Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regard to deference to and respect for the Chair, who like many colleagues, has respect and appreciation for the decorum of the House, some elements of Members' contributions do not cast a positive reflection on the House and I do not mean the content. For example, when the Chair stands, it has always been a tradition and a convention that the Member resumes his or her seat. If we allow ourselves to be slipshod about basic conventions such as that, the public will not care much about us. I am not in a lecturing mode but we need sometimes to stop and be aware. That is a Rubicon no Member should cross. When the Chair stands, the Member should sit down. He or she can resume afterwards.

As part of my ongoing campaign coming up to Christmas, which is supported by everyone in the House, to support Irish made goods, Members will be aware the National Diary Council, NDC, has run advertisements in the national newspapers pointing out that unless the NDC mark is on a litre of milk, it is not produced in Ireland. This was news to me. I naturally assumed all milk sold by retailers was produced in Ireland. Unless it has the NDC mark, it is not produced in Ireland.

A total of 12,000 jobs rely on the production and sale of milk. I am sure the Leader will join me in encouraging people when they go to their local stores - I hope they use their local stories to support local jobs - to stop and take stock of what they are buying. If it says it is Irish on the tin, they should look more closely. As Senator Quinn said some weeks ago, several products people assume are made in Ireland are not. However, as milk prices look like they will reduce again next year, we would be doing our patriotic duty if we ensured the milk we buy is produced in Ireland. I hope between now and Christmas there will be an opportunity for us to continue to promote Irish made goods.