Seanad debates

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

4:15 pm

Photo of Jim D'ArcyJim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the decision of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Flanagan, to hold a public inquiry into the mother and baby homes. That was a dark period. Everyone talks about the good old Ireland of the past but that was not always the case, as the recent controversy shows.

We have to learn from that and be a better country today. We can judge the past, but we can bring a real benefit to those mothers and children by giving them closure and by making our country a better place.

Like my colleague, Senator Mullins, I welcome the launch by the Minister, Deputy Quinn, of the fourth year of Springboard, which will offer 6,100 new places and include 25 ICT courses. One of my friends who was at a low ebb benefited personally from one of those courses and is now set up again and ready to roll. In that regard, we must acknowledge bad news. Newspapers love bad news, and why not? Some 1,000 jobs are being created in this country every week. When I was talking to a builder in Dundalk yesterday, I was told there is a three-week waiting list for an electrician and one cannot get a plumber for love nor money. I accept that this is anecdotal, but it is certainly very good news. I would like to say that there is a pick-up. I went into Sexton's for my lunch yesterday with my colleague, Jim Lennon, who is a former councillor. He got the last roast beef dinner on the menu. I had to make do with a hamburger, which was very lovely.

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