John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The key is control and balance of parental guidance as opposed to another set of restrictive legal impositions.

Persons under 18 years attending horse race meetings do so under the accompaniment and control of their parents and, as such, would also invest with the tote in a controlled social environment. The normal investment in the tote by persons under 18 years is of the order of €1 on selected pools. Persons under 18 investing with the tote are generally confined to holiday festival type race meetings frequented by family groups. There is a concern that introducing the proposed measure would have a negative effect on overall attendances, particularly by family groups, and could have a negative effect on the level of interest in racing among the coming generations.

Since August 1996 the age at which one may marry has increased. However, it is still possible for persons between the ages of 16 and 18 years to make an application to the court for an exemption to the law to be allowed to get married.