Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let us get our priorities right. In not holding the citizens' assembly on drug use in Ireland we are not getting our priorities right. We need to send out from this House the clear message that we want that citizens' assembly to happen and to happen urgently and not in nine months' time. As rightly stated by Senator Ruane, every day people are losing their lives. By the end of the year, more than 370 people in this country will have lost their lives as a result of drug addiction. That is far more important than the election of the Lord Mayor of Dublin. The work of a citizens' assembly should be on issues such as drugs because that is work that will save lives.

We are reopening as a society and tourists are returning to our country. Fáilte Ireland ran a very successful event yesterday on the future of tourism, etc., but I am concerned that restaurants and gastro pubs are not a part of the brief of Fáilte Ireland. When I to places like Westport, the first thing I do is book the restaurants I would like to go to because of the demand. That demand arises from the phenomenal work being done by restaurant owners and chefs in this country, together with the fantastic agrifood and fish suppliers that feed into this industry, which employs tens of thousands of people. The Restaurants Association of Ireland has sought the extension of Fáilte Ireland's brief to the restaurant and gastro pub sector. That is appropriate. The Cathaoirleach's home town of Kenmare is famous for food. Food is a major part of the offering of towns and villages across this country. It is a major part of the tourism product. We need to extend Fáilte Ireland's brief to that area. I would like the acting Leader to write to the Minister with responsibility for tourism, Deputy Martin, in that regard.