Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will try not to, Senator Devine. I have no vested interest in this. I am not swayed by populism, as was proven when I lost my seat at the last election. I will always do the right thing and I will always speak my mind freely whether it be in this Chamber or when I meet the Fine Gael parliamentary party. This is not a matter of division or of passing a Bill that ticks a box. We could have done that two years ago. We must distinguish between groceries and alcohol and section 20 is central to this. As I mentioned today, I am a member of the joint city and county policing committee in Cork and we were recently addressed by David Lane of the Cork Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force. This is not just a matter for us here. This is a matter for the people we all know who are affected by and have witnessed the effects of alcohol. We cannot trivialise the harm caused by alcohol. Senator Dolan's contribution on section 20 was right: our shops have diversified and will continue to do so and if this Bill does not change, then the shops themselves will. Off-licences will start stocking a few bottles of milk, packets of sweets or in some cases, ready meals. In my own constituency I have seen shops developing cafés and coffee counters because these bring in profits.