Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come before the House at some stage, because it has been brought to my attention that there are discrepancies in the testing of public service vehicles between one county and another. I have evidence of a small transport vehicle that was given the okay in the county where a man bought it. However, when he brought it back to his own county, it failed. It cost him a considerable amount of money afterwards. The Department should carry out an investigation at the very least. Maybe the Minister for Transport should come before the House as well because there are other issues in relation to the testing of cars and there is a huge backlog. There are problems in that area.

I would also like to raise an issue highlighted in theIrish Independent today, which is the advertising of alcohol. We had many hours of debate in this Chamber on that. It caused considerable concern within our own party of Fine Gael at the time. On a number of occasions in this Chamber, we were accused of filibustering on the Bill that was passed. We see that the Bill is not being implemented in the way it was drafted, from an advertising point of view.

Alcohol Action Ireland plays a great role in the measurement of alcohol which it gives to various groups around the country. It was belittled in this Chamber by senior people, but I think it does a great job. It might be no harm if we revisited the whole area of the sale of alcohol, the consumption of alcohol, etc. I ask that at some time in the future we have a debate on how the Bill is progressing. I remember Senator McDowell raised concerns in relation to planning and the issue of putting up hoardings near schools. They were objected to at the time and it was a big issue. We could have a very good debate on the Bill that was passed and we could see how it has progressed since.