Feargal Quinn (Independent)

Senator Fitzgerald raised the issue of the protection of children. I draw the Leader's attention to an item I read during the week disclosing that a leading British bank, which I do not believe operates in Ireland, is in the habit of sending debit cards to children as young as 11 years without the consent of the parents. I do not know if it is possible to do this in Ireland and I do not know if it happens here but we must be very careful of it. When we talk about protection of children we are not talking just about their protection in the normal manner but in other ways too. The possibility of these children being able to buy alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, etc. is causing quite a concern in the UK and I would like to ensure we have some stipulation against this. Senator O'Toole mentioned the banks. Their representatives are coming into a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service, of which I am a member, and I intend to raise this. It is a reminder that legislation on children is required not in just one restricted area but in a varied range of areas.