Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I was not aware of that. I thank the Cathaoirleach and I am glad because this matter will exercise the minds of many people over the next couple of weeks. I hope the Government will speedily address this issue. I agree with the sentiments expressed about the Competition Authority's inadequacy on this.

I hope the Leader will encourage Irish people to take up the proposal of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, that we buy Irish this Christmas. During the 1990s, when the economy was not as strong as it is now, the main buzz phrase was "import substitution". It has fallen by the wayside. I am glad the Minister has reaffirmed the view that by buying Irish we protect Irish jobs. Due to our Treaty of Rome obligations we cannot show preference at official level. If Mr. Jimmy Walsh or others are listening, I urge them and other Members of this House to take the opportunity in the week leading up to Christmas to pause for a moment if they enter the major supermarkets that are dotting our high streets across the country and decide whether the Irish product is the better product to buy rather than automatically buying something because it happens to be there.