Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I suspect that the majority of the bodies with which restaurant operators must deal come under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Obviously, health and safety issues are not in my Department's remit. The programme being launched today takes account of the costs faced by businesses, including those involved in the tourism industry, and refers to joint labour committees and the minimum wage. Tourism, including the restaurant sector, is among the areas covered by the Credit Review Office to which people can appeal if they are refused credit.

The food strategy group and Good Food Ireland are investigating the issue of food costs. The best way of reducing food costs is to ensure we have good quality local food. If we are going to promote Ireland as a food destination, we should also be promoting Irish food.

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