Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The only side I am on is the side of public health and passing this Bill which has been held up for more than 1,000 days. Different sections of the Bill were targeted with great intensity at various times. Tonight, all going well, we will pass the Bill through this House and we will end the three-year impasse and get on with commencing elements of the Bill.

My position is that we are making a start on the issue of sports sponsorship, but it is only a start and I accept the points Deputy O'Reilly and Deputy Shortall make in that regard. I am pleased that the legislation will allow for a review. I would like to see the review take place. I would be happy to interact with health spokespersons in terms of work that could be done, perhaps through the health committee. I am conscious that the committee played a very important role in leading the way on tobacco. It was perhaps ahead of its time and it could be a useful forum in which we could further explore this issue in advance of any such review. I would be very happy to engage with any Deputy with an interest in this issue in the interim. We are making a start tonight in this area. My priority and focus is on getting this Bill and all that is good in it passed as quickly as possible.

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