Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Butler's comments on the 9% VAT rate, which is an issue I have raised numerous times. There is an issue around potentially extending free GP care to children aged under 12. We should have a discussion on any potential changes in that regard with the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, before it becomes an issue. It appears that GPs are struggling to deal with the cohort aged under six. We need to examine the issue and come up with some solutions so that the system works for patients and doctors.

When will the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill come before the House? I am tired of hearing rumours about when it is coming. There is intense lobbying. As politicians, we have to stand up to big business and implement policies which look after our citizens. Big business does not have any interest in ensuring the health of citizens when it comes to our harmful relationship with alcohol. Businesses are interested in profits. They have no place in health care policy and should not pretend to care about it because they care about profits.

There was a helpful briefing from Alcohol Action Ireland today. I will not go in to all of the details. A poll was carried out by the industry which showed that a certain number of people do not support or are not concerned about the Bill. An alcohol group has done some research which found 74% of people support Government intervention to reduce alcohol consumption, 92% agree that alcohol consumption in this country is too high and 78% are concerned about children and their exposure to alcohol.

I will not say any more about that, other than to say I want the Bill to come before the House soon. I do not accept any of the excuses I have heard. I do not care whether something is going on between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We will get used to the fake news and everything else.

If people have issues with the committee it might be helpful if they can write to it, and that will be entered into the committee's correspondence. There is a lot of grandstanding going on inside and outside the Houses. It would be helpful if people communicated with us directly.