During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: Last week it was announced that protected geographical indiction status, PGI, was being allocated to Lough Neagh eels. I say this with pride because my maternal grandfather was an eel fisherman on Lough Neagh. The reason I mention this is that I have discovered that more than 50 foodstuffs in Britain, including the Cornish pasty, have obtained PGI status...

During the Second Stage Seanad debate on the Disclosure of Overpayments Bill 2012, I said I find Senator Mullen’s Bill to be very interesting. He aimed at something for which he believes there is a need. I think there is a need for it...

During a Seanad debate on the Seanad Report on the Rights of Older People, I said: I know that Older and Bolder is concerned about the national positive ageing strategy and the Minister of State referred to it as “forthcoming”. The organisation is concerned whether it will happen this year. A commitment was given. Will it be implemented this year? I listened to her presentation and read it later but I did not see a date mentioned...

During the Second Stage Seanad debate on the Local Government (Micellneous Provisions) Bill 2012, I said: I have had an interesting morning. I attended the business improvement district conference that took place in the Westbury Hotel. A great deal of work is under way outside local government to attempt to improve the district. The real threat is to the high streets, the main streets, and how we manage to keep them alive and retain shops and retailers there when many planning decisions are being made throughout the country that are damaging the infrastructure of towns...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: Last week the European Court of Justice ruled on MasterCard’s multilateral interchange fee. This is quite an important decision but has not received much attention. It applies only to cross-border transactions but its effect startled me. It will mean a reduction in costs to European consumers — solely for cross-border transactions — of €25 billion per year...

During the Second Stage debate of the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2012, I said: I welcome the Minister to the House. I found the Minister’s figures interesting, in particular those from the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011. I am impressed to hear that Ireland ranks first in respect of corporate taxes, business legislation, foreign investment and availability of skilled labour, second for consumer price inflation and third for direct inward investment and financial skills...

During a Seanad debate on the Treaty on Stability, Coopeartion and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, I said: I got involved in a European organisation in 2006. When I went to Brussels, Paris and other cities, I found that we were regarded very highly. We had been at the bottom of the pile and had come up to have the highest GDP per capita along with Luxembourg. We had more people employed — with 2 million employed compared with 1 million 15 years earlier...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: We have been talking today about anniversaries and dates. Later this year, the date of 11 December, is the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the first Seanad on 11 December 1922. I ask if we should recognise that event. That Seanad was abolished in 1936 but came back into being in this present form in 1937. The original Seanad was very effective in much of its work. I suggest the Acting Leader might bring it forward as a consideration.

During a Seanad debate on the Statute Law Revision Bill 2012, I said: Touching on something Senator Sheahan said, I remember a similar Bill to this just a few years ago, in 2009. Review is ongoing and we need to do it every so often...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: A number of us attended the commemoration at Arbour Hill of those who died for Ireland in 1916. I mention this because of the pride I have in our Army. The professionalism on display when the President laid the wreath this morning leaves me with little doubt that the Army deserves huge respect...