Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, who has entered the House. We are in the fifth hour of this very important debate. The Minister set out his stall at the start of debate and really set out the platform for how he hoped to deal and will deal with this section. Consultation and working with all stakeholders is key to ensuring that we make this Bill workable. This will be a very important part of the next few weeks before it comes back on Report Stage.

I have been on the record about this issue, particularly section 20, about which I have concerns. I raised those concerns privately and publicly with the Minister. It is important that we acknowledge that we have a two-tier society in so many ways. We have large volumes of alcohol coming out of these multiples and we need strict legislation to deal with those large multiples because they are no friend to rural Ireland, small shops or the small community. They are not the people who are supporting the local GAA club or supplying or providing local jobs locally. I am here trying to support the local shopkeeper. In many ways, that is not really the small shopkeeper. It is the local businessmen who might have ten or 12 employees. They are an integral part of our community and if I was to be honest, will probably not be there in ten or 15 years' time because of the way society is moving. I am concerned that were we to bring in legislation in the way they believe it is being introduced, whereby it had a major impact on them and affected their business and potential to exist, it would not be good for society. I welcome the Minister's approach, which involved sitting down, explaining and dealing with it. That is a very positive approach. The Minister must be complimented on taking on this issue and dealing with it.

However, we cannot forget the lobby. I have lobbied by the industry and groups like Tabor Lodge, which deals with alcoholics in society. The group that lobbied me most was the National Off-Licence Association. Like the multiples, it is somewhat in favour of this Bill as it stands, which is worrying because if the multiples and off-licences are in favour of the Bill as it stands, there is a possibility it literally will become a grab for market share. That would not be appropriate. People with small shops know the community and the people. I have no fear about those people dispensing alcohol because they will do the right thing and will not allow underage people to buy it. Unlike the multiples, they do not have the market share to dispense it at such a low price. Minimum unit pricing is key and if it is not in existence at the moment because of issues relating to Brexit and the Northern Ireland Assembly, we need to look at another way to ensure that the pricing structure of alcohol is sorted out. The Minister said previously that when the price of alcohol goes below a certain level, people, particularly younger people, buy more of it. This is about price more than visibility. It is about people going in and buying a naggin of vodka for €6.42, which is absolute lunacy. Until we deal with that, we are really behind the bat in this regard. The Minister's approach has been positive. What we need now is that engagement. I hope that when it comes back on Report Stage, the fear that is exists can be dealt with and we can then move on together.