Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I recently travelled by train from Bristol to Falmouth, and the cost was far more expensive than any cost of train travel in Ireland. It is similar in France. It is interesting that Senator Quinn considered taxis, as people in Ireland always tell us how expensive taxis are. I was delighted to see taxi fares being increased, as Irish taxis are far cheaper than those in London or Paris, again to take our two closest neighbours as examples, with which we are in competition. Everywhere I go to shop I look at the price of a margherita pizza, Mach 3 razor blades and a litre of fuel. Irish prices of such products have stabilised in the past five or six years.

The Government, with the support of all parties, has considered the question of insurance premia and the high cost of insurance in the past ten years. The issue was tackled by Deputy Rabbitte of the Labour Party when he was in Government, Fine Gael's Deputy Bruton, Deputy Harney when she was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, currently in the same job, and the Government as a whole. All of us, including the trade union movement and employers, got together on this issue. I declare an interest as I am deputy chairperson of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, but we have managed to reduce insurance costs by almost 60%. It shows what can be done if we take the advice of Senator Quinn in looking at issues such as inflation.

I am sure the Minister of State did not bother to read the amendment to be proposed by his colleagues, which is appalling.