Joe O'Toole (Independent)

On a more serious issue, we should all support the representations made by the Irish Cancer Society regarding the impacts of smoking on cancer. We should not be facilitating people who smoke to smoke more at the cost of their health and the public health as well as the cost to the health service. We should make representations to the Minister for Health and Children on that issue. Next week's budget should increase the excise duty on tobacco products for a variety of reasons some of which have been touched upon by Senator Fitzgerald.

While there is not an immediate rush on this matter, I would like a discussion in the House on the question of energy independence, to include when the Corrib gas field will come on line, how we can ensure it will come on line and the difficulties of being 95% exposed to foreign sources of energy. There is a lack of doctoral research in our third level institutions on alternative energy. They are now only being carried out in very few of our third level institutions. The Government should intervene to ensure that happens.