Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

We have to look at the major reports and the push being made by the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Heart Foundation and be realistic, not romantic, in our notion of smoking in bars. I say this without being in any way self-righteous about the matter because I do not smoke. While smokers should have choice – I do not want this to sound like a cliché – they do impinge on others if they are in a closed environment without proper ventilation. Research has proved that passive smokers suffer as a result of inhalation. I am, therefore, definitely in favour of the legislation to come through in January 2004 and commend the Minister for State on bringing it forward. I hope he keeps the momentum going because I have taken soundings from bar staff in my area and those who do not smoke find that their physical well-being suffers as a result of being behind the bar when there are smokers present. There is a percentage of those who go to discos who do not smoke but when they have a few drinks, they make a habit of taking cigarettes from smokers. I include myself in that group. I do not smoke but when I get to a disco, I might occasionally have a cigarette. The new legislation might curtail this habit.

I would like to expand a little on drinking because there are two large issues before us today and time does not afford us an opportunity to go into both of them now. I notice that the two Labour Party speakers spoke mainly about the smoking issue but in the time remaining to me I would like to make a few comments on drinking. We have to start with the premise that Irish people love to drink. At times we seem to take pride in this fact. I recall that during the World Cup match in Orlando in which we were competing with the Dutch we were proud of the fact that we could drink more than them, party longer and wake up earlier to start drinking again. I say this without being self-righteous because I take a drink and enjoy a pint, perhaps too much at times.