Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. I wish the Minister well and congratulate her on her promotion to what is a very important position in the Cabinet. She was a very successful Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs in the previous Government and I have no doubt that she will have a very successful tenure as Minister for Justice and Equality. I also compliment the Minister on her interview this morning on "Today with Claire Byrne" during which she delivered a very clear, concise message. She dealt with this Bill very well and she also dealt with some other very complex issues.

In terms of the Bill before us, the first obligation of any State or nation is to protect its citizens. This Bill is part of the extraordinary measures that we have had to take over the last six months. The restrictions should not be seen as restrictions on human activity but as restrictions on a deadly virus which is spread through human contact, thereby protecting all of our citizens. The tremendous efforts of the vast majority of the public being wholly undermined by a small minority who are acting recklessly and contrary to public health guidance and regulations has led to the introduction of this legislation. It is important that gardaí are equipped to deal swiftly with the small minority who are putting us all at risk through their actions. I am a great believer that legislation should contain both a carrot and a stick and am pleased, as the Minister has outlined, that this Bill will lay out a possible roadmap for the reopening of wet pubs. Even though we do not have a date, I am reassured that this is a priority for the Minister and the Government. The Government is actively seeking to develop a roadmap for the reopening of wet pubs.

I am sure I am not alone in being lobbied by publicans and their customers to have pubs reopened under strict conditions in the new Covid world in which we live. We had a very successful and constructive meeting with vintners in County Clare in the Old Ground Hotel a number of weeks ago. Publicans are on their knees but they are responsible people. The Minister is no stranger to serving behind the bar herself, having run a family pub many years ago. Publicans can be trusted and pubs can be reopened in a very safe manner. Pubs in many rural parts of County Clare are the focal point of the community but for the last six months these focal points have been closed. It is not possible to compare a super pub in Dublin with a rural pub in County Clare which is often the only place people can go for a pint, to meet with their friends, have a chat and have some social interaction. We must also consider international experience. In many countries across Europe, including Italy and Spain, the pubs are open and have been so for months. We can learn from their experience and must do so. It is high time that we came up with a roadmap for the reopening of our pub sector.

Publicans' livelihoods have been stripped away. We must reflect on that and respond to it. While a package was announced recently, it falls far short of what was expected. Publicans have families; they are sending their children back to school this week and to college in the next few weeks. They have bills and mortgages to pay and they have to put food on the table but their livelihoods have been taken away. They have borrowings and rent. They have to pay for insurance, public liability cover, health and safety compliance, fire safety certification, licensing fees, grounds maintenance as well as broadcasting and copyright fees. We need to provide a financial package that works for our publicans because they have been treated differently to all other sectors of the economy. The Government must re-engage with the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, VFI, and the Licensed Vintners Association, LVA, and come up with a package that will work and in tandem with that, to come up a roadmap for the reopening of our pubs in a safe manner.

I understand the need for this Bill following the reopening of pubs serving food and reports of small numbers of pubs circumventing the regulations. Gardaí have recorded circumventions but have reported that they had very little powers or penalties available to them to enforce the regulations. I recognise that the tone of this Bill is similar to our anti-smoking legislation in that in the first instance, persuasion and education will be used. It is only on foot of continued contravention that any possible penalty will be served and the more serious penalties will only be served after continuous contravention. It seems like "three strikes and you're out" for up to 30 days, which is a reasonable approach. I commend the Minister for introducing this legislation, which I will be supporting.

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