Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of food labelling. I do not want to get caught up in the issue of horse meat which has been raised recently; I want to make a general point. Food labelling must be addressed. We can have chicken product from Thailand, for example, which can be labelled as "Irish" if it is processed in some form in this country. It is a significant problem. We all wish to buy Irish and to know that the produce itself is Irish rather than merely produced here. It would be useful to have a meaningful debate in the House with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine or whoever the Leader can find. It is unacceptable that I can buy a product in a supermarket which is labelled as Irish but which actually had to travel for two or three days to get here. At a time when producers like other businesses find it difficult to survive, this could be one way to ensure that people are buying Irish and know what is in their food.

I join Senator Michael Mullins in raising the issue of retired Members' very large pensions. To say it gets on everyone's nerves is to put it mildly. That retired Members of whatever political party, but especially those who had a hand in the downfall of the country, have such large pensions, is wrong. They are on three and four times the average industrial wage. It is completely unacceptable. I find it frustrating that we cannot do something about it. The Attorney General should examine whether there is a way to row back or make adjustments to provide that those involved in the downfall of the country do not swan around on three to four times the average wage.