Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I join other Senators in calling for a debate on the Intoxicating Liquor Act. When I was growing up, we talked about the leisure society, but it now appears we are working longer hours than ever. My colleague, Senator Dearey, has told me about a good retail principle: "Sell as much as possible in as small a space as possible in as little time as possible". That is a good principle. We should also look at the question of Sunday trading. I would like to see Sunday as a day of rest, which is what I grew up with. Having one day of rest in a week is a good principle. Things can work in both directions.

It is important to have a debate on the media, for which many Senators have called. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is committed to dealing with the local radio issue which has arisen as a result of the fall in advertising revenue and the introduction of the levy. There is huge pressure on local radio stations and the last thing we want to see is them going out of business. I believe the Romanian Senate has called for a debate on the content of the media. It was proposed that there was far too much bad news in the media and that there should be a quota for good and bad news. The proposal was unanimously passed.