David Norris (Independent)

I welcome the Minister. It is appropriate and helpful that he is present because he is a highly-competent individual who is well on top of his brief. The Minister has authority to do certain things and I am going to suggest one further action he might take.

There does not appear to be any conflict between what Senators Quinn and Mary Ann O'Brien have proposed and what is contained in the Government amendment, which, I presume, was drafted by some helpful officials in the Department. No confrontational language is used in the motion. The Government is not condemned but is instead encouraged, helped, persuaded, etc. To use a cliché which one of my colleagues at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade continually employs - and I am not sure whether he has any particular religious beliefs - we are all singing from the same hymn sheet on this matter. Even though it would make for a very lengthy text, would it be possible to combine the motion and the amendment? I have consulted Senator Quinn and he has no difficulty with amendment No. 2, which was tabled by Sinn Féin. In the context of that amendment and as Senator Quinn indicated, Irish produce is viewed on an all-island basis in any event. There is no partitionism in this regard at all.

Would it be possible to produce a combined text in order that we might avoid a vote on this matter? I will be prepared to partake in such a vote, if necessary, but would it not be possible for us to display a degree of unity? There is no conflict between the various texts with which we have been presented. I accept that a unified text would be extremely long and would include terms such as "anaerobic digestion", with which I have become familiar, and "composting", which is a useful process and which I employ in my garden. That is my first practical suggestion. The Seanad is not partisan and we are extremely lucky to count among our number people such as Senator Quinn, who has extensive experience at the highest level in the retail grocery business, and Senator Mary Ann O'Brien, who has an extremely good reputation in the area of food production. I can vouch for the latter because I ate a couple of her products earlier today. I would welcome it if the Minister would consider accepting a large, ungainly but composite motion in the interests of having everyone move in the same direction, particularly because it appears we are all heading in that direction in any event.

Senator Comiskey referred to the production of olive oil. I am not sure whether he was referring to its production in Ireland and I am certainly not aware of that latter happening. If olive oil is being produced here, then that is a most interesting phenomenon and development.

Senator Quinn addressed the question of food waste. I was not aware that we actually throw away 1 million tonnes of food every year. That is shocking, particularly when one considers that 2.6 million children across the globe die of hunger each year. The contrast between our affluence and our happy abandon with regard to food is striking. When I was young, matters were different. Senator O'Keeffe referred to the post-war years. I remember those very well. I recall that a man used to travel around Dublin 4 collecting swill. I have just read Bob Quinn's wonderful novel about life in the working-class area near Dundrum. One of Mr. Quinn's relatives also used to go around collecting swill, which was then recycled and reused. One of the things I admire so much about the mountain community in Cyprus in which I live on a part-time basis is the fact that everything from the vines there - leaves, wood, grapes, etc. - is used and nothing is allowed to go to waste. In Ireland, however, we throw so much out. For example, restaurants dispose of millions of euro worth of food.

The second part of the motion tabled by Senators Quinn and Mary Ann O'Brien relates to their colleagues in the retail trade and the food production industry. I am not sure whether Government direction is required in respect of this matter. I understand some businesses, particularly large retailers, already give leftover food to charities such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for distribution to the less well off. What Senator Quinn had to say in respect of expiry dates, best before dates and use by dates was extremely interesting. Perfectly good food is being dumped because such dates have been passed. Such food should be capable of being used to feed those who are hungry.

I will end with the idea of cross-party consensus. Some years ago I was involved with "Operation Transformation" and I was determined that the politicians would win it because we needed a good news story, and we did. It was a cross-party effort. I said later to my colleagues from all parties and none that we should remain together as a little group because we had learned a certain amount and I thought we should stay in touch with the team. We did so and we had meetings and sent information to the Minister about calorie labelling in food outlets and restaurants which has been successful in the United States. The Minister agreed with it but the Government fell. I hope this will continue because we have the fattest kids in Europe and this is an extraordinary change since my day when we did not have much to eat after the war. This is a good example of cross-party co-operation and it is what the Seanad is for. In light of the fact there is no confrontational language and we all seem to agree, perhaps we can avoid a vote, do something positive and support the Minister in his excellent work.