Michael McCarthy (Labour)

A number of other speakers have touched on the issue I want to raise, namely the results of Operation Encounter. The Garda Commissioner set up this operation on 23 February 2002 to focus on drink related crime in different venues such as pubs, night clubs, and fast food outlets. It has highlighted a number of alarming statistics, not least that 25 people are assaulted every night in drink related crime. I ask the Leader of the House to summon the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to address this with due urgency.

The second issue is in relation to our €5 million humanitarian aid package. Does the Leader know whether this allocation was originally destined for another poor country? If that is the case, is it right that we should take €5 million from one poor country and spend it in Iraq cleaning up the mess left by the Americans?