Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I raise an issue which links into the one raised earlier about early school leavers. In the region from which I come females have left school early to go into the textile industry while young men have left to go into construction. The impact the success of the economy is having on our generation might be a topic worth discussing. Young people leave school early to get money and immediate gratification from what it can buy.

Today's newspaper referred to a report from Barnardos about the concern among parents about the amount of time they spend with their children given the juggling they must do. We all know the more time parents have to bond and interact with their children, the happier the children will be. It seems parents determine their success by the number of televisions, DVDs, etc., their young children have. Will the Leader arrange a debate on the impact the successful economy is having on the next generation? That debate could be broad and include the difficulty of bullying, drug abuse and the abuse of alcohol about which we frequently talk but which we have not yet addressed in the House.