Feargal Quinn (Independent)

It was a Seanad Bill and became law here yesterday. I congratulate her for her perseverance in that area.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames referred to Change Nation which took place last weekend and was quite an event. I support her move because it is the sort of thing we could talk about. There has been a huge development in the past in expecting Governments to solve every problem. What we learned at Change Nation and at another function, Students in Free Enterprise, SIFE, established yesterday, is that people are getting up and doing it themselves. I found Change Nation fascinating. The Senator mentioned one doctor in New Mexico. Those of us who attended had the opportunity to sit for 45 minutes each with social entrepreneurs from around the world. These are people who are changing the world and the way of life themselves, some came from Ireland. One particular person, Mary Nally set up Third Age Foundation to get volunteers to help people who have retired to improve the nation. She has also set up Fáilte Isteach the purpose of which is to ensure the newcomers to our country are welcome in their communities. Much of the work being done is unheralded, unrecognised and unnoticed. What Change Nation did and what SIFE is doing where it has students from around the world who give up their time to do good for their locality and their people are the issues we should debate here.

Following on from a point raised by Senator Barrett, there are 141 amendments to a Bill to be debated today, approximately 100 of which are Government amendments. It is a Seanad Bill and deserves time and attention.