Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I rise with a lot of sadness after hearing of the death of Noel Treacy from east Galway and maybe it has already been mentioned. He was an extraordinary successful politician. Mr. Treacy was first elected in a by-election in 1982 and he retired in 2011. Recently he fought a battle with illness and when I spoke to him four weeks ago he was in great form. He served in a number of junior ministries and was a very active politician. He was one of the best politicians that ever came into Leinster House. I know that he would have engaged with this House on many occasions, particularly in his role as a junior Minister. I want to remember his wife, children, grandchildren and his extended family this morning.

To conclude, yesterday's clarification regarding the leaving certificate was a good day for students. I listened to some of the second-level student representatives last night and they seem to be quite happy now that we have had clarification and they can move ahead. Some very important changes will result from the decision made by the Department and the Government that will help students through what will be a different type of leaving certificate in more difficult times. However, this matter again raises an issue, on which the Leader will have strong opinions as well, which is that we need to have a major conversation about the effects the Covid epidemic has had on young people.

I recall that the other evening I left my son and his nephew to a disco, which was the first time in almost two years that they had been at the disco. When I collected them at 2.15 a.m. I asked them how the night went and they just said okay. I said to them that they did not seem to be in great form, to which they replied they were not because they knew hardly any of the people. They said that a new generation of young people were at the disco and nearly all of their friends had gone. It was then that I was struck by the fact that young people have suffered and yet they have been great. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate and bring in some of the youth groups. A debate would afford us an opportunity to could listen to their representatives, discuss how we can move forward to re-engage with youth and, maybe, in some way compensate them for the loss of two valuable years.