Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Well I know he had a problem with the ban on smoking in public places. People have a great capacity to claim they were right all along but what they were saying all along was quite different.

I welcome the general support for the Bill. The question of whether the 10 p.m. rule should apply for all or part of the year can be considered again in the context of the overall consolidating legislation. The points made to me were that families were out together in the summer and wanted to go in and have something to eat afterwards and bring the kids in with them. If one is now saying that Ranelagh, Finglas or Temple Bar are tourist locations where 16 and 17 year olds should be allowed into pubs unaccompanied by adults up to 10 p.m., I have a problem with that. That explains why we have gone as far as we have on the summer months rule.