Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

While this breach of the law may just be a publicity stunt on behalf of one publican or a group of publicans, the anti-smoking legislation is important in terms of sending out a strong public health warning against the dangers of smoking. Another report regarding the dangers of passive smoking was published in Britain last week. I ask the Government to move swiftly on this matter and I compliment the Minister for Health and Children on his actions to date. It is important that every citizen should realise that laws enacted by the Houses of the Oireachtas must be enforced locally. Nobody is above the law and nobody has the right to decide not to implement the law where he or she is obliged to do so. The Government has moved quickly on this and I encourage it and the health authorities which have a responsibility locally to continue in the same vein.

The House shall debate the State Airports Bill 2004 next week and I ask the Leader if time might be given during that discussion to consider the enterprise strategy group's report of yesterday to the Tánaiste. A short debate would be useful and perhaps the Tánaiste could attend to respond to the various recommendations in the report. The most important of these are the need for Ireland to retain its competitive edge and to root out uncompetitive practices in the economy and the necessity of a vibrant immigration policy which is based on skills shortages in the existing economy. There was a harsh rebuke for the Government's policy in that area to date. Regarding the national spatial strategy, the report stated there was a need to build up capacity in the new economic hubs that the Government has highlighted as opposed to the dispersal approach evident in the decentralisation programme. We should debate this matter next week given that the Dáil is not sitting.