Joe O'Toole (Independent)

It is interesting that the point was made that SPHE, social, personal and health education, is not working. Some of us were blasted against the wall when we tried to have it introduced. Right wing elements of the churches stood in its way and are still blocking it to make sure it does not work and that people do not find out how they might run their lives.

There are issues we should examine. I understand the point made about closure at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Publicans have not done their cause any good in this regard. It was and is always possible – there was nothing in previous legislation or the Equal Status Act – to stop people from refusing drink to somebody a licensee feels should not get drink, for honest reasons. I have not seen anybody charged for this.

The Equality Authority worked within the law. I get worried when I hear legislators pass the blame. It is like blaming the Garda for the law which we made. Those involved in the courts and other authorities simply put it into effect. Whether the authority should or should not have done what it did, it was the law. We said one could not discriminate against a person under a certain age and the authority decided it must be tested. When it was, it went a particular way. I did not like the outcome either because it should be right and proper for a publican to say "No" in such situations. However, I do not want to blame the authority.