Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputies for their comments. This measure was not aimed at young people. It was a proposal from the advisory committee because some evidence was brought to its attention that in some instances public disorder issues arose where, particularly in Dublin, people were queuing to get into some of these premises to feed their alcohol problem and that this was leading to public disorder in and around those public houses.

I listened to representations from Members on all sides of the House and to those of representatives of some of the interest groups. It was clearly indicated to me subsequently when I spoke to the Garda Commissioner that, by and large, gardaí did not have a difficulty with the early opening houses, except in a number of specific instances. As a result of an undertaking given by the vintners' associations and an understanding with gardaí in regard to the specific early opening houses that would be looked at very closely, it was agreed we would return to the position whereby the existing houses would be allowed to continue to open early but no new premises would be allowed to do so. A Member of this House and my party suggested a way of dealing with the off-sale to equate it with off-licences and that was a good compromise.

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