Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

It is very hard to absorb the substance of the three proposals for change in the short time available for their discussion. To the best of my knowledge, Members were not circulated with the full text of changes to the regulations and it was up to ourselves to seek them out. I acquired them only recently.

The red tape and bureaucracy surrounding the sale of alcohol is a complete mess and there is a real need for rationalisation between the planning and liquor licensing codes. I am not convinced that cobbling together provisions on off-licences will deal satisfactorily with the issues involved. I am not sure, for example, that alcohol should be available for sale at garage forecourts as it makes little sense to have shops attached to petrol stations which are bulging with alcohol. We are aware, after all, of the dangers of drinking and driving.

I wonder what submissions the Minister received on the matter being acutely aware that there seems to be a licensed vintners' cumann within Fianna Fáil which has lobbied him very strongly over the last month.

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