Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news that the international congress of the European People's Party will take place in Dublin in March 2014. A total of 2,000 delegates from 40 countries will attend. It will be a great boost for Dublin and for tourism in the city. The European People's Party is the largest grouping in the European Parliament with 73 member parties in 40 countries. The conference will take place in Dublin ahead of the European elections next year.

I agree with the comments of Senator Mooney with regard to the pint of Guinness. Our relationship with alcohol runs a lot deeper and it is unfortunate that our international reputation for alcohol use is as a result of the behaviour instilled in people, including those who have been forced to emigrate in difficult circumstances. We should ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sport to come to the House to discuss the issue but as I have been requesting for some weeks and yesterday I think we need to have a really full debate with the Minister of State, Deputy White, whose responsibility it is to deal with the alcohol issue. I understand the strategy is to be rolled out in the coming weeks. I am assuming that the alcohol sponsorship issue will be debated in and around that strategy. I ask if we could have an update as to when the Minister of State will come to the House to discuss this very serious issue.