Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the group here today. As a Deputy elected in 2011, I would not be so familiar with the debate on the groceries order at the time. It is a matter on which the committee might hold a discussion to see what was the rationale at the time and whether it can be considered or what are the ins and outs of that area. Without giving any personal view on it, I support the call for a debate on that.

As somebody who is not particularly a connoisseur of alcohol, certainly not of wine as I do not drink wine, it makes sense for me to go into a multiple, small petrol station or small shop to buy the drink that I want and buy whatever else I want. There is that difference, as somebody who knows what he wants. It is different if one is a connoisseur of wine who checks out the various brands. I understand that. It is merely my personal view that there is the extra service or convenience and the extra products provided not only by multiples but by the small service stations where one can get what one wants and get the few extras. That is merely one point of view.

I suppose the pubs would have their own legitimate concerns. No more than NOffLA, they would argue that it is NOffLA and the multiples that are impacting on them and closing down the rural pubs, although in that regard there are other issues, such as the smoking ban and, more important, the drink driving issues. NOffLA is here blaming the multiples as having the impact on its businesses. Quite clearly, there is an issue overall.

On NOffLA's concern about higher taxes, the role of Government and legislators is to look at the other aspects of this, such as the health aspects. I have not met any politician who has stated anything other than that we want to reduce the level of irresponsible consumption of alcohol. The issue here relates to the multiples promoting more irresponsible sales of alcohol. The pubs might say the independent retailers, if they offer lower prices than the pubs, promote the irresponsible consumption of alcohol and then the pubs would be the good guys which charge higher prices and provide whatever else, such as food.