Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. While I recognise this is technical amending legislation, I do not intend to get into the debate on the issue of under-age alcohol abuse which the Members of this House have discussed here at length. In that regard the Minister was helpful in giving us a good deal of his time in the last session. Senator MacSharry and others dealt adequately with the change of culture, an issue on which Senator Norris also expressed views.

Alcohol is readily available both inside and outside public houses, either through off-licences or other circumstances which my colleague opposite mentioned in regard to it being delivered to one's house with a meal. That is a worrying development and something I am sure the Minister will monitor.

We must consider dealing with this problem through the education system because we do not want to return to the days of prohibition. Once we start regulating the sale of alcohol we will find that people have the capacity to drink either before they go to the pub or through other mechanisms. At least in the regulated environment of the pub there is some level of a safeguard because the majority of public houses I am aware of are run exceptionally well with a good management structure in place.

I welcome the fact that the Minister has taken into account the difficulties surrounding the No Name Clubs and the alcohol-free discos. I am not concerned about the view of the DPP, unless he becomes a county councillor, although he is not in my constituency.

I welcome the extension of the time limit. I come from a rural constituency, County Clare, where tourism is the mainstay of some of the villages, particularly along Lough Derg. The Minister mentioned the River Shannon and beaches in the past few days, and County Clare fits neatly into that category. We have seen the issues that pertain to the good management of a tourism business in the county.