Tonight on The Frontline

There are few subjects that illicit more emotion from the public than attacks on the elderly in their own homes. Right now a new bill to clarify the rights of people to fight back when their home is invaded is being debated in the Oireachtas, it is likely to become law soon.

There's a large measure of consensus that anyone who is faced with an attacker in their home does have a right to attack back and that there shouldn't be an onus on the householder to first attempt to retreat before resorting to attack.

There is still plenty of argument, however, about how much force should be acceptable and in what circumstances. Most of all, though, campaigners on the issue often argue that the right to fight back is largely useless to an elderly person whose home is attacked in the middle of the night. How many old age pensioners will be capable of producing a weapon and killing or seriously injuring a young man in those circumstances?

Far more useful, campaigners say, would be strong measures to prevent elderly people's homes being invaded in the first place. This week Justice Minister Dermot Ahern signalled his sympathy for that position with calls for mandatory sentencing for attacks on the elderly and said he had initiated a review of the option by the Law Reform Commission.

On The Frontline tonight we'll have arguments for and against the enhanced right to fight back against attacks in your own home and on the hot issue of mandatory sentencing.

Also we'll be joined the new President of the Irish Farmers Association John Bryan who has come out fighting against the power of the big retailers who, he says, are paying rip-off prices to farmers for their produce. At the same time, there are renewed campaigns, reminiscent of the 1980s, for us to "buy Irish" when we do our food shopping.

What do you think? As a country that exports the vast majority of its food produce should we be calling on consumers to buy Irish? Or should Irish food take its chances in the marketplace with imported food which may be cheaper? Can we trust the quality of imported food?

Let us know your view on both of these subjects by emailiing thefrontline@rte.ie or by posting your comments on this blog.

Enjoy the programme.