David Norris (Independent)

The Minister has been eminently reasonable. He has given us a clear, cogent, well argued version of his case which has persuaded me. The accusations of being anti-family are a form of cheap sloganeering which do not match reality. If a reasonable person went into a hotel and saw a notice saying, "Children are not allowed in the bar of this hotel after 9 p.m.", he or she would register that this was a place that cared about the family and was more interested in its welfare than in the profit it would make out of selling drink. That is pro-family. The Minister is perfectly correct and is being extremely reasonable.