Seanad debates
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage.
I want to leave that unchanged, since it refers to children and does not make any difference to people of 15 to 18. I do not think it appropriate to have young children in the bar of a public house after 8 p.m. I am not sure it is appropriate to have them there even before that time. There are many irresponsible parents who damage their children by trailing the poor little brats around after them into bars and lounges. I really do not think that an appropriate environment. However, it is fair enough for people between the ages of 15 and 18 to be allowed to stay for the extra hour until 9 p.m. rather than being sent to bed by Nanny at 8.01 p.m. I have therefore tabled an amendment to section 3 to provide that it shall not be unlawful for a person between 15 and 18 and to change the time to 9 p.m. That is reasonable, for one is allowing people who are on the threshold of adulthood, if not already adult, to remain with their peer group. However, I cannot see any justification for encouraging children to be in pubs at that late hour.
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