Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I wish to be associated with the calls to the Leader of the House for a debate at the earliest possible opportunity on the issue of under age crime and, in particular, the incidents that occurred in recent days and weeks. In such a debate, I particularly want to discuss what happened in County Clare because it was a serious crime involving young people in what was allegedly a heinous rape of a young woman quite late in the evening. It is of particular concern that the alleged perpetrators of this crime were as young as 14 years of age. We must move away from the blame game in terms of the Garda and civil society and look to the parenting of these young people because the State assists parents in the parenting of their children. It makes social welfare payments, including child benefit payments to the parents of these children, some of whom are as young as 14 but are out and uncontrolled at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. despite the fact that the State pays money to their parents to assist in their upbringing. We have to examine that aspect in such a debate. As a State, we cannot continue to reward parents who are not taking their responsibilities seriously enough in terms of protecting our people.