John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader use his good offices to ascertain from the Minister for Health the schedule for Committee Stage of our Bill to protect children from the harmful effects of cigarette smoking in cars? First and Second Stages were taken more than a year ago. It was our hope that it would be in place to protect children during the summer holidays in 2012 but nothing happened. In January we had a meeting with officials from the Department of Health who promised that we would have what they referred to, somewhat curiously, as the heads of a Bill.

This is strange because the Minister said he was accepting our Bill, but would table amendments to it. This did not happen by the end of January and it is now July. There are several weeks left before the summer holidays of 2013 and I am hoping that this Bill can be progressed. I do not understand where the delay is. I accept that amendments were necessary regarding matters such as definition of age, burden of proof and a garda's right to challenge people on their age. I also understand the necessity for technical legal advice on that from the Office of the Attorney General. However, it is now a year and a quarter later, even though we were told in January that we would have the Bill by the end of the month. Nothing has happened.

I and the co-sponsors of the Bill are considering what strategies we might employ in the House to have the Bill put on the Order Paper for its next Stage, with the relevant amendments from the Government. However, in the first instance, I ask the Leader to intercede on our behalf. This is an important health-related Bill from the Seanad. While I understand how the Minister's hands were tied by the European Court, it must be said for the record that the only tobacco control legislation passed in this Oireachtas was legislation to loosen tobacco control on foot of the order from the European Court of Justice. It is essential for the reputation of this Oireachtas that this Bill now be given high priority.