Eddie Bohan (Fianna Fail)

I am surprised at Senator O'Toole. I thought that we should commend the Minister for making the change. Recently, matters reached a stage with the tribunal where there was a mini-industry of people, particularly members of the Traveller community, suing publicans – for whom I speak. The publican had no say in the matter and the equality officer or whoever it may have been was awarding sums of €2,000 or €3,000 at will, without the publican being able to put his or her case forward.

Some cases were ridiculous. In one, a publican refused two Travellers admission because it was 1 p.m. and they were absolutely twisted. They took him to the tribunal, which awarded them €2,000 each. The reason was that they could not have been drunk, since it was only 1 p.m. I might also point out that they had just driven 15 miles to get to the pub. Those are the sorts of decisions that were being made. I commend the Minister for bringing matters to the District Court, where there is a judge and where, if one has broken the law, one will be punished. That is where the licensing starts. One is granted a licence to run a public house there. That is where the licensing should end if one is not running it properly. It should then be up to the District Court to decide whether one is breaking the law.