Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I take a simple view which has nothing to do with parents' income. At 17 years they are not children and would give an answer if they were called a child. There is nothing wrong with going out and supplementing one's income by earning a few bob. That opportunity prevails right across the spectrum today.

I disagree with the basis of Deputy Shortall's point that we are expecting 17 years old to live on €24 a week. That is untrue because the allocation through the social welfare system is greater than that sum. It is well the Deputy knows this. The opportunity is available to top it up. If people want to do some part-time work, they can roll up their sleeves and do what we all did when we were young.

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