Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I am quite concerned about comments the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, made yesterday when drawing from a position document launched by the National Council on Aging and Older People. The Minister is examining the area of pensions with a view to reforming it, which is a good idea. He goes on to say that, in some countries, the State operates a deal whereby parts of the properties owned by older people are mortgaged and the returns supplement their pensions in old age.

We live in a country that has one of the highest concentrations of home ownership in the European Union. Everybody's home is their castle. People in retirement are entitled to own their houses, to belong and to have the natural benefit of owning all their properties. I am unsure that allowing mortgage companies to enter into agreements and deals with older retired people to supplement their income by virtue of mortgaging parts of their properties is a good idea. I am very concerned about this. Knowing this country's financial institutions and the manner in which they have operated in recent years, it would be worrying as this particular section of society would be open to significant exploitation by the mortgage companies.

I agree with the leader of the Fine Gael group today when he points out that the NRA needs a significant shift in focus in terms of its policy concerning filling stations on motorways. We have learned from the UK's experience that filling stations serving the driving public are very beneficial and have proven to be an important part of general road safety. In this day and age, it is ludicrous that there is a 150 km stretch around this city from Portlaoise northwards without filling stations readily accessible to people.

We had an important debate on the matter of Sellafield recently. I made a point during that debate and will continue to make it. When the Taoiseach is discussing the Northern Ireland peace process with Northern parties and when this issue is on the political radar, it is an opportunity to raise the continuing concerns of those in this country surrounding the ongoing situation at Sellafield. The recent leaks there are very worrying for people, particularly those on the eastern seaboard of this country. There is potential in the context of the Northern Ireland discussions for this important issue to be raised and pursued by the Taoiseach.

As we approach another European summit, a vital matter is affecting Irish farmers, namely, the €95 million special beef premium through which the European Union now wants to financially penalise them. When we were pushing the second Nice treaty, which was discussed in this House, one of its main selling points was that the former Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Walsh, was attending important CAP reform negotiations in Brussels and that if we rejected the treaty, we would be jeopardising the future of Irish farming. The former Agriculture Commissioner, Franz Fischler, gave a commitment in this building to the Irish nation that when we signed up to the CAP, we would not lose financially as a result. A U-turn is clearly on the horizon. When the present Minister, Deputy Coughlan, goes to Brussels and when the Taoiseach attends the European summit, I urge them to raise this issue and to fight for a good deal for Irish farmers. They must fight to retain the status quo, which is all we are looking for.