Rónán Mullen (Independent)

The last thing we should attack are initiatives to work with young offenders. The BOND project in Blanchardstown has come under severe pressure because of Government cutbacks. It tries to put young offenders on the right track. We need to be generous with resources even in these difficult times to try to ensure people who might go the road of criminality are deterred and that those who have already gone down that road are deterred from something worse.

I wish to mention Veritas briefly. As Senator White rightly pointed out, I tabled an amendment when the Broadcasting Bill was before the Seanad that would ease the ban on religious-based advertising. At the time I made the point that it was anomalous, to say the least, that all sorts of trick of the loop merchants, so to speak, and individualistic marketers can market their wares on television and radio. I referred to broadcasters of psychic services that literally deceive people, but at the same time, despite that we have a Constitution that pledges to honour religion and which pledges that there will be no bar to freedom of religious expression, we find ourselves in a situation where there is no proper balance. Obviously, we do not want any kind of cult to be able to advertise on television and radio services but I disagree respectfully with Senator White's apparent assessment that we have got the balance right. We certainly have not.