Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important for the national broadcaster to understand that it is dealing with family businesses. It was saying on the national airwaves, whether it was on the six o'clock news, the nine o'clock news or in hourly bulletins, that all these towns and businesses were closed but the opposite was true. Businesses were still open and operating and they wanted to continue operating. The period coming up to Christmas is a prime time of the year for them and they want Christmas shoppers. I would like RTE, our national and public broadcaster, to be more careful in its reporting. It is very well for it to be broadcasting the news but it should take into account that it is dealing with family businesses which, at the end of the day, need to make a crust.

As Minister of State in the Department of Defence, I congratulate the Defence Forces across the country. They risked their lives, as did many others, in the floods. The Defence Forces and the Civil Defence did a brilliant job over the past two weeks and will continue to be at the beck and call of the people, as required.

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