I support my colleague, Senator Catherine Noone, and others in the request for a debate on the legal threats to the Government by the cigarette companies. This is one battle we must win given the damage caused by tobacco to people's health and the cost to the Exchequer in that regard. My only concern is the counterfeit issue. I hope that packaging and security will be such that the particular concern which retailers have can be addressed so that this cannot be used as an excuse to back away from what Government intends to do in this area.

I also call for a debate on our most unhealthy relationship with alcohol. I acknowledge that we have already had several debates in this House on the issue and that there legislation in this regard in the pipeline. However, I am prompted to raise this issue again following reports across all of the media today of 500 students queueing outside a pub in Galway at 10 a.m. waiting to get in to celebrate Donegal day. I understand the students concerned had travelled from all over the country. I have no problem with students or anybody else having a few drinks. I am told that up to lunch time no problems or issues had arisen.

However, I am very concerned about the condition many of those students will be in by closing time tonight the potential damage to their health and to other citizens of Galway city and the potential disruption and anti-social behaviour that may arise. Much has been written recently, and there has been much debate in all media, on the impact of alcohol abuse in our society, including the impact on health and the cost to the health service. A Senator on the other side of the House referred to problems in accident and emergency departments, but 25% of the people who present at accident and emergency departments every weekend do so as a result of excessive use of alcohol. We must keep this issue at the top of the agenda and have plenty of discussion about it. This House has a crucial role to play in trying to get the message across that drinking in this country is out of control. Even Diageo, which has a vested interest, is prepared to spend €1 million to highlight the fact that drinking is out of control in this country. We must utilise this House to get the message across to people that we have a problem and it must be addressed.

I understand this matter was raised earlier, but I wish to outline my views on it. Senator Catherine Noone spoke about the plain cigarette packaging legislation which was quite rightly passed by this House last year, with all party and non-party support. What has angered me considerably is reports in the media that one of the largest tobacco manufacturers in the world is now sending letters threatening legal action against the sovereign Irish Government. If ever there was a case of an outrageous action by a corporate body, that is a perfect example. Those of us who have followed the tobacco lobby in recent years should not be surprised because its members are among the most unscrupulous group of people one could encounter. Films have been made about the American tobacco lobby. One of them - I cannot remember its title now - received a great deal of acclaim some years ago. It depicted the lengths to which the tobacco lobby will go to get people to use the product. That is not the point; it is fully entitled to do that. It has a product and it wants to sell it. However, when it starts dictating by sending a legal threat to the sovereign Government of this country, telling it that unless it withdraws the legislation it will be subject to litigation, that goes over the line. I hope the Government will issue a public statement condemning the arrogance of this company, in the first instance, and stating that it will hold firm. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly, has been quoted today as saying he will hold firm on this legislation. I hope there will be some response from the Government.

I am not aware of any other occasion on which a corporate entity has threatened a sovereign government over legislation it proposes to pass. The people in the tobacco industry should be made aware that one half of the democratic structure of this Parliament has already passed this Bill, having debated it openly and in a democratic fashion. It fully supported it. I suggest the company and the other company that has sent briefing notes to Senators might get their act together and realise that the Bill is a Seanad Bill, having been introduced first in this House, debated fully and passed unanimously. I hope the same will happen in the Dáil and that two fingers, or something similar in political terms, will be given to this company and to the tobacco lobby in general. It talks about paying more than €600 million in tax, but there is no talk about the billions this State spends on the health of people who have been smoking through the years. Everybody is aware of the amount of money that could be saved by the health service in this country if fewer people were smoking.