James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

There is a report in this week's Irish Medical Times that at least five young people were admitted to hospital suffering the effects of substances they ingested having purchased them from head shops. I would like to help the Government here. We are expecting a Bill that was mentioned in the Seanad by the Minister that is due to come before the House in the next month. I hope that is still on track and that it will be law by June. In the interim, could we not insert a provision into the Finance Bill on Committee Stage to make it necessary for such shops to have a licence to operate and to make that licence prohibitively expensive? It would be a short-term measure while these shops continue to damage young people every day; they are open 24 hours a day. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government could equally issue a regulation on opening times. The sale of alcohol is limited but these shops can operate 24 hours a day.

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