Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I rise to support Senator Norris's call for a debate not just on rushed legislation but on legislation we are being asked to pass after the Dáil has finished. This does not make sense. We should have that debate. If we are going to debate the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill, which will not come into operation until October, it does not make sense to rush something through in that situation.

I support Senator O'Donovan's remarks about the figures from Drogheda. Gardaí there said they would enforce the law, that there would be zero tolerance. Gardaí visited each of the 61 pubs and night clubs in Drogheda every night at closing time and enforced the law and they have seen a 42% drop in street disorder and a 60% decrease in assaults. That is a reminder that while we need legislation, more than anything else, we must enforce the legislation we already have. It would be a shame if we are going to debate something next week knowing that we cannot make any changes.

There was a similar occurrence before, when there was a Bill before the House after the Dáil had risen where Senator Ross discovered a loophole that the Leader recognised meant the law could not be put into operation. It was the Leader's action to drop it.

I also support the call for the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House next week. She will be coming in for the debate on the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill. We should also draw her attention to other areas, namely, the fact that in St. James's Hospital, a quarter of the beds are for patients who do not need hospital treatment. It is outrageous that people are in the hospital because there is nowhere else for them to go. The Minister should address the House on this situation.

The Minister sent us a message with regard to pharmacies. I am concerned at the amount of support the pharmacists are getting because it is the Minister's job to create competition. She stated in her letter that in the absence of any action now, total income to community pharmacies from these sources in 2009 would amount to €550 million, about €343,000 per pharmacy, on average. She must do something about this at a time when competition among supermarkets has brought down prices by 3% in food prices, and drapery and textile prices have fallen by 12% as a result of competition. The Minister should be supported. When she comes to the House to talk about tobacco she should also talk about the pharmacists.