Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Terry Brennan in applauding the amazing work being done throughout the country by the national Tidy Towns organisation.I would certainly welcome a debate on the issue in the House and would like to broaden it in order that we start a national conversation on how we protect the beauty of the countryside in order that the people can enjoy it, with the millions of visitors who come to the country each year. The huge amount of litter we see everywhere is a blight on the countryside and a sad reflection on us as a people. As I drove to Dublin this morning from Ballinasloe, the number of people working along the motorway gathering bags of litter that had obviously been tossed out of car windows by motorists was a sad reflection of what we thought of the countryside and how we regarded visitors to the country. We need to get real. This is a small country that depends very much on tourists and if we want to make the place attractive, we must rid ourselves of the scourge of litter throughout the country and along nice walkways and greenways.

I welcome the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Ibrahim Halawa case which was heard in court in Cairo last week. The Minister said Mr. Halawa's welfare in custody remained the primary concern for the Government and the Department and that there was extensive engagement on the case. Officials from the embassy attended the court and the presence of the ambassador was acknowledged because some of the media coverage gives the impression that the Government is not taking a sufficiently keen interest in the case. I encourage the Minister to continue the good work in order that this young man who most people firmly believe is totally innocent will soon be back with his family to continue his education at school. I applaud the embassy for the work it is doing and I hope there will soon be a very positive outcome to the case.