Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I will wait to hear the announcement this afternoon on the Magdalen laundries. I hope we bring finality and that justice will be done in a way that is meaningful and fitting for the servitude in which these women, girls and children were placed for decades. I thank the Leader and the Seanad Public Consultation Committee for arranging the public consultation that will take place on Thursday. I encourage all Members to attend that session. Several months ago I made a request to the Leader that Ashoka, Change Nation and Social Entrepreneurs Ireland be invited to appear before the committee. Senators Quinn and Mac Conghail supported my request. This Thursday an array of solutions will be put before us by social entrepreneurs from all over the world who are making a difference to the quality of life of citizens. We will hear solutions in health, education, civic participation and enterprise. I met these individuals in Farmleigh when they were here last spring and I was so impressed that I decided we must hear from them in this Chamber. We are the decision makers and the influencers who can make a difference. I believe Members will be as impressed as I was and, if they can spare an hour on Thursday afternoon, I strongly encourage them to attend the session.

I have come to the conclusion that it is time for training about online behaviour to be made obligatory at primary and secondary level. I was alarmed to learn while listening to Newstalk this afternoon that parents are signing up children as young as seven and eight years of age to Facebook. This is incredible behaviour. Some of our youngsters are doing what is known as sexting, which means they are texting sexual images of themselves.