Results 30,341-30,360 of 46,095 for speaker:Simon Harris

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...

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

Simon Harris: Whether he wants to talk about shops in Bray or in Bantry it will not change my view in relation to the importance of this legislation. He is correct. There are organisations watching the debate even at this late hour of the night who represent shop owners and he is also correct to say, as many other speakers have said, that those people have a right to be represented by their organisations...

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

Simon Harris: There are more than 50 organisations in total and they represent a substantial number of citizens in this country as well-----

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

Simon Harris: -----and they are looking to us tonight to find out when we are going to sort this out, and when we are going to have the courage of our convictions as an Oireachtas to put in place legislation. I think we can leave here tonight, whenever that will be, telling them that we have made significant progress. We have improved the Bill, and we accepted 25 amendments. We will have engagement on...