Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 4, before section 3, to insert the following new section:

"3.—Subsection (2) (inserted by section 4 of the Act of 2000) of section 3 of the Act of 1927 is repealed.".

The amendments to sections 3 and 4, together with the related amendment No. 4 to the 1927 Act, give effect to my commitment regarding early morning houses. As I said when introducing the Bill, my intention is to permit premises which are already availing of the general exemption order facility, to continue to apply to the District Court for such an order, subject to compliance with the relevant conditions. Premises which were not availing of the facility on 30 May cannot now apply. This is provided for in amendment No. 14.

Amendment No. 13 gives effect to my proposal that off-sales of alcohol will not be permitted in such premises before 10.30 a.m. Amendments Nos. 4, 10 and 11 are consequential changes.

The substance of the changes proposed by Deputy Flanagan in amendments Nos. 5 and 16 are already included in the Government amendments.

See this speech in context