Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Curran, before whom I have not had the pleasure of addressing the House before now.

I have significant problems with this Bill. While we must face up to a considerable challenge regarding alcohol, I regard the Bill as rushed legislation of the worst kind. The alcohol advisory group, chaired by Dr. Gordon Holmes, was given five weeks in January to make a submission before March. Since then, the Minister has sprung the Bill on us and has not given us enough time to deal with it.

Senator O'Donovan stated that we can sit next week. However, this is no good because, if we have amendments, the time frame is such that they will not be considered seriously. Even if the Minister was tempted to accept one of our laudable amendments, he would not do so because the Dáil will be in recess.

While the Bill is rushed legislation of the worst kind, there are many other reasons it is not acceptable. We have a significant problem with alcohol. I proposed some years ago that we should place a levy on alcohol advertising in sports promotion — there was an article on this some time ago in The Irish Times.