Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I thank my colleagues for the valuable contributions they made to this debate. Wide ranging views were expressed. There was a suggestion that the Minister should tackle the alcohol problem next. As a person who enjoys a drink, I am the first to admit that something must be done about it. Much of the violence on and off our streets is drink related. Something must be done about it and I doubt that there is a better man to do the job that Deputy Martin, ably supported by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Michael McDowell, who has proven he is not behind the door when hard decisions must be made. That is the type of leadership we need.

There was also a reference to drugs. Certain parliamentarians have suggested the legalisation of soft drugs such as cannabis and marijuana. Under no circumstances would I support such a move. These are clearly gateway drugs, a stepping stone to hard drugs. Any young lad or lassie going to discos, nightclubs or whatever will tell one who is supplying drugs. Clear evidence is emerging that school children, teeny-boppers, are peddling drugs, including cannabis, and that people are looking the other way. That attitude is representative of bygone era when one told the authorities nothing. It is time people started to blow the whistle on those people. I do not care who they are, whether they are Joe Bloggs or Cathy Barry's son or daughter, if they are supplying soft or hard drugs, they must be nailed.

The question of enforcement arose. The public will enforce the ban, and rightly so. Comments were made about the vintners. In the main, they have acted responsibly and have done their best. There were instances where unrealistic expectations emerged from certain people among its membership. There is an exception to every rule and people tend to quote the exception but the rule among the vintners is that they have acted responsibly.

It was a pleasure to go into my local on the night of 29 March. There were no ashtrays on the table and everywhere was spick and span, as it usually is. There were no cigarette butts on the floor or cigarette smoke wafting through the atmosphere permeating the nostrils and the airways of the customers, which was welcome.

A Senator asked why it took so long to introduce the ban. My response to that is that it is never too late to do the right thing, and the right thing has been done here. Testament to that is that this measure has attracted much commendation not only nationally but internationally. That the measure came through the Houses with all-party support is a clear indication that the Minister, Deputy Martin, and his Ministers of State got it right.

I would not agree with the comments of Senator Browne that this is distracting the Opposition. I would not consider it a distraction to introduce a ban on a product which is responsible for taking approximately 7,000 lives each year, so I do not believe that is a valid point.

Senator Norris said it took his aunt 75 years to give up smoking. I do not know how long she was smoking before she gave it up but she went on to live to 103 years. I know many people who did not make it to 75 years, including, I regret to say, my brother who died aged 66 of lung cancer. I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Minister of State and my colleagues on all sides for their support for this motion.