David Norris (Independent)

I am grateful to Senator O'Toole for sharing his time with me. I agree with him on the impact that the multinationals have had on bookshops and record shops but such a situation came about a long time ago. Most will remember the local bakeries put out of business by these multiples. I remember how Dunnes Stores screwed its suppliers to the wall with "hello money", exclusive arrangements and by stringing them along by not paying their bills on time. Such is the predatory behaviour of these groups.

I do not necessarily see the removal of the groceries order as favouring competition. I also agree with Senator O'Toole about Eddie Hobbs. His show was very good entertainment but should not set Government policy. It was superficial and pandered to the appetite of the watching public.

We should listen to the likes of Ben Dunne. He may have an axe to grind because of his former intimate involvement with the company but he makes business sense. A few weeks ago he said he did not agree with abolishing the groceries order but that if it had to happen there should be two conditions. First, any below-cost selling should take place throughout a chain of stores, not just at one in Dublin but in Cork, Belfast or wherever they are. Second, it should be for a reasonable period of time, and not just bait to lure gullible shoppers in. The Minister may well respond with the Latin injunction caveat emptor but as we have already set out on a course intended to protect the customer, it does not apply.

In his speech the Minister refers to trade representatives and business interests who trenchantly defended the order. Curiously, unless I missed them the Minister does not mention other groups which also trenchantly argued against its abolition. Is the omission because those groups are not business interests but groups with a high standing in society who look after the welfare of the most disadvantaged, such as Combat Poverty, Crosscare and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?