Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Quinn and others in their call for a debate on active citizenship. It is a serious issue in a society whose citizens are generally devoid of time, because volunteerism is dependent on people giving freely of their time. Volunteerism is also dependent on the education system, which seems to be churning out economic units of activity, namely, employers and employees of the future, rather than trying to create citizens. Active citizens are not born but created. Secondary students spend some 99% of their time preparing for the leaving certificate examination so they can secure the points to enter third level education. The education system does not prepare them for the real world, including such issues as suicide prevention and drug and alcohol abuse. All that is allocated to such topics is some glib, once-off instruction. I ask the Leader to facilitate Senator Quinn's call for a debate on this issue.