Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

There is no argument that drink is the problem, not salt or vinegar. We all know, however, that next to night clubs and bars with late licences there are fast food outlets where people accumulate and that serious public order offences have occurred in them. Several years ago, in my own county, a fracas developed outside a chip shop and a person assaulted by a local bully ran to his car, took out his rifle and unfortunately shot the bully dead. In fast food outlets, all that is needed to give rise to trouble, if people are drunk, is for someone to jump the queue or insult somebody.