Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I have heard the Senators' comments. According to existing law, if alcohol is delivered to a person in a private residence, no offence is committed regardless of parental consent. The new element of the law is that there has to be parental consent. I accept fully the point the Senators make that it is possible where an offence has been committed for a parent to absolve a youngster retrospectively. The parent may say to gardaí investigating an offence that their son had consent to receive drink in another person's house. There is a limit to the law and, on balance, I am unwilling to allow the Garda to set parents against a son or to challenge the parent's version of events even if the parent is bending the truth. The effect would be to set families against each other and to inquire too much into their private affairs.