Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the Deputy because, while he may not believe this, I asked departmental officials this week to look at organising a community weekend. We have a problem in this country in that people living in local areas do not know one another. My neighbour came in to me on Monday just when I was leaving for Dublin, and handed me a leaflet explaining there was a get-together on Friday night in my area. There are a number of people living in the area but we do not know each other because we are all busy, moving around and working. There are young people and families with young children who do not have an opportunity to meet. We are, therefore, having a get-together on Friday night.

I have asked my officials to sit down and look at this, and we are going to have a community weekend where people will get to know one another again. They might have a street party or might go into one another's houses, and at least introduce themselves to one another. What has happened is that people are getting busier and working harder, and they sometimes do not have the time for a social life. If they met their neighbours for even half and hour or an hour, they would at least know they are there for one another. I compliment the Deputy on the question.

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