Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Reilly on his stewardship of the legislation around plain packaging as Minister and I welcome the new regime that will be put in place in respect of plain packaging. Tobacco kills. We should try to move away from smoking in our country. I certainly hope that all of us will promote an alternative to smoking.

Senator Gavan raised the very important issue of adult literacy. I join with him in having that debate. As a former adult education director, I commend the National Adult Literacy Agency, NALA, on its advocacy and on the work it does. I know it had a new campaign last year called "Take the first step". It is important that we all support people - our friends, neighbours and work colleagues - who have a difficulty in reading and writing. In some cases they do not recognise that difficulty and in others they do not have the confidence or freedom, in their own minds, to go and take that first step. The Senator is right about what we should be trying to do. I commend all involved. We all know people who have returned to education, who started from a very furtive, nervous beginning, and who blossomed. I want to be associated with the comments this morning. I certainly hope that is recognised in the budget.

Senator Leyden raised the issue of support for farming in the budget. The Minister For Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, was not available this week because he was in Austria and came back yesterday to a series of meetings. We have, however, put a request in to have a debate on agriculture. I look forward to having that.