Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Bacik on the issue of citizenship, with Senator Carrigy on occupational therapy assessments, and with Senators Craughwell and Blaney on the importance of recognising the role of our councillors. However, I disagree with Senator Gavan in his songs of praise for Cuba. In terms of foreign policy, I do not know what Sinn Féin's obsession is with adopting a Cuban policy in Ireland, but Cuba continues to repress and limit freedom of expression and association and freedom of the press and engages in arbitrary detention. Senator Gavan is a strong campaigner for trade union rights, but in Cuba the right to strike is banned, so I do not know why Sinn Féin has an obsession with Cuba. We should not be emulating it.

I return to the comments made by Senators Kyne and Currie and others. It is really important that we shop local and support our local businesses as far as possible in the run up to Christmas. A number of my parliamentary colleagues have availed of the boutiques and menswear shops on Main Street and Esmonde Street in Gorey, and I would encourage others to do so. One of the debates that we need to have, which relates to the local government funding issue, is around the commercial rates model of funding local government. This model dates from the 1820s and it is ridiculous to think that today, local government is partially funded on the basis of the floor size of a shop or business premises, particularly where those premises are competing with online providers which are often outside of the State, and do not contribute to our local economy. We need a full debate on local government funding, because the commercial rates system is way out of date and needs to be abolished. I ask the Deputy Leader to organise that debate.