Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Minister of my complete support for this legislation and assure him that my customary co-operation with its passage will be repeated here today. It is a perfectly reasonable, necessary and intelligent piece of legislation that I strongly support.

I have two queries for the Minister. Perhaps my passing acquaintance with the law relating to intoxicating liquor explains why I am asking this question. Does section 1(6) restrict sale to persons over the age of 18 or is that provided for somewhere else in the Intoxicating Liquor Acts that is not referenced in the Bill? It states that notwithstanding anything contained in the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018, alcohol can effectively be sold to persons who have completed a guided tour on the premises or to persons who have completed a tour where the sale is an off sale? Does it definitely exclude the sale to people under the age of 18? I just wanted clarity on that because if it does not, the Minister could put in a definition of "person" to mean a person over the age of 18.

I was not a great fan of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, which was recently passed by this House. I think it is excessive in many respects and has now gone to the Dáil. Are the terms of this Bill now before the House such as to require an amendment to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill? The latter Bill included all sorts of restrictions about places near schools, advertising and the like and I want to make sure we are not pursuing two different legislative aims at the same time.I assure the Minister that if there is any conflict between this legislation and the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill I would be in favour of this Bill passing and the latter Bill being amended to accommodate it. I have no further comments.