Fitzgerald ‘astonished’ at commentators

A Government minister has hit out at “commentators” who questioned whether her department was necessary when it was being set up earlier this year.
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, said she found it “astonishing” that when the Taoiseach announced he was creating the new department “some commentators asked why we needed it”.
“We accept that a minister should have responsibility for trains. And another should have responsibility for soldiers. And another should deal only with issues pertaining to foreign relations. And yet people were surprised when we suggested that our children are as important as our trains, soldiers and foreign relations. Children are the single most important resource this country has,” she stated.
“We must always remember that childhood is not the only time in our lives that we must place our trust in others. When we find ourselves ‘lean and slippered’ and waiting on the seventh age, our comfort will not be guaranteed by capital projects, no matter how glorious, our safety will not be provided by a broadband network, no matter how extensive, our happiness will not be provided by our tourism industry, no matter how successful it is. For our future lies in our younger citizens; those who will inherit this republic; the leaders and workforce of tomorrow,” she added.
Minister Fitzgerald described it as “one of those rare times when altruism and mercenary self-interest share an objective; providing the best start in life for our children is the right thing to do. It is also the way to use our single most important asset to generate economic success”.