David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join with previous Senators and the Leader in paying tribute to Senator McAleese and wishing him the very best of luck in whatever he chooses to do from now on. In respect of the report into the Magdalen laundries, which is being published as we speak, I believe we all need time to digest the report and look at the recommendations that will undoubtedly be in it. I very much hope those recommendations are centred around the survivors and their needs and that they get the compensation they need and the recognition they deserve from the State that wrongs were carried out.

I sincerely hope that this will be the substance of the report, which is being launched as we speak. I also hope that in the coming days and weeks the Leader will provide the necessary time to allow Senators to engage in a full and informed debate on the report and its recommendations. We should reserve judgment on this matter until we have an opportunity to read the report.

I wish to refer to the serious issue which has arisen in respect of the Irish food sector. As the Leader, who lives in the south east will know, many people are employed in this sector, which is of huge significance to the national economy. It is also of major significance to the regional economy of the south east. There is absolutely no doubt that the actions of a small number of rogue processors has undermined confidence in what is the Irish food sector's very valuable and important brand of quality. It is absolutely disgraceful that certain companies have taken particular actions in order to cut costs and have thereby caused untold damage to the Irish food sector. I join the IFA, farmers and all other interested parties in seeking answers in respect of this serious issue. The companies to which I refer were using cheap ingredients from outside Ireland as fillers in burgers in an attempt to cut costs. They did not care about the potential damage they could do to the food sector here.

I ask the Leader to make time available for a debate on this matter in the House in order that we might discuss the issues to which I refer and the need for tighter regulation and an increased number of inspections in this area. We could also discuss traceability and labelling, action in respect of which many parties and individuals have been seeking for many years. In view of what has happened, it is important that we should engage in a debate of this nature in the House as quickly as possible.