Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The delegates are all very welcome. As a consumer and frequenter of all the delegates' shops, I can say they are all fabulous. I speak as a consumer, a mother and someone who works full-time. Increasingly, customers are purchasing online. I live in rural Ireland and the thought of going shopping on a Saturday is not one that invigorates me because of the time it takes. I want to do other things. I suppose the world is changing and we have the choice. I am glad to hear both delegates' businesses are going online.

I compliment Retail Ireland because it has been going around the country engaging with towns that choose to engage with it. In order to educate retailers, it has been giving courses along with Cork County Council, which I can talk about because I live in Cork. There is a week-to-week programme to get retailers to go online. The State introduced a grant of €7,500 to encourage people to go online. A lot has been done.

There has been much talk about rates. I do not believe rates comprise a major issue in regard to retail. It is an issue we raise quite a lot, but the good news is that there will be a Bill before the House before the end of the year to transfer responsibility for deciding on rates from the commissioner to the local authorities. As one knows, for years responsibility rested with the town councils in various areas. This platform is to change in the near future. We have a challenge but it is one that we should embrace because there will be options for everybody. It should not be all about what the Government does. More work must be done through people coming together to reinvigorate the industry. There is a great opportunity for Irish stores to sell abroad, as Senator Quinn stated. I am sure Brown Thomas and Clerys will be able to fit into that space when the organisation is up and running full-time.