Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I would like the Leader to raise two issues with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. One concerns the inequality that exists in one of our major banks, and probably in other banks, in relation to women reaching positions of higher management. Some 79% of the staff is female, yet very few of these women reach the top positions. I am shocked to hear they do not have an equality policy in that bank. That is something which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, should take up and ensure that these large institutions have an equality policy in place in order to be fair to all of their staff.

The Minister might attend this House to outline how he proposes to monitor the regulations he has set down for people who drink in pubs whether they are under age or over age, as well as the regulation banning free drink promotions in public houses. That practice continues. If the Minister is going to introduce such laws, he should put in place a system for ensuring they are upheld.