Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The issue of the United Kingdom experience was also mentioned and the lessons to be drawn from that are quite different to those that many people are drawing. The de facto position in the country up to now was that wholesalers were effectively deciding minimum retail prices. There were some advantages for some people in that but there were none for consumers or for small retail businesses.

Deputy Morgan referred to the fact that I said one of the amendments tabled seemed logical to me. It did seem logical to me but I am not a legal person and the strong legal advice was otherwise. I am prepared to accept the legal advice because I do not claim to be a legal expert of any kind.

The IKEA store was another issue mentioned by Deputy Morgan. I go to Ballymun frequently to meet people out there, do functions and so forth and it seems to be an extraordinarily popular concept in the area.

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