Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reject what has been said by Senator Nash. Fine Gael worked very closely with the Labour Party in a very difficult time. The Labour Party and Fine Gael helped to rescue this country. Senator Nash's comments are not representative of what I believe. We will agree to differ.

As Chairman of Committee A of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, I mentioned yesterday that the committee visited various locations in Northern Ireland and the Republic in the context of its study on illicit trade between Ireland and the UK along the Border in the context of Brexit. There is a particular issue that we need to address, namely, counterfeit goods. A lot of work was done to develop the marker to eliminate washed diesel used, in the main, by paramilitaries or subversive groups. While this practice has been dealt with those involved are cunning, professional smugglers and they have now moved into washing powder, alcohol, meat processing and cheap whites, namely, cigarettes. People who buy these goods need to be mindful of workers' rights, workplace conditions and product origin. These products, in particular the washing powder and cheap whites, are dangerous and the proceeds finance drug gangs and gun crime. We need an information campaign. People who holiday in Spain and so on and purchase counterfeit designer handbags and football jerseys and so on from salespeople along the breach front need to be made aware that they are funding criminal activity. We need to wake up and recognise that these products are not good value. Rather, they are bad produce, the proceeds of which is funding criminal gangs. We need an information campaign or a debate on this very serious issue.