Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I was very impressed yesterday that despite the very bad weather, when I walked out on my street, I met a number of neighbours who were visiting people who lived on their own. I was impressed that the spirit and enthusiasm of self-help and community effort was alive and well despite the bad weather. I mention this because just the other day we heard talk about the problems facing this country and about what we as citizens should do about them. Mention was made of civil disobedience, protests, strikes, etc. We have a huge challenge facing us and we as citizens can do something about it. I suggest that what we should do should be something not unlike showing the spirit I saw yesterday when people were visiting neighbours and helping them out. I suggest we should encourage a sense that we can move as a nation to do something that will set an example. For instance, when we had problems like this in the past, it was suggested we should consider offering to do one day's work free of charge as a way of contributing to relieve our problems.

I make this suggestion for two reasons. First, it would help the community and we would all feel better for it. It would also send a wonderful message to the rest of Europe that while our nation has been dragged down and castigated by the media around Europe, we are able to set an example and demonstrate that we are different and will do what needs to be done. It would demonstrate that we were going to stand up and fight the situation, not by protests or civil disobedience, but by putting our hearts and souls into doing something along the lines suggested. The week before last, the traders in Rathfarnham main street all got together to discuss the problems they were having with the cleaning of the street. They agreed they would do it themselves rather than ask the council to do it. I mention this to show it is possible to do something about problems. We can do something to solve our problems ourselves. Let us see if we can turn and be positive rather than negative about the situation.