Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The show would run as long as the famous play, "The Mousetrap" before the public would have a full list of the broken promises.

This legislation was heralded as a great development in terms of regulating the retail trade in a positive way for the consumer. However, I do not see any evidence to support that assertion. I have no doubt the single most important reason for the introduction of this Bill, the debate leading up to it, the heart wrenching hand-wringing, the tearing of hair and the gnashing of teeth in the Department — one could almost feel the hurt and pain of the Minister as he examined the nuances of the legislation — was the forthcoming general election and not any concern for the consumer or the retail trade.

I have already referred to changes in our cities but now wish to briefly refer to changes in the towns. There was a time when there were small shops and small supermarkets on the streets of every town and village. They are disappearing fast, either because they are unable to compete with their bigger rivals or as a result of the planning process. We will shortly arrive at a situation where all that is left on the main streets of towns and villages are offices and traffic lights. If the Government persists with its traffic lights policy, getting into those offices will be more difficult than getting into this House.

The most important thing I want to see emerging from this process is consumers benefitting in a real way and not simply in a way that meets the propaganda requirements of an election.

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