Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Like many of my colleagues, I warmly welcome Senator Mooney back to the House. I was very pleased to support him as a candidate in the European Parliament elections. He secured a fantastic vote and while he did not make it, many people knew he was around. I was pleased in a practical sense because he does not just talk the talk but also walks the walk. He was very easy to sell because as a Member of the Oireachtas and as a member of Leitrim County Council, Senator Mooney has been one of our finest public representatives. I welcome him home again. I am sure that as in the past he will show himself worthy of again being a Member of the Oireachtas.

A few years ago a sub-committee of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children published a report on the adverse effect of pharmaceuticals on society. It would be worth debating this document. Colleagues mentioned certain outlets selling certain preparations. Another practice should be outlawed, which is ordering drugs on-line. It is very hard to eliminate it, a point strongly made in the report.

The number of people who have lost their lives through knife crime in recent times is very worrying. It again calls into question how legislation is failing to deal with these crimes. There is a legislative void in dealing with knife crime. We should ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House and debate the matter. Anybody who goes out into the community with a knife in his or her pocket is not doing it to tend to his or her fingernails or pare a pencil. They are bringing it to use it maliciously and a mandatory sentence should be given to a person carrying a knife that is capable of inflicting serious bodily harm or death as has been seen in recent times. I ask the Leader to consider that request favourably.