Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service did a great service to the State when it insisted that a more scientific study of this matter should be undertaken. That study was done. A question on the number of visits people make to Northern Ireland is to be included in the quarterly national household survey. It is important to get an accurate scientific handle on this phenomenon. The evidence available to us to date, which is subject to correction, suggests that the purchase of cheap alcohol is the primary pull factor. I accept that the other main pull factor — the price of baby products — was mentioned by Deputy McHugh. We are beginning to identify the precise products that are creating concern.

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