Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

We learn in today's newspapers that 10% of young people are waiting for a mental health service in the Health Service Executive west and south areas and that one in seven students are being taught maths and English poorly in primary school, with 20% of teachers unprepared. We need to debate these two issues. These are the young people's lives that matter. All of this is happening against a background in which there is a hole in the banks that is far bigger than we ever contemplated. Market analysts interviewed on the "Tonight with Vincent Browne" show last night spoke about the figure being somewhere in the region of €250 billion to €300 billion. Where are we going as a country? The sum of €85 billion we are seeking from the IMF and the European is to be used just to keep the banks open. We are in serious difficulty.