Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Like Senator MacSharry, I refer to the high salaries earned by banking executives although I point out that there were different rules for people who were close to Fianna Fáil during the last Administration. We should not forget that. I thank Senator Conway for yesterday's debate on restorative justice although I was disappointed that there were so few people here. It was a very worthwhile debate. One of the issues raised was the high level of alcohol-related problems of the young men who came through the restorative justice programme in Tallaght. I raised and raise again the issue of alcohol and ask the Leader for a debate. I spoke about the need for joined-up thinking. When one sees the statistics on alcohol in a restorative justice programme, one realises yet again that we continue to need to tackle the problem of the below-cost selling of alcohol. In the recent public consultation committee report put together by the Seanad, Members called for a minimum floor price for alcohol and for the implementation of section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act which would separate the sale of alcohol from groceries. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Health to the House for a further debate on alcohol. It is a problem across a wide range of activities. A practical measure people involved in restorative justice would ask for is legislation to increase the price of alcohol or impose levies on it.

I thank the Leader and the Cathaoirleach for their assistance and co-operation with my initiative, young Senators day, which will take place in the House on 23 April 2013. Hundreds of essays were received from transition year students on the future of Ireland or on how they feel the leaving certificate affects their lives. Senators Jim D'Arcy, van Turnhout, Barrett and I have been judging the entries over the last few days. It has been great to read the essays and to see teenagers' views of Ireland and the leaving certificate. I am delighted that 45 young people will be in the House on 23 April 2013 and will have the Seanad for a matter of hours. They will have an order of business and will make their own presentations to the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I look forward to the day and the support of other Senators for the initiative. It is the first time it has been run.

I wish Twitter a happy birthday. It is seven years old today and has 500 million users. Some Members may not have had Twitter at their disposal seven years ago, but now we can all enjoy or not what it offers.