Mary Fitzpatrick

filled with all of this disposable, you know, it looks good on the website, I'm sure, and all that.

But like, do we need it?

Do we really need it?

And does it really bring us happiness?

I think that's a big, I think that's a fundamental question we need to be thinking about our wellness as well.

I think the government, and I know the government, is alive to the pressures that are on households.

Household budgets are under pressure.

And that's why government has taken measures and has supported households and is supporting businesses.

But what we're doing here is actually protecting Irish jobs.

Like employment and wages coming into a household are the most important thing.

And if Irish jobs disappear and Irish retailers disappear, then you know what?

Those households are going to be an awful lot worse off.

And then they're talking about the data centres and all that.

Like, I mean, it spirals.

I know, it spirals.

And it's also got a social impact, you know, in terms of like used to in Dublin, go into town on a Saturday, meet your friends, go into the shops, have a look around, maybe have a cup, go for a pint after, whatever.

But like online, none of that happens.

None of that social interaction happens.

And that's killing our shops.

It's killing our main streets and it's emptying it out.