Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

Just because the Senator has a good idea from time to time does not mean I am enacting bad law. The Government has not framed any particular amendments to this Bill and as Senator O'Donovan stated earlier, some fairly significant concessions from the Government side have already been made with regard to two issues. These are the matters of early houses and separation of alcohol products, which has by agreement been parked until we can derive a code of practice with the industry on the issue.

The underlying thrust of this Bill is very significant. I do not see how Senators can wish to delay legislation like this, which is specifically designed to curtail the availability of alcohol, and by extension to control and limit the kind of public damage to individuals and property done because of late night and binge drinking, etc. I cannot believe Senators would want to delay legislation which has at its spearpoint proposals to counter the hooliganism associated with late-night drinking. It will make it easier to curtail this phenomenon, which is making a misery of the lives of a great many people. I do not see the argument for delay.