Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the passage of this legislation and I congratulate Senator Lawless. I also pay tribute to our colleague and former Senator, Imelda Henry, who prepared this legislation in the previous Seanad. I welcome the members of the LVA and Dublin vintners today.

While I understand Senator O'Reilly's point of view, a report published yesterday on the agrifood sector by Ciaran Fitzgerald, an economist, showed that tourists spend €6.5 billion in this country annually and 65% of that is outside Dublin, including in rural regions, where it is the largest and, in some cases, only economic activity.

While I understand the religious aspect, I have seen tourists in Limerick city looking to get food on Good Friday. Places have not been open and it has been very inconvenient for them. Therefore, the legislation we are passing is most welcome. It is about choice. Nobody is saying that people have to go out and drink on Good Friday. When sports clubs and the different organisations that were able to serve drink on Good Friday were open, people had a choice; they either went to them or they did not.

I also support what Senator Black said about the amount of binge drinking that was happening. People were going out and bulk-buying drink from supermarkets on Thursday, which was also anti-publican. However, this is about giving people choice and facilitating tourists. I welcome the Bill's passage.