Ireland is experiencing the "warning signs" of a decline in community values through the fall-off in the number of people volunteering, a rise in youth suicide and growing anti-social behaviour, Tánaiste Mary Harney said yesterday.
While the country still had strong communities and a very active voluntary sector, she said it was time to examine ways of promoting more volunteerism and involvement in communities across the State.
The Tánaiste was speaking at a Progressive Democrats party conference in Emo, Co Laois, called Sustaining Communities, and follows growing recognition among political parties that, despite the economic growth and prosperity of recent years, there is public unease over quality-of-life issues such as increasing isolation in the community, long commuting times and work pressure.
