Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations. Time is relatively short so I will ask two main questions. The Labour Party supports this Bill and will table amendments as it proceeds. Anyone may respond. I am not directing my comments at anyone in particular.

The industry in general is typified by two main issues which I will raise. These will be commented on as the Bill goes through the Houses. One is the nature of workers' rights in the general industry. It is typified by minimum wage work. The industry will now be asking workers to work later to serve people who will be drinking longer into the evening. No improvement in workers' rights regulations has ever been welcomed by the industry. Whenever there is a movement on minimum wage, an improvement of sick pay or whatever it may be, it seems to be a difficult matter for people to grasp. How can we improve the working life of people who work in the industry at the lowest level and ensure this will not be a further negative impact on their careers? We are asking them to work later, deeper into night with people who have more alcohol on board.

The second issue is public health. Alcohol is a drug and it costs the health services approximately €3 billion every year. Approximately 100 people die of fatal overdoses of alcohol every year. We must put our minds towards those who will be dealing with what happens on the street outside the various different venues, pubs and so on. An Garda Síochána has its point of view about how it will be policed. The health service has its point of view as to how it will be dealt with. Those are the main criticisms we as Oireachtas Members will get about our evaluation of this Bill.

The Labour Party feels it is beyond time that this legislation was changed and upgraded. From a Dublin perspective, Dublin city centre is dying and needs to be revitalised. We must treat people as adults in this field and therefore I want to hear from the witnesses about regulations around this. I do not mind who responds on the workers' rights piece about people who are generally poorly paid in the industry and do not have great conditions and how will the industry will deal with the criticisms from those who work in An Garda Síochána or the health service about how they feel they can come on board with these changes.