Dan Boyle (Green Party)

There seems to be an unnatural reticence in speaking about alcohol in the House today but it shows there is a widespread welcome for this legislation and the belief it must be progressed through the House in a largely untouched state. I welcome that the national conference centre will offer opportunities and I hope that eventually there will be others forming a network of convention centres around the country to meet wider needs, especially for international conferences. The fact that a national centre is up and running is to be welcomed.

The Bill gives the right for usual licensing hours, with a start no earlier than 10.30 a.m. and a finish time of an hour after the end of events or 2 a.m., whichever is earlier. If a political party convention was to be held in the centre, the idea of people being allowed to drink at 10.30 a.m. might have grave political ramifications on what might be decided at the party conference. It is also important for the convention centre to be given an opportunity to operate profitably, and I am sure the management will run the facility in an upright and responsible manner.

At the last major review of intoxicating liquor in this House approximately 18 months ago, I addressed a small difficulty which remains on the Statute Book. An opportunity was given to convert licences of the original early day houses into full seven-day licences on the basis they operated under the licensing hours of between 10.30 a.m. and no later than midnight. There seems to be an anomaly now in that there are only six early day houses left in the country, and for some reason three of them are in Cork city. I am not concerned about any of those institutions as they have a particular history and cultural resonance where they are.

One establishment has more of a reputation as a prime eating facility in the west and it finds itself in a strange position because it cannot offer alcoholic beverages with food on a Sunday. It is conundrum because of the law. Although it is probably not right to use the Bill as a vehicle for that change, I ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport to communicate with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who has responsibility in this area to see if the anomaly affecting that institution - one of only half a dozen left - might be overcome. It is a very prominent and successful institution which has key tourism links in the west.

Other than that there is not much to say about the Bill. The agreement of the House has been outlined in previous contributions and it would be welcome if the national convention centre would operate in the most effective manner possible. It has all our good wishes to ensure it does.