important for young people has not been promoted in any way, despite being an all-party proposal. The Youth Work Act was implemented after a long delay. Have the provisions of the Youth Work Act been implemented? Has the funding been provided to fully roll-out all the various actions determined under the Act and, if not, why? When will the money be provided to do so? I do not know if the Minister of State reached the point in his speech — he did not get to read it all — which reads we "realise that we can achieve more from existing funding streams if we collaborate across agencies in a more structured way". I am concerned about that because I think what that means in plain English is that no more money will be put into it and the money will be spread around to various places where it already exists. I am glad the Minister of State is shaking his head and I hope he will tell me exactly how much money he will spend on young people and where he will spend it.

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