Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, we do not have any all-stars this year from Longford, but we will be back.

I concur with Senator Ward's comments on smoking and I support his call for a debate on it. It is a fantastic idea. The Taoiseach, when Minister for Health, introduced the smoking ban 17 years ago. We thought it would not work, but it did. As Senator Ward was speaking, I jotted down 10.20 a.m. on 31 July 2000, which was when I last smoked a cigarette. I previously smoked 30 cigarettes per day. Giving them up was one of the best things I have ever done. I support the call for a debate on smoking. As I said, it is a fantastic idea.

I also welcome the announcements by the Minister for Finance and, in particular, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, the reintroduction of which we have pushed hard, particularly for the tourism and hospitality sectors. I support the calls by Senators Black, Cummins and Malcolm Byrne that the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Deputy Martin, be asked to come to the House to outline what specific supports are in place and how we can ensure those supports get to the artists on the ground. Earlier this morning, I spoke to an artist who has lost all of her gigs. Those gigs fund her to get through college. She is thinking of going abroad for the month of January to try to earn money to put herself through college for the rest of the year.

I also ask that an audit be undertaken of exam facilities in colleges. There seems to be a disparity between colleges regarding number of students being allowed into exam rooms. When queried about this a number of weeks ago, the Minister said that different institutions have different scenarios, but we have institutions that are not using exam halls and others that are allowing up to 250 students into one exam room. I refer in particular to NUI Galway and its use of Leisureland. I would ask that an audit be undertaken of those facilities.