Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister tried to separate the notion of putting a restriction on grocery operators from the Bill, which contains ten pages devoted to the control and management of grocery goods, and that immediately puts them in a different category. They provide a basic service and there is certainty that many of the operators in the market are providing that service at a significant profit. I have no difficulty with one making a profit but if companies are willing to share that information and show how much consumers are paying for basic commodities, they are different from other companies.

On the public health issue, loss leaders are acceptable, although not when it is alcohol. We had this discussion at Committee Stage. The Minister is three and a half years in office and we are still waiting for legislation on alcohol sales, particularly off-sales. Nothing has been done on it and this is an opportunity for us to do something. I would have hoped that in the intervening month since Committee Stage the Minister might have taken soundings from the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly and, although he has been busy, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy White, on the potential of the Bill to send a signal that the Government is serious about tackling the alcohol problem. In particular, as the Minister who is bringing in legislation on grocery supplies, Deputy Bruton has a responsibility. It is not good enough for him to wash his hands of the alcohol problem when he is bringing in a Bill that has ten pages about the sale of grocery goods, including reference to alcohol. It is not an issue for the Department of Health. It is not something we should have to wait for when Deputy Bruton has the ability, through the Bill, to send a signal and when he was given an opportunity some time ago to involve the Minister for Health pursuant to the challenge that we put to Deputy Bruton at Committee Stage.

It is relevant to this legislation when companies are using this market to make excessive profits and using those profits to ensure that they will drive a coach and four through every bit of this legislation and to ensure that they have enough well-paid lawyers to get around their responsibilities to the legislation. The Minister states this is legislation to protect suppliers. I am afraid they will not be well protected if they are using their resources to get a coach and four through it.

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