During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: I wish to raise a rather sad point, that is, the death by drowning of two people yesterday. I have read that 150 people per year die in Ireland from drowning. Is there anything we can do about it? I have raised the issue of the transition year that students take and I am a great admirer of it...

I believe we could add to their activities in that year things they would not otherwise do. I have referred to training in defibrillators recently. How about swimming lessons? Should they be considered as a possibility?

The number of young men who die from injuries related to drowning is horrific. The proposal would not solve all the problems because a large number of children aged between one and four years die from drowning as well. Clearly that problem would not be solved by teaching them how to swim in transition year. However, there is a possibility that we could add to the transition year.

I call on the Leader to add that to the list because many transition year students have the time and the opportunity. It could serve a double purpose of training and educating them and helping to save lives in the years ahead as well.