Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Leader will be aware that I regularly raise the question about the social media giants, how they control ever more aspects of our lives and how they respond to consumer behaviour.I note that this morning WhatsApp introduced a feature that will make messages disappear after seven days. Given recent events, this is a clear indication that WhatsApp is responding to consumer behaviour.

I endorse Senator Hoey's remarks concerning a call for a debate on foreign policy. In addition to raising the very legitimate concerns around Poland and Hungary, we should also extend solidarity from this House to France and Austria given the recent terrorist attacks there. In our debate on foreign policy we need to focus on the kind of values that we have as a country and which inform our foreign policy and our values as a European Union.

I would also like a debate on regional development strategy. This issue is important to Members of this House. I welcome that the global business service provider, CSE, has announced the provision of 75 new high-end jobs in Gorey at the M11 business park. This is a state-of-the-art facility that is ideal to attract this type of employment. It is a vote of confidence in a progressive town like Gorey. I am grateful for the work of IDA Ireland in that regard. It is important, particularly in terms of the remote working strategy and the Government regional development strategy, that we hold a debate to examine the ways in which we can support all of our towns and villages to ensure major developments do not only happen in the cities.