Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join in everyone else in wishing all the staff here, including Martin, Bridget, a very happy Christmas. I also wish the Cathaoirleach a happy Christmas. It is almost a year since he started his role. I thank him for his courtesy and the way he treats us here. I am laughing after yesterday's intervention, but on reflection, I think he managed it very well. I also wish Tom Hickey well in his retirement. As most people have said, he has had a stellar career here of professionalism. I have known him outside of here as well because of his role on the Oireachtas rugby team, which the Ceann Comhairle mentioned yesterday. I have been witness to his inspirational speeches before matches. We almost always win anyway and then he takes full credit from the speech that he gave in the first place. He will be sadly missed here. He has been a great servant to all of us and we are very grateful. I consider him a very good friend as well.

Yesterday at our committee, we had representatives from RGDATA, Musgrave's and from the convenience stores regarding the challenges they are having with shoplifting and burglary. Obviously this has been a topic of discussion in recent weeks because of what happened in Dublin but it is an issue that every single convenience store across the country has. It is estimated that a lot of stores lose between €20,000 and €40,000 a year in terms of robberies. Even while we were having the meeting that morning, a store in Tipperary was robbed three times. It is a real challenge they are having.

I put it to them in the meeting that a lot of conversations have happened, particularly in this room, about the individuals who were involved three weeks ago. I asked them how did they feel when we talk about how these people need support and how we do not need to be hard on them. I asked them if they support what the Minister for Justice and the Government are doing in terms of trying to crack down on this. They get so frustrated when people try to justify in some way why they have ended up in this position or why they are robbing stores. What they ask is that they are supported in the business that they do and that their staff are protected. What they really ask for is what the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is doing at the moment over the Christmas period. They said that even in the last ten days crime has been down. They have asked for that to be extended beyond Christmas and into the new year.