Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the Bill, although with some reservations. I believe it is being pushed through too fast. It would have been preferable if more time had been taken to research the Bill and examine some of its specific points. There are, however, aspects to the proposed legislation that should be welcomed.

I am a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children which heard there has been a four-fold increase in the last five years in the number of women who were so drunk they could not remember if they had been sexually assaulted. Two years ago the VHI undertook a very effective poster campaign showing bottles and pints, with the caption: "Which one of these drinks can't be spiked? None of them". For more than two years people were worried about a "date rape" drug, Rohypnol. It transpired from the research that not one woman's drink had been laced with Rohypnol. It was all alcohol. It ended the myth that the misuse of Rohypnol was prevalent in our society. Instead, it was alcohol poisoning and that is why this issue should be addressed.

The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill going through the Dáil proposes to give the Garda Síochána the power to seek closure of badly run licensed premises and fast food outlets. While I accept that public houses should be closed and have a responsibility, those offending should also have a responsibility. We are proposing to close down public houses but, eventually, we may be closing down schools and football grounds because of the violent behaviour of those emerging from them.