Results 15,761-15,780 of 46,036 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Certainly not the beer can. It is recognising that there are many very well-paid people working in advertising and creative concepts. I was told recently that one of our largest drinks companies does not have the ingenuity to change one of its advertisements at Christmas time. I never heard the like of it. We need to consider the digital marketing departments of these companies. People...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Amendment No. 27 relates to the prohibition on advertising in certain places in section 13 and the proposed technical amendment to section 13(2)(a) adds parks or open spaces owned or maintained by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland to the list of prohibited areas. The intention is to ensure that all public parks owned or maintained by a local authority or the Office of Public...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is literally the track.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is literally only the track and not the rest.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I will wait until-----

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: There is no dressing this up. The restriction on sponsorship is quite limited. The advertising around sporting events is quite limited. It is limited for the reasons that I have outlined. We have never used a public health piece of legislation before. I think this is making a good start in terms of events primarily aimed at children. Obviously there will be children at other events, and...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I do not mean this to be disrespectful but when it comes to enforcement there will be practical implications. I mean when a plane flies by with a banner there is a question over how environmental health officers can monitor such a situation, efficient and all as they are. I envisage that an image projected on a wall is covered. It might be quite tricky to monitor a plane in the sky. I...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I will clarify.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: That is reassuring for them both.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I do not want to encourage the redevelopment of tents at famous horse racing events, but in Senator Black's amendment the sport area only refers to the track and that raises an issue similar to my point in respect of outdoor advertising. It refers to the actual track as opposed to------

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is very restrictive. For example, it only refers to an actual swimming pool and is very restrictive in that regard.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: As I said in my opening remarks when we recommenced Committee Stage this evening, I have proposed an amendment to section 20 to try to recognise some of the legitimate concerns that were highlighted by Senators from a number of parties, including Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who are keen to ensure we do not place an unfair or disproportionate financial burden on small shops. I think we...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is because the Senator is misrepresenting my position.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: That will not be legal under the Bill. The Senator has to read the Bill. It is in there.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Certain brands of gin.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: How to follow all of that? I thank Senators on all sides of the House for the tone of the debate and for the constructive and engaging manner in which they have approached it. There have been different views, some of which I vehemently disagree with, but we still had a very constructive debate. Everybody here, as I hope I am, is discharging his or her duty, as a legislator, to scrutinise...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I leave here with greater clarity, to be quite frank, and a greater sense that there is a common purpose in terms of what people want to achieve. Let me be clear about section 20. I have heard what Senators have said tonight. I have heard legitimate worries and concerns from small shop owners. In fact, I heard Senator O'Reilly outlining very succinctly two of the worries of small shop...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is really important. We will do it in a common sense manner and we will explain, clarify, try to sort out misconceptions and we will work our way through it, but alcohol must be less visible. Senator Boyhan seems to spend an awful lot of time in my constituency and I am getting terribly worried. He could run in it in the next general election. He seems to be taking me on a walk around...