Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the comments of Senators O'Sullivan and Mullins regarding the good news for the first two months of the year in the tourism sector arising, I presume, from the good work done by The Gathering. It augurs well for the rest of the year. The importance of the tourism industry is that the benefits are spread to almost every part of the island and they are not confined to centralised areas. Even people living in a townland can benefit from the spin off from tourism.

Everyone is pleased with President Obama's suggestion regarding a transatlantic trade and investment partnership. It makes sense that two large trading blocs such as the EU and US work together. It is important in this regard that Ireland enjoys a good status not only in Europe but also in the US and this will be evident on St. Patrick's Day when An Taoiseach will travel to the White House because this year he is also the President of Europe as he meets the President of the United States. We should not underestimate the importance of that because as we all wrack our brains on how to create employment, we do not always come up with substantial results but we have a good foundation in the tourism industry. If we remain competitive, we have something distinctive to us and, therefore, attractive.

I salute the young woman who went on television last night. She was exceptionally incapacitated but she appeared on the programme to make a case for those who will be deprived of even restricted mobility into the future. I have often found that people who are incapacitated inspire us most because we realise the courage required by them. Any spokesperson, political or otherwise, could not have done what that wonderful, courageous woman did last night. It makes the emotion rise within people.

Emotion and policies do not always coalesce but this is one particular case that we should not take off the radar. It is vital, even if it is a matter of bringing forward the new plans. Why does it have to take two, three or four months? We need to do something urgently to give those people who are already challenged in life, and have responded so well, a morale boost, not in three or four months time but in the coming weeks.