Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

It would be a huge vote of confidence in O'Connell Street, the GPO and those who gave their lives for our country. I take this opportunity to inform the House that I intend to provide time for a debate on this topic in the near future.

Senator Bacik called for a debate on crime. I take this opportunity to inform the House that a number of urgent Bills will come before the House this session. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will be in this House quite often. I support the Minister, the Commissioner, the Garda Síochána and the Government on their attempt to ensure fear of the law. It appears a small number of citizens no longer fear the law. It is our duty to ensure fear of the law. We must support the Minister of the day and Commissioner in terms of passing legislation required to meet the challenges in this area.

Senator Doherty called for a debate on education. He also proposed that third level fees should be taken from direct taxation. I have no difficulty providing time for a debate on that proposal and will endeavour to do arrange time for a debate on education. Senator Daly outlined the difficulties being experienced by the north Dublin growers in terms of products sold by Tesco, a food-chain that has 27.5% of the market in Ireland. I chaired the committee set up to debate the grocery order. Senators Coghlan and Leyden were also members of that committee. We are now seeing the fruits of what was said at that time. As Senator Daly stated, we must back Irish growers in terms of saving jobs. I will provide time for an open ended debate on the challenges facing Irish branded products and what we, as members of this House, can do to ensure the undertaking given by Tesco to the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment in respect of the grocery order, in terms of its requirement to retain a high percentage of Irish products for sale in its stores, is adhered to. Tesco provides 13,000 full time and 4,000 part time jobs in Ireland, which is gainful employment. It also provides terrific opportunities for Irish growers.

There exists a list, I believe, of 14 or 15 items not being manufactured in the EU. Perhaps our institutes of technology or young entrepreneurs seeking new ideas could by way of attending the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment ascertain the items being sold in our multiples but not manufactured anywhere in the EU. We must keep an eye on this and ensure the multiples continue to sell a particular percentage of Irish products.