Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I ask the Leader for a debate on the outside influences affecting the country's economy, of which there are many. Sometimes in debates in this House and elsewhere we think of ourselves as a little island unaffected by everywhere else. There has just been a general election across the water in the United Kingdom which has a profound effect on what happens in this country. There are many other political instances and issues happening in other countries. The euro is collapsing as a result of what is happening in Greece. It is about time we acknowledged we are not completely in control of everything that happens in this country and that there are many outside influences.

I raise the issue of this wonderful volcano in Iceland, as I have done before. I previously called it the elephant in the living room but I think it is the volcano in the living room as we see pictures of it regularly. It is having a major impact on people travelling to and from this country and on travel in Europe in general. Over the weekend somebody suggested there was a volcano in Connemara. There was an enormous plume of smoke in Connemara where a hill was set on fire.