Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

Like Senator Fitzgerald, we all have had hundreds of e-mails from families with regard to the bilateral agreements with Vietnam and Russia on adoption. Hundreds of families are in limbo because of incompetence and inaction on the part of the Government. I join Senator Fitzgerald in asking for the Minister to be invited to the House for a debate. It is important that we take action on this as soon as possible.

I give a guarded welcome to the decision by the main retailer in the State, Tesco, to reduce the price of goods by an average of just over 20% in many of its stores south of the Border. This is welcome news for shoppers and it is not before time. However, before anybody goes away thinking this company is the champion of consumers, let us be clear that this is an attempt by Tesco to stem losses by encouraging people north of the Border where it has no shops to shop in its stores in the South. It is very clear that the company is trying to move the shopping border 20 miles south, to places such as Drogheda, Bailieborough and Monaghan. As a shopper in one of these stores, I welcome this. I welcome the jobs that will remain in the country as a result and the lower prices, which is good news for local people, but let us be clear that this is primarily a business exercise. Unless and until this company extends these price cuts throughout Ireland, we will see this move for what it is.

I raise the issue of the rip-off being imposed on its passengers by the Dublin Airport Authority's decision to charge passengers €1 for the use of a small plastic bag. This is just another example of how the authority continues to treat its customers with little more than contempt. There is a differential between the prices one pays at the airport, whether on car parking charges, airport food or bottled water, and that will not encourage tourists who are leaving the country to tell their fellow country people to come here. It will leave a bad taste in their mouths. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the matter because I see no additional passenger security from many European measures such as that relating to small plastic bags. This is another revenue-generating exercise, masquerading as an attempt to improve passenger security.

I congratulate the Members of this House who are running for election to other places, particularly my colleague, Senator Bacik. I believe she will do very well, as will other people. As the Australians and New Zealanders said-----