Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister and thank him for being with us all day. People describe particular arrangements as being "the best show in town" and this Bill is one of them. In it the Minister addresses the issues of drunkenness, disorder and under age drinking, which together give us the worst show in town. We must have measures such as those proposed by the Minister to combat this. However, the Minister is doing it through more than this Bill alone. He has recently brought a series of measures before the Houses such as the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill. When we debated that Bill in this House, similar issues were raised.

I hear what the Opposition is saying about there not being enough time for this Bill. However, if we had gone into the summer recess, the Opposition would be screaming from the highest heaven as to how the Government could do such a thing. Therefore, the Minister's timing is apt. We must rush this legislation through for the good of all concerned.