Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

The issue I wish to raise relates to something we have been discussing for months, the negative perception of the economy on the front pages of international newspapers and the visit of Commissioner Olli Rehn this week. Yesterday, courtesy of Senator Butler, representatives of Spirit of Ireland met a cross-party group of Members. They pointed out that in 2015 there would be a shortage of energy supplies across Europe and the world. Ireland has natural resources of wind and wave energy and is well placed to supply not only our own energy needs but much of Europe's. It is a clean, natural, cheap and sustainable energy supply that will attract global investment to this country if we develop it. It will supply many countries in Europe as they decommission their nuclear power plants and close their coal pits. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this proposal. We should invite the Minister, ask why international economic observers do not recognise that Ireland will be the centre for the provision of energy supplies for all of Europe in years to come and ask him how we can progress this. It is a win-win for the country and investment here. We can be central to the supply of an important resource to the Continent and possibly beyond.

There was an excellent documentary on RTE on Tuesday night about exceptional children. We should have a debate on the matter. We regularly talk about investing in research and trying to develop our highly skilled labour force. According to the documentary, there are many highly intelligent children coming through the system, but unless their parents are wealthy enough to send them to specialist schools, they will not get the chance to reach their potential. The matter is worthy of debate. I urge the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to work together on it.