Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With your indulgence, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, can I seek clarification on two technical points from the Minister on section 22? The first is a health and safety issue that has been raised regarding wheelchair access. It is not looking to do anything to the heights of the barriers; they are what they are. Some of the retailers have stated that for wheelchair access there must be some visibility through a moving barrier. The section, as it stands, refers to no visibility. When this has to be implemented by the retailers, will the Minister liaise with the relevant health and safety group to make sure they can comply with the legislation and with the relevant health and safety legislation for wheelchair access?

The second issue is a minor clarification. Section 22 states that if a shop's sales are wholly or mainly alcohol, the provisions around physical separation do not apply. A concern has been raised that if the revenue from alcohol in a particular shop were to tip over, say, to 50%, the very good protections being put in place through the Bill would no longer apply, creating a perverse incentive. It is just a reference in the legislation to the alcohol revenue being wholly or mainly from alcohol. Would the intent of the Bill be that that would be well in excess of 50%? That is the clarification I seek.

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