Special Olympics chief to lead taskforce on active citizenship

Chief executive officer of Special Olympics Ireland Mary Davis is to chair the taskforce on active citizenship, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil.

He added that he hoped to announce the full membership of the taskforce later this week.

The Taoiseach said Ms Davis had begun her association with Special Olympics Ireland as a volunteer.

Her success in capturing the enthusiasm of a nation, would, he had no doubt, inspire critical debate on the importance of promoting a renewed sense of pride in community, in our sense of place and in working together to improve the lives of all citizens.

Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said a study showed that the quality of life for those at management level in many companies was less than those suffering from serious physical illness in hospital because of pressure.

"Does the Taoiseach acknowledge that the capacity of citizens to engage in active citizenship is subject to growing pressure, particularly because of economic pressures on the younger element in society?"

Mr Ahern said there were now hundreds of thousands of people working because of Government policies. He added that he did not have a chance to read the report referred to by Mr Higgins.

However, he had read the results of research indicating that people's attitudes to active citizenship had not changed very much in 15 or 16 years, nor had the amount of time they had available to them.

When Mr Higgins suggested that pressures had changed enormously, Mr Ahern replied: "We will always have pressures. People had pressures 100 years ago and they will have them in 100 years' time. I never worry too much about pressure because if you do, you will be pressurised."