It was a news item.

In the three years prior to our entering government Fianna Fáil closed down 172 post offices.

That was done by the Government.

In the past two years 200 post offices were closed down.

If the Leader is to talk about the past, before the Government came to power-----

The Leader should be allowed to continue, without interruption.

It will be voted out of power in the local elections.

As an actor, Senator Marc Mac Sharry should have waited for the punchline. In the three years of the Government's term, there have been fewer than 20 closures - 17, to be precise.

In the past two years 200 post offices have been closed down.

That is the punchline. There were 172 closures in the three years prior to the Government's coming to power. There have been 17 during the three years we have been in power.

There should have been none.

Senator Mary White should pick appropriate issues on which to fight a battle.

An Action Plan for Jobs-----

The Senator is on shifting sands. She picked the wrong issue and shot herself in the foot in that regard.

The Leader should be allowed to continue, without interruption.

He knows what I am talking about.

The example Senator Mary White gave certainly brought no benefit to her party.

We need to hold on to existing jobs-----

The Leader should be allowed to continue, without interruption.