Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are here to do a job - to introduce and scrutinise legislation - so why has another day been left blank? Many Senators have Private Members' Bills waiting to go, just waiting on a slot. We have very limited chances to introduce legislation and, again, when time is tight, it is not good enough that days on schedules are left blank. I know I am harping on about this, and forgive me for doing so, but from my perspective, the reality is that we do not know when the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will come back before the House. I thought it was coming back this week, I thought it was coming back last week and now I do not know when it is coming back. It has been over a year since it was last debated. During that time more than 1,000 people have died from alcohol-related issues. I again apologise for harping on about this but I go to funerals weekly and it is really upsetting that we cannot get this legislation back in here and sort it out once and for all. We need to ask the Minister for Health to update the House on the progress of this Bill.