Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Yes, it relates to issuing licences for the sale of alcohol. That is probably appropriate following our discussion on Sharia law. The Ceann Comhairle has advised me that my amendment No. 37, which relates to licensing of products sold in head shops, is out of order. Deputy Bruton has a similar though less detailed proposal in amendment No. 38; I do not know whether his amendment was ruled out of order. What I propose in amendment No. 37 is an early and rapid remedy in regard to the various substances for sale in head shops which have given rise to so much concern throughout the State. The Minister should give consideration to using the powers of the licensing laws, which he holds as Minister for Finance, to licensing those types of outlets. That is one way of seeking to control the dangerous substances sold in some of them. Deputy Bruton's amendment is similar.

I refer to these proposals in the context of the Minister's amendment No. 20, with which I have no difficulty, because it deals with the issue of licensing a particular product, namely, alcohol. Why would the Minister not agree to addressing, in the same manner, the substances for sale in head shops? All sorts of outlets where substances that could harm people if used inappropriately, such as alcohol and medicines, are subject to licence, but the Minister seems to have rejected out of hand the notion of licensing head shops.

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