Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

It is regrettable the Minister is not taking on board the main points of Deputy Charles Flanagan's amendment. There is a need to describe a nightclub in legal terms. I agree there was abuse of theatre licences and special exemptions. Once a loophole is identified, it will be abused. There may be a need to close some of the existing loopholes but in doing so it must be recognised that nightclubs exist. People go to nightclubs to enjoy themselves and not just to get drunk. Many go to dance, make liaisons and the like. A separation must be made between those attending an establishment to dance and those going to the pub for relaxation. Whereas I do not agree with all the provisions contained in Deputy Charles Flanagan's amendment, it has some good points. If more time were allocated, it could have been teased out with provisions on, say, a separate entrance to a public house and nightclub.

The Minister will end up with the same if not a worse problem than that he is trying to address with this legislation. If all licensed premises shut at the same time, even with every member of an Garda Síochána rostered to be on patrol at the same time, there will still be public order problems. The idea is to reduce the number of people coming out of licensed premises at the same time.

If the existing laws were implemented properly, publicans would not serve intoxicated people who are a danger to themselves. The Bill addresses the problem of on-the-street drinking which will hopefully reduce public order offences and the potential for them. The Bill will not address binge drinking and the problem of young people wanting to get out of their faces on drink. That can only be addressed over the long term through education and ensuring existing laws are implemented in full. Only then will people have a more mature attitude to alcohol consumption in nightclubs and so forth. Some of the changes in law such as regulation of the private security industry, CCTV on licensed premises and better lighting at exits to nightclubs will have benefits in time to ensure less public disorder.

The Bill contains some good provisions on the sale of alcohol. It is a pity this one aspect of the Bill does not address the main problem. The Minister will have to return with later legislation to define a nightclub rather than it being a glorified pub with a designated corner for dancing. The industry, the public, the courts and an Garda Síochána deserve this.

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