Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I assume the Deputy is referring to provisions regarding the separation of alcohol for sale in outlets. The Minister has his documentation ready in that regard. That 2,000 hospital beds throughout the State are taken up every night by people fuelled with drink is an appalling statistic. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Róisín Shortall, has been working on a range of propositions in regard to the sale of alcohol. We had a good discussion about this issue at the Cabinet sub-committee on social affairs some time ago. The agreement at the conclusion of the meeting was that the Minister would reflect upon the issues that were raised and the good range of comments that were made and would bring her findings back to the next meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee, which would be entirely devoted to the question of alcohol. This matter is of the most serious import given what happened, along with drug abuse, in the Phoenix Park recently with horrendous consequences. I saw some sort of an altercation on Talbot Street in one of the videos one sees on the newspaper websites in which somebody kicked somebody else in the head. It was absolutely appalling. This issue is of major significance and must be dealt with correctly.

See this speech in context