Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have lost a lot of weight over the years. One factor, a really abstract one, that I believe is really important is hope. It is important to keep hope in one's soul. I have brilliant parents who instilled in me a sense of hope. I actually never experienced many of the difficulties that arise. Once one gets into the right headspace, it is like a train coming if one keeps focused.

A less cerebral factor concerns alcohol. We have not really discussed Ireland's relationship with alcohol, which is a considerable bugbear of mine. Alcohol is a significant trigger. Do the delegates have any innovative ideas in this regard? Senator Crown has an innovative idea about cigarettes of which I would be in favour, namely, to ban them from the country over a certain period. I realise this would cause all sorts of other problems and that it is a bit right-wing.