Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Butler mentioned the fact Retail Excellence Ireland was making a presentation today and he also brought up the question of out-of-town business parks. He raises a very good point because many businesses have moved to the periphery of our major towns. Retailers in the towns are competing with these business parks as well as with online shopping, and parking is also an issue. There is a need for a common-sense approach to planning and I encourage him to set up a cross-party delegation with the Minister.

Senator Reilly raised the issue of plain packaging. I commend the respective Ministers, Deputies Corcoran Kennedy and Harris, on signing the Bill, which was passed in the previous Oireachtas, into law today. It was commenced under the leadership of Senator Reilly as Minister for Health and he deserves credit and our congratulations for the role he played in standing up to big tobacco and for taking to fight across Europe.