Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Leyden in calling on the Leader to have a debate on the licensed trade opening hours, particularly in regard to Good Friday. I do not see anything wrong with publicans having two days a year off. They generally look forward to that. It is nothing to do with religion. Initially, it started out that way but publicans are entitled to have a break as well as the rest of us. It is an issue, as Senator Leyden said, in the towns and villages surrounding the Border. Some people from the Republic travel to Northern Ireland to have a few drinks while it is not allowed in the Republic. That does not happen as much now as it did in the past but it still happens to a certain extent. I would welcome a debate on that issue in the context of a wider debate on the issue of alcohol.

Last week Eircom published a draft plan which offers no alternative to having overhead power lines in the north east. This issue has been raised by many people, including Senator Byrne on this side of the House, Senator Whelan on the opposite side and my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith in the Lower House. If undergrouding can be considered for Grid Link and Grid West, it should also be an option for the North-South interconnector. It is a fact that there are many advantages to putting power lines underground, including lower transmission losses, lower maintenance costs and less risk of weather damage but, in particular, it is an issue of fairness.