Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

He is well able to look after himself. I wish him well too.

As the Leader is aware, we have had an edict or instruction from the Minister, Deputy Gormley, in regard to Killarney National Park and the provision of so-called equine sanitary devices or horse nappies. This was intended to be mandatory from earlier this month but of course it has not happened. My point, which I made previously, is that we cannot have one rule within the park and another on the streets of our town and the surrounding roadways. We talked much in our condemnation of waste. Many of these devices have been purchased but I wonder whether they will go the way of the e-voting machines and be consigned to the dump.

The serious point I make is that it appears there has been no consultation or dialogue in this regard, which one would have thought was a sine qua non. Even at this late stage, I strongly urge that the parties would get together. While I am not suggesting these devices should be required, we need initial consultation and dialogue. If that were to take place, we might hopefully have agreement on a proper way forward.