Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

I am sorry about that. Apologies. I do not like the magazines. I cannot think of a word to describe them without going outside the parameters of parliamentary language. They tell people on the front page that it is all right to do this, that or the other but when one opens up the magazine a contradictory message is given. On the front page they say it is all right to be fat but on the inside page they say it is not. They give a lot of mixed messages and confuse people.

What are the solutions? We are not going to find them today but I hope that over the five year term of this Dáil we look for real solutions. We will not solve all the problems but we should adopt the policy of vive la différence because we are all different and we should respect that. If abuse is constantly thrown at Members because of the way they look, that will send a signal to young people that if they do not look the same as everyone else then there is something wrong with them when there is not.

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