Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Bill and congratulate the Minister on listening to the concerns of people. I come from a rural area where the only place open to organisations such as the GAA, soccer clubs or whatever to run a function or disco is the local bar. There is no hall available and I am glad that this situation is being sorted out. It presented a problem in certain areas and people were somewhat reluctant and afraid to organise particular functions.

I agree with Senator McHugh. Members received leaflets this morning highlighting the concerns of the restaurant business about drink being ordered with meals. I am sure it is more relevant to Dublin than rural Ireland. However, drink will be delivered as long as the person collecting it has the money to pay for it. There is no control as regards who may be receiving this drink. I believe it is a retrograde step and there should be more controls in this regard.

Some small publicans, who are decent people, are finding the business climate particularly tough at present. Many people agree with the smoking ban. I do not know a smoker who does not want to give up cigarettes, but the ban is certainly having an effect in rural areas, particularly in smaller pubs which have no yard space at the rear so that smokers have to go out onto the street to smoke. We should try to resolve that situation by providing some degree of flexibility in this regard. I say this in all sincerity because otherwise some publicans face closure. People will not go onto the street to smoke and to be seen standing outside a pub. It is having a serious effect on some businesses.

While we complain about publicans and the price of drink, it is possible to buy a pint for €3 in my home town, Ballymote. The publicans there are making a genuine effort to keep prices regulated and to try to hold on to the business. Despite that, a friend of mine who runs a popular award-winning pub tells me his Guinness sales are down 9% on last year and spirits sales are down 18%. This is a well-managed pub which has won awards at county and provincial levels. When such a pub is losing business, God help the rest of them.