Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

Perhaps the Cabinet is to be decentralised to County Donegal. We have had nothing but Ministers in the county over the past six months. I appreciate that I have digressed.

Many Ministers, including the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, are familiar with the work of the Donegal Youth Council, which is a democratically elected body of young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who represent their peers. As legislators, we will have to fill a niche by representing those between the ages of 16 and 18 as best we can until a national body with a democratic mandate is established for them. The Bill introduced by Senator Cummins, in the interests of protecting young people, families and society, is credible and responsible. It is a black and white issue. It is nonsensical to contemplate allowing people under the age of 18 to gamble on the tote, especially given that they are not allowed even to enter an official bookmaker's office.

I ask the Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, to see sense. I listened to the Minister's earlier comments in my office. As young people are not represented, it is our job as legislators to protect them. The day will come when people between the ages of 14 and 18 will have a national democratic voice. We will listen to them and take on board their points of view on that day, when they will be able to tell us what is in their best interests. Such a system is not in place at the moment, unfortunately. It is important in the interim to fill the gap I have mentioned. Senator Cummins has made a sensible and responsible argument this evening. I will be interested to hear what a responsible and competent man like Senator Leyden, who will be the next distinguished Senator to propose an hypothesis and an argument, has to say on this matter.