Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I certainly agree that the Minister should investigate that, and I will bring the matter to her attention today and try to get answers. I would point out that 288 post offices closed down between 2005 and 2011 and that 22 post offices have closed since this Government came to power. Those statistics speak volumes for the efforts of the Government to retain post offices. However, I do not think the letters going out from the Department of Social Protection are doing anything to support that effort.

Senator Brennan spoke about the tourism policy of the Government and the need to maintain the momentum. He spoke about the 7.6 million visitors last year and the increase in jobs over the years because of this increase in visitors.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke about HSE social care workers. He suggested that many of them have unpaid wages and that people in similar cases have been paid in Dublin but not in the west of Ireland. The Senator might put down a topic for the Commencement debate. If people have been paid in Dublin, I see no reason they should not be paid in the rest of the country.

Senator Mullen spoke about how he differed from colleagues in respect of the Stop Out-of-Control Drinking campaign, dubbing comment from some Members "moral posturing". That is his personal opinion.