Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Keaveney, Ormonde and Regan offered their congratulations to the Garda, the Department and all the agencies following the major haul of cigarettes in Greenore yesterday, which we all witnessed on television last night. We certainly offer our congratulations to them.

Senator Keaveney spoke about the penalties. If the fines are as we hear they are, we should introduce emergency legislation next week to amend the fines. The Senator also spoke about alcohol labelling. I will pass on her strong views in that regard to the Minister.

There were calls for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coughlan, to come to the House to discuss the serious challenge mentioned by Senators Mary White, Doherty and others regarding competitiveness, innovation and job creation to get people back to work. This is the single biggest challenge we all face. I will ask the Tánaiste to come to the House to discuss this very urgent matter.

I say to Senator Coughlan that I gave a lengthy response in the House last week - I will pass it on to his office - regarding Nos. 5 and 9 on the Order Paper, about which he has quite correctly asked me many times. I got an up-to-date response on it last Thursday. I apologise if it has not reached his office by now.