Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

This debate is significant. Even more significant is the number of Senators who have offered to speak. No doubt one of the reasons for this is the "Prime Time" television programme we all watched. It was shocking, especially the depiction of the number of young females – someone's sister, wife or daughter – brought to hospitals, lying on the floor unconscious. It says something about us as a community that we had to wait for a television programme to tell us of the extent of the problem. I have no doubt we knew of the problem, yet we did not want to speak about or highlight it, nor to admit that there was a problem.

People are seeking solutions. There is no point in attempting to apportion blame in one direction, because if we do so, we become sectional and possibly dilute any good we do as legislators or leaders. We can have all the legislation and constraints we wish, much of which is needed, but we must get back to fundamentals as to the reason society has developed in this way. I know that even to talk in this way will mean others accusing one of being old fashioned, of not living in the present and pursuing an ideological or religious agenda that is no longer relevant. However, the longer we do this the longer we delay the possibility of resolving the present difficulties.