Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)

The Minister of State is welcome back to the House this afternoon. This is a straightforward motion, one which my party is very happy to support. It is one of the positive developments that have flowed in recent years. It is great, particularly during good weather, to see so many licensed premises have this outdoor space available to them. It creates a nice vibe and buzz in a town, especially when the weather permits. The past number of weeks have been positive in that regard, and it is great to fly through towns and see people sitting outside enjoying themselves and having a good time. It is a great sight to behold.

This is a six-monthly procedure for us but, as the Minister of State outlined in his contribution, the Minister has now indicated his intention to bring legislation forward that will do away with us having to come back here every six months. That makes perfect sense. It also brings clarity to gardaí on how they do their job, which is vitally important as well. There is no need for me to rabbit on too long on this. I welcome it and it is very positive. I look forward to the legislation being introduced later this year that it is hoped will put this on a permanent footing.